'What Would Jesus Do?': Typer Perry, TV & Film Mogul, Granted Patent to Trademark Phrase
Tyler Perry, the TV and film mogul, who has brought critically acclaimed films such as, "Why Did I Get Married" and "For Colored Girls" and is also responsible for bringing to life Maeda, a force-to-be-reckoned-with kind of character, is now making headlines on a different topic: Jesus.
Perry was granted this week the official patent and trademark phrase of "What Would Jesus Do?" Perry had to legally battle with a reality show star in order to lay claim to this kind of trademark.
The entire legal drama arguably started between 2007 and 2008. In a case of Perry vs. Kimberly Kearney, aka "Poprah," of the reality show "I Want to Work for Diddy," Kearney claimed that she had the phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" certified in 2008, several months before Perry had it registered, BET reported.
During 2008, Perry had supposedly claimed the phrase under the heading of "Entertainment Services" with the notion and intention of creating and producing live concerts, one TV program and films.
But, Kearney had control over the phrase, and she wanted to use it for a reality show. However, Tyler Perry Studios objected to this "branding of the phrase" by claiming that she did not use it. Kearney countered at the time and said that she was indeed developing a reality series with the aforementioned title. Kearney also alleged that she had taken her idea to Tyler Perry Studios one year earlier to pursue financial backing, BET reported.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Kearney's trademarking for "What Would Jesus Do" was at first issued for nearly two years until Tyler Perry Studios challenged its usage. Within Kearney's registration of the "Jesus" brand, she illustrated with a computer print out from a Web page that she held auditions for her show and that she was indeed using the brand.
The representatives for Perry urged the Trademark Office to have her registration be relinquished because it was hindering his own pursuits of having "What Would Jesus Do?" trademark, Hollywood Reporter noted.
Kearney was adamant that she indeed shared this trademark in November of 2007 with Perry's TV programing and his studios. Then months later after their shared agreement, Perry wanted to register the phrase, the New York Daily News reported.
By Wednesday of this week, the judges ruled in favor of Perry, as a consequence, the trademarked phrase went from Kearney to Perry.
Kearney Tweeted her disagreement with the ruling: "Thanks every1 who has reached out bout the board letting @tylerperry steal my trademark 4. What Would Jesus Do -- but its not over -- God got this!"
Perry stated that he did want to claim rights over Jesus but that it was only about the phrase.
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