Arrested Development Sues "Arrested Development" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJL · 11-05-2003, 09:59 PM

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Atlanta hip-hop group Arrested Development has filed a trademark infringement suit against Fox, Imagine Films Entertainment Inc. and New World Communications of Atlanta Inc. over the use of the band's name as the title of a new Fox-TV series.

The suit, filed Oct. 16 in Dekalb County Superior Court, alleges that Fox's use of the phrase will dilute the meaning of the band's name in the eyes of its fans.

"Fox has no more right to use 'Arrested Development' for its show than a band would have to name itself after one of Fox's sitcoms," said frontman Todd "Speech" Thomas in a statement. "Arrested Development" airs Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET on the network and stars Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman and Portia de Rossi.

Arrested Development is working on a new album, tentatively titled "Among the Trees," for release in early 2004. It will be the band's first in a decade, following its 1994 sophomore effort "Zingalamaduni" (Chrysalis).

Reuters/Billboard

What fans?

MochaBabe74 · 11-06-2003, 10:08 AM

I actually thought about the group when I started hearing about the new sitcom and I assumed it would be about a black family not a weathly white family where the father actually gets arrested. But I think they-- AD the group-- should use the free publicity and hopefully positive reviews the show gets. They should still sue because Hollywood does seem to get alittle insane when music groups use what they thought of... ie Luke Skywalker from the Miami group (can't remember the name) had to shorten his name to just Luke... Neptunes had to shorten the name to just Attack of the clones... Now that I am writing this maybe it has only to do with George Lucas!?!?

I have to much time on my hands...

TJL · 11-06-2003, 05:40 PM

These guys might have more of a case if they weren't on hiatus since 1994.

dlemond · 11-06-2003, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJL
These guys might have more of a case if they weren't on hiatus since 1994.

No kidding.

One studio album.
Give me a break.

(oh no, will I be sued by the makers of Gimme a Break or possibly the advertising firm for Kit Kat???)

marvin g · 11-10-2003, 10:37 PM

I didn't know that group was still around! Even though I did think of them when I heard the name.

TJL · 11-10-2003, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by marvin g
I didn't know that group was still around!

Yeah, I thought they broke up a long time ago.

Dean Winchester · 12-15-2003, 05:35 AM

like there haven't been tv shows that share names with groups in the past.....

11-05-2003, 09:59 PM	#1
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Arrested Development Sues "Arrested Development" NEW YORK (Billboard) - Atlanta hip-hop group Arrested Development has filed a trademark infringement suit against Fox, Imagine Films Entertainment Inc. and New World Communications of Atlanta Inc. over the use of the band's name as the title of a new Fox-TV series. The suit, filed Oct. 16 in Dekalb County Superior Court, alleges that Fox's use of the phrase will dilute the meaning of the band's name in the eyes of its fans. "Fox has no more right to use 'Arrested Development' for its show than a band would have to name itself after one of Fox's sitcoms," said frontman Todd "Speech" Thomas in a statement. "Arrested Development" airs Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET on the network and stars Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman and Portia de Rossi. Arrested Development is working on a new album, tentatively titled "Among the Trees," for release in early 2004. It will be the band's first in a decade, following its 1994 sophomore effort "Zingalamaduni" (Chrysalis). Reuters/Billboard What fans?
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11-06-2003, 10:08 AM	#2
MochaBabe74 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 05, 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 26	I actually thought about the group when I started hearing about the new sitcom and I assumed it would be about a black family not a weathly white family where the father actually gets arrested. But I think they-- AD the group-- should use the free publicity and hopefully positive reviews the show gets. They should still sue because Hollywood does seem to get alittle insane when music groups use what they thought of... ie Luke Skywalker from the Miami group (can't remember the name) had to shorten his name to just Luke... Neptunes had to shorten the name to just Attack of the clones... Now that I am writing this maybe it has only to do with George Lucas!?!? I have to much time on my hands...

11-06-2003, 05:40 PM	#3
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	These guys might have more of a case if they weren't on hiatus since 1994.

11-10-2003, 10:37 PM	#5
marvin g Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 30, 2003 Location: Chicago,IL Posts: 1,217	I didn't know that group was still around! Even though I did think of them when I heard the name.

12-15-2003, 05:35 AM	#7
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	like there haven't been tv shows that share names with groups in the past.....