The Hobbit
Posted by: Dungassin on 17 March 2012
I see an American film producing company is trying to sue an English pub for calling itself The Hobbit, even though the pub has been called that since before they even made any of the Tolkien films. Hopefully they won't be allowed to get away with it.
Been called that for 20 years without a problem. Even Gandalf the Gay thinks the name should remain the same. Had a hotel on the wild west coast of NZ that was known as the Blackball Hilton. Paris's lawyers demanded a name change, now it's called 'Formerly the Blackball Hilton'...
Announced today that due to public pressure via the internet the pub's now allowed to keep it. All power to the naim forum!
Reminds me of when the 'World Wrestling Federation' tried to sue the 'World Wildlife Fund' a few years ago for using the 'WWF' moniker. As it turned out, the World Wildlife Fund pre-dated the wresting lot, and I believe even had given the wrestlers permission to use WWF quite a few years beforehand.
Needless to say they the wrestlers had to back down pretty quickly, and then changed their name to something else, I care not what.
I also believe one of their wrestlers tried to sue a porn star over use of the name Sean Michaels, and again the guy who makes his living with his pants down left the (then) WWF with theirs in the same position, but probably looking somewhat more embarrassed than he would.
This whole post works equally well if you use the word pantomime instead of wresting after the first line.
There used to be a pub/wine bar in Eastbourne in 1976/77/78 called Bilbo Bagigins.
Every one just used to call it Bilbo's.
It might of been there for longer?
The last time i went there was in 77 .
Stu.
There was a record label in England that got in a legal tangle with the makers of the ipod. Seems the English company was the first business in the music industry to name their corporation Apple.
I believe Apple the computer company had to pay the Beatles for the right to use it. The original name was Apple Corps, which was rather witty.We used to have a Sgt. Pepper steak house in Christchurch that was forced to change their name a few years ago. Ironically they used the same law firm as the Beatles, and for some reason they decided to side with the fab four. I can understand artists being upset if people make money off their hard work but surely free advertising is a good thing? Kodak were going to sue Paul Simon for mentioning Kodachrome in a song until they came to their senses. Not that it ended up doing them much good.
A junk shop in London called 'Herrods' was successfully challenged by Al Fayed so The owner changed it to 'arrods' laughing that 'this could run and run....'. G
Slightly off topic, but following name changes, from the Torygraph.
'Sir - I can confirm that the employees of Disneyland Paris did indeed call their place of work Mousewitz. I have heard that when managers became aware of this sobriquet, they asked staff to stop using it, as it was not in keeping with the Disney image, so the staff started to call the place Duckau.'