Posted on 07/13/2014 12:47:37 AM PDT by expat1000
John Wayne’s heirs are taking Duke University to court over the family’s right to market bottles of bourbon branded with the late movie star’s nickname, Duke.
A federal lawsuit filed last week is the latest salvo in a long-running legal duel between the North Carolina university and California-based John Wayne Enterprises over commercial products featuring the name. The late actor used the moniker since childhood, when he adopted the name of the family dog.
Lawyers for the university say allowing the Wayne estate to use the name could cause confusion and “diminish, dilute and tarnish” the value of the name, for which both parties hold trademarks.
A message seeking comment from the John Wayne Enterprises was not immediately returned.
The proposed bourbon label would feature an image of Wayne holding a rifle with “Duke” emblazoned over it in bold letters and the phrase “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” according to court filings.
(Excerpt) Read more at collegeinsurrection.com ...
Oh good grief.
Hey, he’s holding a rifle, not a lacrosse racquet. Tell me again who is doing what to diminish the Duke University brand?
That's racist. Not quite sure how, but it's racist. I'm sure Crystal Magnum will know.
I thought it was pretty racist to put her in jail for killing her pimp too.
Not only that, but it’s further evidence of the Republican War On Women™.
Duke University is now Kook University
Thanks. I completely missed that.
The 84 Leftist professors who signed the infamous petition supporting the lying stripper/murderer demolished Duke University’s brand. Why weren’t they sued....or at least fired? Instead, they are still on the payroll and still infecting students with their virulent racism.
He started publicly using it so many years ago, which was the time to sue.
I don’t know how many other uses of “Duke” John Wayne Enterprises has been using and for how long, but I think a tradename has to be defended in all significant cases in order to have a case.
I’m no expert, but I don’t think it helps your case if you let someone infringe on your tradename for decades.
It’s silly, IMHO, cuz everybody knows who “the Duke” is.
I really don’t see the damage to the image, either; it’ll probably help draw students. It’s not like drinking and college is some big secret. Hey, new world order wants to spread alcohol excess and recreational drugs throughout the college population, I would think they’d be willing to pay to license the drink as the official drink of the school.
Oh, I get it. John Wayne is well-liked by a lot of conservatives.
Ahhh, now it makes sense. Colleges don’t want students exposed to ANYTHING REMOTELY conservative - even while the students are drunk.
I don’t see the problem. There’s not an inkling of Duke University in that label.
But, yes, I agree the university probably wouldn't bother if it had been ORTEGA beer or something...
Those libs can’t say the word right. It’s not ‘dook’.
Was not john wayne known as “the duke”
Solved it. Now on to the irs scandal
T
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892.[6] In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James B. Duke established The Duke Endowment, at which time the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington Duke.
Boston talk host Howie Carr, a UNC grad, has said they used to sing (to the tune of The Old Grey Mare) Oh, I don’t give a damn about Duke University, Duke University...
“The Duke” will never be confused with Duke University. The suit is without merit.
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