Gizelle Bryant & Robyn Dixon Fight Back After Eminem Accused 'RHOP' Stars Of Ripping Off His ‘Shady’ Trademark
Mar. 7 2023, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of Potomac stars Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon are fighting back against rapper Eminem's move to block their Reasonably Shady trademark application, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the Bravo stars responded to the 8 Mile rapper’s opposition to them moving to obtain the trademark Reasonably Shady, which is the name of their podcast.
Last month, Eminem and his legal team demanded the application be denied. The musician (real name: Marshall Mathers) said he believed his brand would be damaged if the RHOP stars were granted the trademark.
Eminem claimed the name would cause “confusion in the minds of consumers.” He pointed out he had had used the name Slim Shady and Shady since 1996.
He said he spent a substantial amount of time, effort and money in promoting the name. Eminem believed Gizelle and Robyn’s podcast name made it appear he was somehow associated with the program.
His lawyer wrote, “[Robyn & Gizelle’s] mark REASONABLY SHADY, simply looks and sounds like SHADY and suggests that it represents the services of Mathers.”
Further, he said, “REASONABLY SHADY so resembles Opposer’s mark SLIM SHADY, SHADY and the mark SHADY LIMITED in terms of appearance, sound and commercial impression as to be likely, when applied to [Robyn & Gizelle’s] goods, to cause confusion and mistake and to deceive.”
Eminem demanded the reality star not be granted the mark or be allowed to sell merchandise with the name.
Now, Robyn & Gizelle have responded to Eminem and are asking that his request be denied.
The Bravo stars denied they were on “actual notice of [Eminem’s] prior rights in the names and marks Slim Shady, Shady and Shady Limited before adopting and seeking to register” their name.
The duo denied that Reasonably Shady “is identical to” Eminem’s registered and prior use of Shady.
Further, they said that their trademark would not confuse people nor does it suggest Eminem had any role in their project.
The Real Housewives of Potomac stars have asked the United States Patent and Trademark Office to sign off on their application despite Eminem’s opposition.
Eminem has yet to respond.