Nothing thrills John Oliver fairly like a possible authorized battle. After trolling Mike Pence by writing a queer youngsters’s ebook and slamming his varied “Enterprise Daddies” on segments of Final Week Tonight, on Sunday he challenged Disney to duel over one of many company’s most beloved characters.
Whereas talking about mental property, Oliver famous that Disney will lose its copyright on the “intently guarded company treasure” that’s Steamboat Willie-era Mickey Mouse after 95 years. But as a substitute of lobbying for an extension from the federal government, Disney registered the character in its trademark for defense. This transfer comes as a bunch of Republican lawmakers pledged to oppose any extension efforts, in an try to penalize Disney for latest actions similar to its criticism of Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice, in accordance with The Los Angeles Occasions.
Oliver argued that the explanation Steamboat Willie Mickey seems within the Walt Disney Animation Studios opening brand “does really feel like a tactical authorized transfer,” including, “Mainly, they might argue that this early Mickey’s picture is so intently related to their firm that individuals robotically assume that any picture of him was produced or licensed by them, and nonetheless take authorized motion.”
The late-night host then declared his intention to check this idea. “The very fact is, anybody wanting to make use of the Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse will most likely nonetheless be taking a danger,” he continued. “But when you realize something about this present by now, we do prefer to take a danger from time to time.”
Oliver then launched “a model new character for this present”: a black and white Mickey Mouse normal after the long-lasting determine. “We’re staking our declare to Mickey Mouse proper now,” earlier than the character enters the general public area in 2024, Oliver stated. “I do know Disney’s attorneys may argue that this Mickey is intently related to their model, though they need to know that he’s fairly related to our model now too.”
He then revealed that Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse had been snuck into the opening credit for Final Week Tonight all through his newest season. Oliver concluded his elaborate dare by seemingly taunting the corporate. “Disney has another authorized arguments up their sleeve,” he defined. “We’re solely more likely to discover out what the [arguments are] if and after they sue.”
