[L00T]

One or two years ago I've heard a story from a shopkeeper about a cease and desist order for some parody shirt's with the UPC or UPS logo on it, not sure which anymore. Could be shirts from Gorillashirt, but not sure either. He was a bit vague about it. Only thing I remember for sure is that he had to send back the whole lot to be destroyed!
Anyone knows more about this story/shirts?

 

[CrazyTeeShirts]

I think I'm up to 12 C&D's for parody or humor shirts. But thakfully no actual proceedings. I would have to say that they are mostly used as a scare tactic. If someone plans on sueing you they will just file suit and forget about the advanced warning. The last half dozen I've got were from other t-shirt sites claiming copyright infringement of their design but quickly disappeared when I produced the copyright that was registered well before they said they created their design.

Funniest one I ever got was from t-shirt hell saying a design was derived from theirs since a it was printed upside down even though it wasn't even the same phrase. It turned out I was selling mine nearly a year before they started selling theirs and I haven't heard back from them after forwarding the proof.

 

[Lowbrowser]

No, but I've had 2 designs stolen and put on shirts by other companies! One, I was watching TV and saw my design on a Disney TV show !!! (they bought it at a local mall), a cease and desist and a small $ settlement of all profits later (that's all I could get in this state because I didn't copyright it but I DID prove I designed it) and the manufacturer pulled it. Last month I was walking down another mall and saw another of my designs in a 'well known' window display! In litigation currently, I decided to sell my own shirts since my designs seem to be popping up friggin' everywhere! So I entered the world of T-shirts last month! Crazy, some BIG companies out there will steal an image and take the chance over designing something new... at 2 designs available per store, they won't be out a whole lot if caught...

 

[Lowbrowser]

That is the big faceless companies I'm talking about, not the little guy!

 

[kentphoto]

I remember years ago, I was coming out of a U2/Pixies concert. The "real" U2 shirt showed all 4 band members, and Bono had short hair.

We walked by a shirt stand, and my friend said to the guy selling them, "Those shirts are knock-offs." And the guy denied it up and down. Until my friend pointed out that the picture of Bono, was an older picture... Bono with long hair.

The guy shut right up, and looked pretty embarassed. Too funny when you catch 'em on such a stupid mistake.

(The Pixies were the best back then...)

 

[Natitown]

Getting back to the parody tees...what I don't understand is how some can get away with it and some don't. For example,Welcome: T-Shirt Humor: The Funny T-Shirt Store. They are a huge parody t-shirt company. The designers are former newpaper editorialists so they must know all the ins and outs. Go figure.

 

[Rodney]

Getting back to the parody tees...what I don't understand is how some can get away with it and some don't. For example,Welcome: T-Shirt Humor: The Funny T-Shirt Store.

Some only get away with it for a little while, some may just not caught "yet". Some may be in litigation. Some may have lawyers who have fought suits for them. There's a lot of reasons.

 

[Chido01]

Funniest one I ever got was from t-shirt hell saying a design was derived from theirs since a it was printed upside down even though it wasn't even the same phrase. It turned out I was selling mine nearly a year before they started selling theirs and I haven't heard back from them after forwarding the proof.

It's amazing; T-Shirt Hell has a bunch of parody designs they could be sued for...

 

[L00T]

It's amazing; T-Shirt Hell has a bunch of parody designs they could be sued for...

Yup, saw some of those designs elswhere before they had them.

Anyway, I think each case is different and in the end it will only depend on what the judge in that particular case will rule. You just can't rely that much on cases from the past.

 

[Natitown]

I think Rodney is right when the mentioned the lawyers that have fought suits for some of these companies that do parody tees. T-Shirt Humor has been around a long time and like I said in my previous post, they are former newspaper cartoon editorialists who probably know their rights and are not easily scared off.

 

[Rodney]

It's amazing; T-Shirt Hell has a bunch of parody designs they could be sued for.

They have been sued a few times.

 

[Chido01]

They have been sued a few times.

And they still go around suing people? That's ludicrous!

 

[tbaby]

They have been sued a few times.

Who has sued T-Shirt Hell? I don't recall them getting sued.

Funniest one I ever got was from t-shirt hell saying a design was derived from theirs since a it was printed upside down even though it wasn't even the same phrase. It turned out I was selling mine nearly a year before they started selling theirs and I haven't heard back from them after forwarding the proof.

Which shirt?

It's amazing; T-Shirt Hell has a bunch of parody designs they could be sued for...Yup, saw some of those designs elswhere before they had them.

Which designs?

 

[Chido01]

Which designs?

Well, just to name a few:

1. In Loving Mammary
2. ***** Betta Have My Honey
3. WAL-MARX
4. White Flour
5. Sponsored By The Letter "E"
6. Wiid
7. Rocky vs. Bullwinkle
8. Your Grandma Liked It
9. Blue Trash
10. ****tles

 

[Rodney]

Who has sued T-Shirt Hell? I don't recall them getting sued.

Wasn't there some sort of hoo haw about the Olsen twins and Christopher Reeve or something? I thought I remember reading something on their site about it?

And they still go around suing people? That's ludicrous!

People get sued and still sue all the time. That's just business. If someone takes your designs, you have to protect yourself and your intellectual property.

I think they sued (and won) against the Osbornes for using their images without permission.

 

[tbaby]

Well, just to name a few:

1. In Loving Mammary
2. ***** Betta Have My Honey
3. WAL-MARX
4. White Flour
5. Sponsored By The Letter "E"
6. Wiid
7. Rocky vs. Bullwinkle
8. Your Grandma Liked It
9. Blue Trash
10. ****tles

NO, I wasn't asking for the shirts with parodies, I was asking for the shirts this person was saying they took from other places:

"Yup, saw some of those designs elswhere before they had them."

 

[tbaby]

Wasn't there some sort of hoo haw about the Olsen twins and Christopher Reeve or something? I thought I remember reading something on their site about it?

I believe they received cease and desists for those incidents. I don't remember T-Shirt Hell ever actually getting sued.

 

[L00T]

NO, I wasn't asking for the shirts with parodies, I was asking for the shirts this person was saying they took from other places:

"Yup, saw some of those designs elswhere before they had them."

Take a good look at blacksheeps list, then I'll add these in addition:

• I support single moms
• Who needs big tits...
• He loves the cock
• Wii-tarded
• Well hung
• You must be this long to ride
• Soldiers need hummers
• I only support gay marriage...

Not sure if they also had a shirt called Hispanic at the disco, don't see that one there anymore (if they ever had it).

 

[tbaby]

Take a good look at blacksheeps list, then I'll add these in addition:

• I support single moms
• Who needs big tits...
• He loves the cock
• Wii-tarded
• Well hung
• You must be this long to ride
• Soldiers need hummers
• I only support gay marriage...

Not sure if they also had a shirt called Hispanic at the disco, don't see that one there anymore (if they ever had it).

I follow the t-shirt industry quite closely and T-shirt hell prides itself on having original designs. I am fairly sure they had all of the designs you list, first...before anyone else. Would love to see the other sites you claim had these shirts first (which are probably either t-shirt hell affiliates and you're just confused or are sites that are stealing designs from t-shirt hell).

And looking over CrazyTeeShirts site, I noticed shirts like "rehab is for quitters", which is one of the most famous t-shirts in the industry (are you licensing that?) and "More Cowbell", which everyone seemed to rip each other off by doing. When he mentions that tshirthell gave him a cease and desist, I would imagine that they probably had good reason to do so, considering it's obvious he is selling shirts that have been in the industry and are clearly not original.

 

[Chido01]

People get sued and still sue all the time. That's just business.

I know, Rodney, and those people at T-Shirt Hell must live by their own twisted interpretation of the golden rule—"Do unto others, and sue if they do unto you!"