By Eili Cordova
The dispute simply over the title of the latest album Taylor Swift, “The Lifetime of a Showgirl”took a new turn. The superstar’s lawyers responded forcefully to the lawsuit presented by Maren Flagg, known artistically as Maren Wade, former Las Vegas dancer who owns the “Confessions of a Showgirl” brand.
Flagg, who registered his trademark in 2015 for use in a podcast, column and cabaret shows, filed a lawsuit in late March in a California court. It alleges that both titles share the same structure and may cause confusion among consumers. Her team sought an injunction to prevent Swift from continuing to use her album name.
However, Swift’s representatives were quick to react. In a writing cited by Range, they described the lawsuit “absurd” and pointed out that “it should never have been filed.”
According to the lawyers, compare a cabaret show in small venues, with capacity for about 90 peoplewith Swift’s stadium tour is completely disproportionate and impossible to generate confusion in the public.
Flagg’s intention questioned
Furthermore, the singer’s defense questions Flagg’s intentions. They point out that he waited eight months after the album announcement to request an injunction for irreparable damage.
During that time, they claim, the plaintiff would have taken advantage of Swift’s success to relaunch her own brand, publishing more than 40 times on social media with references to “The Lifetime of a Showgirl”even using the cover, the music and hashtags like #swifties.
Swift’s lawyers warn that these actions could constitute an intellectual property infringement by Flagg, and that Swift reserves the right to take legal action in this regard.
Likewise, they defend that the album title is protected by the First Amendment, as it is an expressive work, and cite precedents such as the case of Lady Gaga. Finally, they remember that other similar titles have coexisted without problems in the market, like “Portrait of a Showgirl” or “The Final Showgirl.”
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