For
decades,
rapper
Eminem
has
been
known
for
having
beef
with
some
of
the
biggest
names
in
the
entertainment
industry.
However,
this
week
his
beef
isn’t
with
another
rapper,
but
Real
Housewives
of
Potomac
stars
Gizelle
Bryant
and
Robyn
Dixon
regarding
the
name
of
their
podcast,
which
is
called
“Reasonably
Shady.”
The
trademark
dispute
began
last
year
following
the
launch
of
the
podcast
in
2021.
The
two
filed
a
trademark
request
for
their
name
in
2022
(although
it
is
unclear
what
the
status
of
that
application
is).
However,
Eminem’s
lawyers
filed
to
block
the
trademark,
stating
that
it
would
potentially
cause
confusion
between
the
RHOP
and
Eminem
brands.
Eminem
owns
the
trademark
for
“Shady”
to
use
on
merchandise.
In
March,
Bryant
and
Dixon
told
Page
Six
that
they
“deny
any
likelihood
of
confusion
between
Mather’s
trademarks
and
their
Reasonably
Shady
mark,”
adding
that
they
“are
prepared
to
defend
any
allegations against
them
regarding
their
intellectual property.”
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The
ongoing
fight
led
to
Dixon
and
Bryant’s
lawyers
requesting
that
Eminem
appear
and
sit
for
a
disposition
in
court
regarding
the
trademark
dispute.
However,
on
December
15,
Em’s
legal
team
filed
paperwork
requesting
the
U.S.
Trademark
Trial
and
Appeal
Board
to
grant
him
a
protective
order
from
having
to
appear
in
person
for
the
legal
proceedings.
In
this
type
of
case,
a
protective
order
is
simply
obtained
so
that
Em
would
not
have
to
physically
appear
in
court
(it
is
not
a
physical
restraining
order
like
in
criminal
cases).
Calling
the
possible
request
for
Em
to
appear
in
court
“unduly
burdensome,”
Em’s
lawyers
stated
that
the
artist
has
a
“limited
knowledge
of
the
subjects
at
issue,”
arguing
that
his
legal
team
members
have
“superior
knowledge
of
said
issues.”
(Translation:
Eminem
may
be
one
of
the
best
lyricists
of
all
time,
but
he
probably
would
have
little
to
nothing
to
add
in
trademark
law
court.)
Either
way,
it
appears
that
if
Bryant
and
Dixon
don’t
honor
Em’s
request
to
change
the
name
of
their
podcast,
it
will
likely
be
up
to
a
civil
court
to
answer
the
question
Will
the
real
Shady
please
stand
up?
