Game Company Sues Cat for Unlicensed Puppet Show

Game Company Sues Cat for Unlicensed Puppet Show

Rovio, the Finnish video game company behind the worldwide smash hit series Angry Birds, is suing Dexter the cat for putting on what the lawsuit calls an “unlicensed variety and entertainment act using trademarked intellectual property.”

More plainly, the company is upset over Dexter’s nightly puppet shows, which star characters from the Angry Birds canon. The cat has reportedly been putting on the puppet shows for the past two months and has been charging $5 for tickets.  Therein lies the crux of the lawsuit, according to legal experts.

“I don’t think the game company would have a problem – or a case – if Dexter were performing his shows for free,” said chief Fluffington Post legal analyst, Allistair Llewellyn, Esq. “That would fall under fair use.  It would basically be something like fan fiction and Dexter would be in the clear.  But because he is charging for access without a license, he has run afoul of the law.”

The case is expected to be settled out of court.

Via mseckington.