Oprah’s Harpo Inc. Suing Podcasters For Trademark Infringement

Bruce Haring
·1 min read
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Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Inc. company has a message for a podcasting production: “O, no, you don’t.”

The talk show host’s company is suing the podcasters who created “Oprahdemics,” which purportedly celebrates all things Oprah.

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The trademark infringement lawsuit was filed in Manhattan Federal Court and claims the podcast leads listeners to believe it is endorsed by Winfrey, which is not the case.

Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Rigueur are using the Oprahdemics name on the podcast and also for live events, Harpo alleges, pointing to a recent Tribeca Film Festival presentation.After that, Jackson and Rigueur hosted another event on Instagram Live in July, according to the complaint.

“Over the past thirty-five plus years, the Oprah brand has become well known and famous,” Harpo wrote in court papers. “Simply being associated with the Oprah brand has, in many cases, led to an exponential increase in a product’s or service’s sales. This has been colloquially referred to as the ‘The Oprah Effect’ or ‘The O Factor.’”

The website for the podcast promises all things Oprah.

“Look under your seat… it’s a new podcast! Two historians (and friends) break down Oprah’s most iconic episodes, and what the Queen of Talk has meant for our culture,” the Oprahdemics website reads. It also features Oprah’s signature “O” logo.”

Instead of damages, Harpo is asking the podcast to change its name so as not to “dilute” the brand, according to court papers.

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