The Village People Threaten to Sue Jaime Oliver Over Ads

The Daily Mail reports that 70's disco stars The Village People are no strangers to imitators but this time they're not flattered and are considering legal action. The VP have threatened legal action against Jamie Oliver over unauthorized use of their image in a series of promos that the chef shot for his show Jamie's American Road Trip. One of the promos in question shows Oliver going through airport security dressed as various members of the pop group and failing to pass through each time because of kitchen utensils concealed on his person Says the Village People's lawyers, the promo was "'illegally and misleadingly portraying the Village People as engaging in hard drugs and public nudity." The article notes that the Village People's costumes and image are trademarked, and that hundreds of commercial requests for usage of the band's image are denied each year. Oliver's camp says that they have not received a legal claim yet from the Village People, but that if they do, "it will be vigorously defended."

One of the promos in question, set to the band's 1979 hit "Go West": · Jamie Oliver threatened with lawsuit over Village People advert [Daily Mail]