Forums > Social Chat > The Global Commercialization of Cirque
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
member
69 posts
Location: Tucson, USA
member
69 posts
Location: Tucson, USA
Posted:
Hi Everyone,
While talking with Paul of Flam-Chen last night, I came to find out that they are being sued by Cirque du Soleil over a trademark dispute. The suit claims that one of Flam-Chen's shows, Cirque Vania, violates Cirque du Soleil's trademark rights.
Apparently, Flam-chen has not been the only victim of such lawsuits; Cirque de Flambe and Neil Goldberg's Cirque have also been through similar experiences. This particular lawsuit comes on the tail of a review in June by Derek M. Powazek of San Francisco that ran to the effect of
"...Kinda like Cirque du Soleil if they had fire instead of money. Bonus one word review: Amazing."
Flam-Chen issued a press release concerning the situation and Cirque du Soleil's global etiquette after coming back from being on tour, and Paul will hopefully have more information up soon. I will be sure to keep this thread updated with the relevant links and info as they come.
Flam-Chen
Derek M. Powazek Review
MJ
Flamma Aeterna
PS I did not explicitly say so, but one of the main issues is Soleil's attempt to, essentially, control the use of the word "cirque."
[ 22. July 2003, 05:42: Message edited by: Flamma Aeterna ]
Hi Everyone,
While talking with Paul of Flam-Chen last night, I came to find out that they are being sued by Cirque du Soleil over a trademark dispute. The suit claims that one of Flam-Chen's shows, Cirque Vania, violates Cirque du Soleil's trademark rights.
Apparently, Flam-chen has not been the only victim of such lawsuits; Cirque de Flambe and Neil Goldberg's Cirque have also been through similar experiences. This particular lawsuit comes on the tail of a review in June by Derek M. Powazek of San Francisco that ran to the effect of
"...Kinda like Cirque du Soleil if they had fire instead of money. Bonus one word review: Amazing."
Flam-Chen issued a press release concerning the situation and Cirque du Soleil's global etiquette after coming back from being on tour, and Paul will hopefully have more information up soon. I will be sure to keep this thread updated with the relevant links and info as they come.
Flam-Chen
Derek M. Powazek Review
MJ
Flamma Aeterna
PS I did not explicitly say so, but one of the main issues is Soleil's attempt to, essentially, control the use of the word "cirque."
[ 22. July 2003, 05:42: Message edited by: Flamma Aeterna ]
That which does not kill me, only makes me stranger.
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
well at least on the surface, it's a terrible bastardo thing to do - Soleil should spend their energies preparing a better fire show than to litigate their peers.
boo to them and double thumbs down for nastiness.
well at least on the surface, it's a terrible bastardo thing to do - Soleil should spend their energies preparing a better fire show than to litigate their peers.
boo to them and double thumbs down for nastiness.
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
I used to have a great deal of respect for CDS. Then this past year I was able to take in 3 Cirque Du Soliel shows within 3 months time. And I commented after each one what a marvel they would be if they didn't have such inflated ego's and started to really push more for true skill rather than artistic presentation with a bit of skill. Not a single show went as perfectly as CDS would like to promote. And while individual performers were amazing, on the whole, Dralion was about the truest one to the original intent.
And we won't even get into how offended I was by how incredibly low the caliber of fire performers is in "O".
What they need to learn is their FULL NAME is Trademarked, not bits and pieces of it. Especially concidering Cirque is a word. Do they want it taken out of common vernacular because they chose it for a name?
And I know jugglers who feel the same way about CDS. And it is not only extending to the word Cirque. There is a performer in Vegas who happened to do a line-up similar to CDS...meaning he used the same obscure tools (which have been around just not recognized), quality is not even an issue, the guy blew CDS away, and CDS went after him. They claimed some form of patent on the tools, which could not be done. It was truly insane, and the performer won...his lawyer demanding that CDS provide actual patents to the tools, and they could not.
There is discussions of a boycott on CDS stuff going on, most especially by performers. Now I am seriously thinking about joining in on it. Which is too bad as I like their old shows, before their heads got too big...
The idea that is coming here is that if you in any way resemble anything Cirque, then you must have stolen it. I am sure that they feel that anything with the word Cirque in it is drawing attention away from them, once people realize it isn't a CDS show. What I bet they fear is that people will like it better. They know that right now their quality is lagging badly so they are putting shows on Bravo and going after anyone with anything remotely like theirs, especially if it is better, and lets face it Flam-Chen's review was better than anything CDS has recently received, calling them money hungry (essentially) I bet hurt like a mofo.
PS...They aren't the first to do this...Toy's R US will sue anyone with the "R Us" in the title. I know of someone who was forced into bankrupstcy because of this.
Which is why I can not express to people strongly enough to really protect your stuff by copyright, servicemark, dba, etc.
I used to have a great deal of respect for CDS. Then this past year I was able to take in 3 Cirque Du Soliel shows within 3 months time. And I commented after each one what a marvel they would be if they didn't have such inflated ego's and started to really push more for true skill rather than artistic presentation with a bit of skill. Not a single show went as perfectly as CDS would like to promote. And while individual performers were amazing, on the whole, Dralion was about the truest one to the original intent.
And we won't even get into how offended I was by how incredibly low the caliber of fire performers is in "O".
What they need to learn is their FULL NAME is Trademarked, not bits and pieces of it. Especially concidering Cirque is a word. Do they want it taken out of common vernacular because they chose it for a name?
And I know jugglers who feel the same way about CDS. And it is not only extending to the word Cirque. There is a performer in Vegas who happened to do a line-up similar to CDS...meaning he used the same obscure tools (which have been around just not recognized), quality is not even an issue, the guy blew CDS away, and CDS went after him. They claimed some form of patent on the tools, which could not be done. It was truly insane, and the performer won...his lawyer demanding that CDS provide actual patents to the tools, and they could not.
There is discussions of a boycott on CDS stuff going on, most especially by performers. Now I am seriously thinking about joining in on it. Which is too bad as I like their old shows, before their heads got too big...
The idea that is coming here is that if you in any way resemble anything Cirque, then you must have stolen it. I am sure that they feel that anything with the word Cirque in it is drawing attention away from them, once people realize it isn't a CDS show. What I bet they fear is that people will like it better. They know that right now their quality is lagging badly so they are putting shows on Bravo and going after anyone with anything remotely like theirs, especially if it is better, and lets face it Flam-Chen's review was better than anything CDS has recently received, calling them money hungry (essentially) I bet hurt like a mofo.
PS...They aren't the first to do this...Toy's R US will sue anyone with the "R Us" in the title. I know of someone who was forced into bankrupstcy because of this.
Which is why I can not express to people strongly enough to really protect your stuff by copyright, servicemark, dba, etc.
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
flam chen's fire cubes are cool as! nice photo!
flamma, i've just realised how pertinent your sig is!
May universal justic pervail!
flam chen's fire cubes are cool as! nice photo!
flamma, i've just realised how pertinent your sig is!
May universal justic pervail!
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
Enter a "Title" here:
2,905 posts
Location: San Diego California
2,905 posts
Location: San Diego California
Posted:
Wow!! That is crappy news, I couldnt imagine someone going after people just because of a name or the use of similer toys. I wonder if someone would ever be so bold as to try to hog the word Poi or say they have a patent on the item.
Kinda skery actually.
Wow!! That is crappy news, I couldnt imagine someone going after people just because of a name or the use of similer toys. I wonder if someone would ever be so bold as to try to hog the word Poi or say they have a patent on the item.
Kinda skery actually.
Some Jarhead last night: "this dumb a$$ thinks hes fireproof"
SILVER Member
old hand
1,032 posts
Location: Madrid, United Kingdom
old hand
1,032 posts
Location: Madrid, United Kingdom
Posted:
wow that is so wrong and you're right Raymond Phule it is scary
I'm in support of a boycott. It is one way of using our power as consumers in this society.
And once again I agree with Pele; if they had confidence in what they were doing they wouldn't need to engage in petty squabbles like this
bad Cirque de Soleil
wow that is so wrong and you're right Raymond Phule it is scary
I'm in support of a boycott. It is one way of using our power as consumers in this society.
And once again I agree with Pele; if they had confidence in what they were doing they wouldn't need to engage in petty squabbles like this
bad Cirque de Soleil
"I don't take drugs. I am drugs" - Salvador Dali 
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
yeah.. what we *really* need is a photo of someone important from the CDS in a compromising position, like in the boot of a llama. or someplace.
yeah.. what we *really* need is a photo of someone important from the CDS in a compromising position, like in the boot of a llama. or someplace.
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
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