Today’s crazy morning news, outside of the usual political happenings, comes from California (shocker, right?).
A jury has awarded Grumpy Cat’s owner, Tabatha Bundesen, $700,000 for the use of the cat’s image, the Associated Press reported.
Bundesen had originally signed an agreement for Grumpy Cat to endorse “Grumpy Cat Grumpuccino,” produced by a company called Grenade. The people who own the coffee company, however, used Grumpy Cat’s image to promote “Grumpy Cat Roasted Coffee,” which was unauthorized by Bundesen.
From the Chicago Tribune:
“Ironically, while the world-famous feline Grumpy Cat and her valuable brand are most often invoked in a tongue-and-cheek fashion, Defendants’ despicable misconduct here has actually given Grumpy Cat and her owners something to be grumpy about,” the complaint stated.
Grumpy Cat Limited also claimed that Grenade was also selling unauthorized Grumppuccino T-shirts which “blatantly infringe on the Grumpy Cat copyrights and Grumpy Cat trademarks” without sharing the profits and that the beverage company wasn’t paying the agreed-upon percentage of profits from the iced coffee.
Grenade then fired back with a countersuit in which it claimed that Grumpy Cat didn’t hold up its end the deal, which was to promote the iced coffee.
Once the jury came back with the decision, the cat’s attorney made a rather (hilarious) statement:
“Grumpy Cat feels vindicated and feels the jury reached a just verdict,” said David Jonelis, the attorney for Grumpy Cat Limited, according to Courthouse News. The cat frowned.
People’s reactions to the news were mixed. After all, a cat did just win three-quarters of a million dollars.
Congrats to Grumpy Cat! Don't blow it all on catnip! https://t.co/MV8Iv9704j
— Derek MacEwen (@DerekMacEwen) January 25, 2018
Make sure you at least spread it out over the rest of your nine lives!
Who's #grumpy now? I don't think it's @RealGrumpyCat anymore.#GrumpyCat #lawsuit #identity https://t.co/PT6mYsteLy
— Kimberly Wear (@kimberly_wear) January 25, 2018
If she cracks a smile, it’ll be a MIRACLE.
#GrumpyCat Inc., sticking up for copyrights & the "little-guys" because they/he can afford it! #WellDone & #Thanks to #TardarSauce for taking action!
— Luke (@THELuKendrick) January 25, 2018
Grumpy Cat does it again.
Hooray for Grumpy Cat! It couldn't have happened to a more deserving feline.
— Michelle Klein-Hass (@msgeekmedia) January 25, 2018
Ain’t that the truth?
Talk about being a copy cat, am I right?
— del martian (@OGbeardface) January 25, 2018
BURRRNNN.
JFC @NPR this is the dumbest headline and false. The cat’s owner was awarded damages in a copyright infringement suit concerning a photo she took of the cat. The cat didn’t win $$. 🙄🙄🙄
— Empire Storm (@empirestatemind) January 25, 2018
You’re one of those technical people, aren’t you? Just let the cat have a moment of glory.
She doesn’t look happy about the win…
— PJ Robenolt (@pjrobe10) January 25, 2018
In case you haven’t noticed, that’s just her face.
@oyeahthatgirl @sarafeminist #lifegoals: be as wealthy as a celebrity cat. What universe is this?
— Je veux être seule (@annemi) January 25, 2018
One where a cat is doing better than a bunch of us combined.
A cat made 710k. What am I doing wrong
— Brandon Horan (@brandon_r_horan) January 25, 2018
You don’t own a cat with resting b**ch face.
Is this @TheOnion ?!
— FloLo (@Chun_Karoliina) January 25, 2018
NOPE.
This is real life.
— Everlasting (@wbgo883) January 25, 2018
You know this is how the cat is every night.
Garfield should sue grumpycat.
— Totes McGotes (@TotesMcGotes) January 24, 2018
Wouldn’t that be entertaining?
— Take Risks! (@bondkenbond) January 25, 2018
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
That's right… pic.twitter.com/pSbrDKeaq7
— Michael Drezek (@m_drez) January 24, 2018
Don’t. Touch. The. MONEY.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It's also the sincerest form of robbery! Pay up! And be thankfull you don't have Disney's, George Lucas', or Gene Simmons' school of shark copyright / royalty attorneys
— nancy albino (@nancyalis) January 25, 2018
Imagine how rich Grumpy Cat would be if she won THAT copyright case.
Mood pic.twitter.com/4DiwVyJVd1
— Maxii💖 (@Pretty_awwkward) January 25, 2018
We’re all dancing.
What's wrong with this world that a) this cat can't catch mice in piece and b) people are buying grumpicinnos ??
— Meg (@megan65544) January 25, 2018
Because they need coffee and Grumpy Cat is BADA**.
Teachers officially make less than cats MURICA😂😂😂
— ImNotImpressed🤷🏾♀️ (@kali_love126) January 24, 2018
Eh…
No, some teachers make less than some cats. I'm a teacher for troupe members' kids and from our eh 6-weeks in France, say a month working due to the holidays I got €4m in expenses to use as the tour mgr, & booking agency CEO & chief financial offices, and I also get stocks
— Jaybird/Jessie/Jay / Jessica Byrne (@Bards_Booking) January 25, 2018
Flipping the script. NICE.
Ffs there goes my grumppiccino franchise.
How do I stand on the GrumpyLatte?
— Grumps 1984 🇬🇧🇪🇺 #FBPE (@TheGrumpyBitch) January 24, 2018
I’m sure there will be people, like me, who would LOVE to try it.
ALL HAIL @grumpycat , the spirit animal of us all!!!! #grumpycat
— WWCD (@SpinnakerPix) January 25, 2018
