Last week So Cal Pro Wrestling Podcast interviewed G-Raver about the “Fuck Jim Cornette” t-shirt, everything that lead to the t-shirt being made and G-Raver saying that he isn’t worried about Cornette and New because he is gonna do what he wants.
This week, Stephen P. New was interviewed on the So Cal Pro Wrestling Podcast to give his side of the story. Earlier in the week on Jim Cornette’s Podcast, The Jim Cornette Experience, Jim stated that Stephen P. New is committed to this issue. Jim then joked about prison time, but didn’t get too deep into the weeds on the advice of New.
Below are highlights of the interview.
On Jim Cornette really wanting G-Raver to bleed out
Where does Jim Cornette the character begin or end, and where does Jim Cornette the man start? I got to tell ya, to me, the time I’ve been around Jim Cornette, there is no difference. To me, if you listen to the podcast every week, I think he likes for us as fans, and I’ve been a wrestling fan since 1981. I think he likes that sleight of hand, that illusion of when is he working us?
Jim Cornette is a live and let die kind of guy, you know, I don’t think he’d want anyone to truly bleed out, he speaks in constant non-stop hyperbole and exaggeration. IS that part of his character? Yes. Does he also speak in non-stop hyperbole and exaggeration? Yes. He is that exact same way. You know that’s the best that I can tell you to that question. I don’t think he would truly wish death on anyone. He was mistaken on a part of his podcast and he kind of corrected it on social media and what have you. Brandon (G-Raver) did not set up the GoFundMe himself.
On G-Raver raising money for medical costs
I don’t have any problem with Brandon trying to raise money to offset medical bills. His medical bills with a severed ulnar nerve and medial nerve, uh they are gonna be very substantial, so I wish him the best of luck raising the money. You just can’t do it with my client’s likeness on platforms that say something like “F Jim Cornette” are a violation of the terms of service. That’s kind of my position
The podcast host Jason then brings up Donald Trump merchandise and how many Donald Trump items are anti-trump that have his likeness on them. This was brought up because it was one of the reasons G-Raver said selling the shirt is legal, because it’s parody.
On how people get away with Donald Trump stuff
There is a difference with likeness, once you become an elected official. In intellectual property law, even with things like defamation, to defame someone, once you – you know and their has to be a knowing false statement made that’s publicized widely enough- when you’re a public figure, there has to be proof that there was actual malice. That’s a really hard , really high standard to meet. Okay? That’s the defamation lawsuit. Then again when you’re talking about elected officials and matters of intellectual property. Imagine one of my fraternity brothers likened it to a game of whack-a-mole. Trump could keep an army of intellectual property lawyers busy, like Disney does, tracing down every incident of likeness, common law, trademark copyright type violation…
On the shirt itself being proof of actual malice
One is if you are going to try and sue for the tort of defamation, Jim and I haven’t discussed the tort of defamation. Jim is a public figure, you couldn’t prove actual malice. He isn’t being defamed at all. First of all there isn’t a knowingly false statement. Typically, you know it’s more than swear words and things like that. That’s not even in the equation as far as that goes.
If you’re talking about likeness image. That has no bearing on if you’re an elected official or public official. If your likeness is being profited by an individual that is a violation of intellectual property laws of the United States. There is such a thing where a likeness is patented, trademarked, copyrighted in the United States patented and trademark offices in Washington D.C. There is still a common law right to all that stuff. Whether you got it on file or not. That’s kind of what we are talking about. Additionally the websites themselves that host that, like Shopify hosts 8,000 sites like IndieConnection that has this shirt and there are certain terms of service. Bullying, harrassment, intellectual property, image, uh and if you can show Shopify that it’s been violated, that’s why they blocked the sale of the shirt.
On G-Raver selling the shirt as a “blank black shirt”
Brandon Graver thinking he can get one over on us by saying “look it’s a blank t-shirt” uh no guys, I contacted Shopify and said look this is what they are trying to do. Now that is even down.
Stephen P. New is unsure if Cornette has a trademark on “Jim Cornette” because Jim has had lots of other lawyers.
Jim Cornette does have his likeness trademarked
That meme where he does that weird thing with his bottom jaw, he sells that white t-shirt with that crazy look on his face. I know as a matter of fact that is trademarked and protected image. He may have others in well. His face in general I would say- plus there would exist a common law trademark to his face that I would contend that “F Jim Cornette” is in violation of. I believe we would win that in the U.S. patent and trademark office.
You can listen to the rest of the episode to hear more of what Stephen P. New has to say.
Stephen also took to Twitter to try and build his case against G-Raver.
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