Connect with us

Celebrity

Jury Finds Ed Sheeran Didn’t Copy Marvin Gaye Classic

Published

2 years ago

on

ed sheeran

NEW YORK – A federal jury in New York determined Thursday that British singer Ed Sheeran did not steal key elements of Marvin Gaye’s classic 1970s song “Let’s Get It On” when he created his hit song “Thinking Out Loud,” prompting Sheeran to joke later that he won’t have to follow through on his threat to quit music.

The emotions of an epic copyright battle that spanned most of the last decade erupted as soon as the seven-person jury announced its verdict after more than two hours of discussion.

Sheeran sighed and buried his face in his hands before embracing his attorney, Ilene Farkas. Sheeran smiled as the jurors filed out of the courtroom and mouthed, “Thank you.”

He then spent nearly ten minutes speaking with plaintiff Kathryn Townsend Gryphon, the daughter of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the 1973 soul song with Gaye. They exchanged kisses and smiles.

Sheeran later spoke to media outside the courthouse, repeating his comment during the trial that if he lost the case, he would contemplate stopping songwriting.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of this case, and it appears that I will not have to retire from my day job after all.” But, at the same time, I am extremely frustrated that such baseless claims are even allowed to go to court,” the singer said, reading from a prepared statement.

He also stated that the trial caused him to miss his grandmother’s funeral in Ireland and that he “won’t get that time back.”

Gryphon waited in a hallway with her lawyers before leaving the courthouse, saying she was relieved the trial was over.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” she admitted. “We can become friends.”

ed sheeran

She expressed delight that Sheeran approached her shortly after the judgment and had a lengthy conversation.

“It showed me who he was,” Gryphon explained.

She claimed that her copyright complaint was not personal.

“I did everything I could to protect my father’s intellectual property.” “I’m very proud of my father and his work, as well as of myself for doing what I must,” Gryphon concluded.

The verdict came after a two-week trial that included a courtroom performance by Sheeran, who claimed, sometimes furiously, that the trial posed a threat to all musicians who make their music.

Sheeran sat with his legal team throughout the trial, defending himself against Townsend’s heirs’ case. They claimed that “Thinking Out Loud” was too similar to “Let’s Get It On” and thus breached the song’s copyright protection.

At the start of the trial, attorney Ben Crump informed jurors on behalf of the Townsend heirs that Sheeran occasionally performed the two songs together. The jury witnessed a video of Sheeran performing in Switzerland, where he can be heard on stage transitioning between “Let’s Get It On” and “Thinking Out Loud.” Crump claimed it was “smoking gun” evidence he borrowed from the renowned song.

In her closing statement on Wednesday, Farkas stated that Crump’s “smoking gun was shooting blanks.”

She only claimed “basic to the tool kit of all songwriters” and “the scaffolding on which all songwriting is built.”

“They did not imitate it. Not on purpose. Not unintentionally. “Not at all,” Farkas replied.

During his two-day defense testimony, Sheeran repeatedly picked up a guitar resting behind him on the witness stand to demonstrate how he seamlessly creates “mashups” of songs during concerts to “spice it up a bit” for his large crowds.

Under cross-examination, the English pop star’s upbeat demeanor on display during his attorney’s questioning vanished.

“When you write songs, somebody comes after you,” Sheeran said, explaining that others closely followed the case in the industry.

He said he borrowed nothing from “Let’s Get It On” when composing his song.

In their lawsuit, Townsend’s heirs claimed that “Thinking Out Loud” had “striking similarities” and “overt common elements” that made it obvious that it was a knockoff of “Let’s Get It On,” a song that has been featured in numerous films and commercials and received hundreds of millions of streams, spins, and radio plays over the past half-century.

ed sheeran

Sheeran’s song, released in 2014, was a smash, earning him a Grammy for Song of the Year.

The defendants in the “Thinking Out Loud” lawsuit included Sheeran’s label, Atlantic Records, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but the trial focused on Sheeran.

Amy Wadge, his song’s co-writer who was not a defendant, testified on his behalf and hugged Sheeran after the verdict.

Gaye was 44 when he was assassinated by his father while attempting to interfere in a disagreement between his parents. He had been a Motown celebrity since the 1960s, but his songs published in the 1970s elevated him to the status of a generational musical giant.

Townsend, a singer, composer, and lawyer who wrote the 1958 R&B doo-wop classic “For Your Love,” died in 2003. Gryphon, his daughter, said at court that Sheeran was “a great artist with a great future.”

SOURCE – (AP)

Related Topics:

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics.

Continue Reading

Celebrity

Blake Lively #Metoo Claims Supported By New Lawsuit

Published

16 hours ago

on

2024-12-26

By

Blake Lively
Blake Lively’s claims that movie co-star launched smear campaign gets support in publicist’s suit -AP Photo

Blake Lively’s claims that director and co-star Justin Baldoni launched a smear campaign against her have been supported by a new lawsuit filed by Baldoni’s former publicist.

Stephanie Jones, who has been representing Baldoni since 2017, filed the case on Tuesday in New York State Court in Manhattan.

According to the report, the actor and his film production firm, Wayfarer, extended their deal in 2020, agreeing to a $25,000 monthly fee.

The lawsuit said that Baldoni, 40, and Wayfarer teamed up with publicists last August, when the film was released, to try to “bury” and “destroy” Lively, fearing that reports of misogynistic and toxic on-set behavior while filming the love drama would ruin his reputation and career.

Jones requested unspecified damages from the defendants, including Jennifer Abel, a former employee who she claims was behind the campaign to harm Blake Lively and tarnish Jones’ reputation.

The lawsuit claims that Abel was fired after Jones discovered on August 21, 2024, that Abel had “stolen more than 70 proprietary and sensitive business documents and additional client leads” from Jones Works as she prepared to leave the firm to start her own publicity company, with Baldoni and Wayfarer as clients.

The lawsuit also claims that Abel collaborated with Melissa Nathan, a crisis management professional who previously represented actor Johnny Depp, in an attempt to influence and control media information damaging to Blake Lively and Jones.

Numerous text conversations included in the case were recovered from Abel’s corporate phone, which she returned to Jones Works after being fired, the Associated Press reported.

In response to a request for comment on Wednesday, Abel forwarded an email with screenshots of text communications between herself and Jones, as well as a July 26 email she sent to Jones, two weeks after declaring her intention to leave the company on August 23, 2024, during a Zoom call.

In the email, she said, in part: “I know this journey will not be easy, but I wish to keep you in my life as a mentor, friend, and close confidant because I honestly consider you family and would be lost without your support.

I want to assure you that, unlike others who have burnt you in the past, there is no ill will here.

She said further: “I have left a company before with grace and with my relationships intact, and that’s what I fully plan on, and hope for.”

Blake Lively, 37, filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department last week, a step that frequently precedes the filing of a lawsuit, alleging that Baldoni sought to harm her reputation after Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds addressed “repeated sexual harassment” by Baldoni and a film producer.

Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its reps, described the charges in Lively’s filing as “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.”

He denied Blake Lively’s claims of a planned effort, stating that the studio “proactively” employed a crisis manager “due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production.”

A message addressed to Freedman on Wednesday seeking comment on Jones’ lawsuit was not immediately returned.

“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s popular 2016 novel, defied box office estimates with a $50 million launch and eventual sales of $350 million.

Baldoni appeared in the telenovela parody “Jane the Virgin,” directed “Five Feet Apart,” and penned “Man Enough,” a book that challenges traditional ideals of masculinity.

Related news:

Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni of Sexual Harassment

Continue Reading

Celebrity

Burt the Huge Croc in Crocodile Dundee Dies at Age 90

Published

4 days ago

on

2024-12-24

By

Burt and Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee
Burt, the massive crocodile that rose to prominence with an appearance in the film "Crocodile Dundee"

Burt, the massive crocodile that rose to prominence with an appearance in the film “Crocodile Dundee” and continued to impress visitors with his fierce temper, died at the age of ninety. Staff at Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove, where Burt had lived since 2008, confirmed his death.

The wildlife centre made a statement on Instagram: “It is with great regret that we announce the demise of Burt, the iconic saltwater crocodile and star of the Australian classic Crocodile Dundee.

“Burt passed away peacefully over the weekend, estimated to be over 90 years old, signaling the end of an incredible era,” American Crocodile News stated.

In the film, Mick Dundee (Hogan), wearing his now-famous Crocodile Dundee hat, leaves the Australian outback for the jungle of New York after meeting American reporter Sue Charlton (Kozlowski), who finally falls in love with him.

The crocodile is famously seen in the moment where Kozlowski’s character is assaulted while kneeling next to a creek.

Burt and Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee

Burt and Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee

Crocodile Dundee highest-grossing Australian picture

Crocasourus Cove described Burt, who was taken in the 1980s in the Northern Territory’s Reynolds River, as having a “bold” demeanor.

“Burt was a confirmed bachelor – an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm,” the center said.

“His fiery temperament earned him the respect of his caretakers and visitors alike, as he embodied the raw and untamed spirit of the saltwater crocodile.”

“Burt was one of a kind.” He was more than simply a crocodile; he was a natural force, a reminder of the great creatures’ power and majesty.

“While his attitude may be tough, it was also what made him so unique and appreciated by those who worked with him and the thousands who came to see him over the years.

The statement ended with the following: “Visitors from around the globe marveled at his impressive size and commanding presence, especially at feeding time.”

Saltwater crocodiles can live for more than 70 years, especially in captivity.

Burt will be honored with a commemorative sign at the site, among some of the Crocodile Dundee 2 cast members.

Crocodile Dundee is the highest-grossing Australian picture of all time, earning $47,707,598 (Australian dollars).

It inspired two sequels, Crocodile Dundee II (1988) and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001).

Hogan and Kozlowski married in 1990 and later divorced.

A documentary about the film’s production is anticipated to be released next year.

Related News:

7 Whales Dead In New Jersey, Wind Farm Protests Continue

Continue Reading

Celebrity

Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni of Sexual Harassment

Published

5 days ago

on

2024-12-22

By

Blake Lively Nude
Blake Lively has launched a legal battle against Justin Baldoni

In an 80-page complaint, Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign against her after she declined his approaches.Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman has denied Lively’s allegations, calling them “false, outrageous.

Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, charging the actor-director of inappropriate behavior and defamation related to their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. What was once thought to be a public relations campaign to promote the picture turned out to be a complaint.

Lively accuses sexual harassment, including unwanted kissing and sexual comments, throughout the filming. She further claims that Baldoni tried to tarnish her reputation after she declined his approaches.

Baldoni and his production firm, Wayfarer Studios, deny any charges regarding Blake Lively’s nude images or accusations.

Lively’s complaint targets not only director Justin Baldoni, but also key officials in his production firm and people accused of spreading false information about her.

This includes the film’s principal producer, Jamey Heath, Wayfarer co-owner Steve Sarowitz, and a number of others. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, angrily disputes Lively’s charges, calling them “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” according to Entertainment Weekly.

Baldoni created a toxic workplace

According to Freedman, the actress even neglected to appear on site and made disturbances throughout filming, resulting in the picture’s dismal performance, including “threatening not to show up to set, threatening not to promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release.”

The Gossip Girl star’s complaint claims that Justin Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, and Wayfarer Studios “created a toxic workplace, ignored harassment complaints, and failed to protect the cast and crew.”

The dossier also claims that Baldoni recruited a public relations agency to create a revenge campaign before potential allegations were public.

According to the complaint copy received by People, Baldoni included sexually graphic and naked sequences, including those for an underage character, without Blake Lively’s agreement.

This contained a lengthy “virginity loss scene and an orgasm scene” that did not appear in the original work.

Blake Lively Nude

Baldoni allegedly asked intrusive questions regarding Lively’s intimate sexual encounters with her spouse, including questions about Blake Lively nude images, which she considered invasive and refused to address.

According to the lawsuit, while filming, Baldoni improvised physical intimacy with no previous discussion or choreography. This contained kissing sequences and a slow dance sequence.

According to People, one instance detailed in the complaint states that Baldoni “discreetly bit and sucked on Ms. Lively’s lower lip during a scene in which he improvised numerous kisses on each take.” He eventually “insisted” on shooting “over and over again.”
intrusive behaviours

Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath “repeatedly entered Lively’s trailer uninvited while she was undressed or breastfeeding her child.”

Baldoni and Heath put pressure on Lively to imitate full nudity during a birth scene, despite the fact that there was no prior agreement in the screenplay or contract.

Producer Jamey Heath allegedly showed Lively and her assistant a disturbing video of his wife giving birth without their consent.

Degrading remarks

Baldoni allegedly criticized Lively’s age and weight after giving birth, even phoning her trainer to encourage her to lose weight quickly.

He “often” described ladies in the office as “sexy”. To address the hostile work environment, a list of 30 protections was implemented.
Smear Campaign.

Prior to the film’s release, Baldoni allegedly orchestrated a smear campaign against Lively, afraid she might come out about her experiences.

Lively believes that her legal action would “pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics” and protect others who report mistreatment.

Related News:

Hollywood Actor Nick Pasqual Arrested for Stabbing Ex-Girlfriend

Continue Reading

Trending