US EditionComedian faces $27m lawsuit for joking about The Lion King
Lebohang Morake claims comedian Learnmore Jonasi’s mistranslation damaged business ties and royalties, seeking $27 million including $7 million punitive damages in Los Angeles federal court.
- On March 19, Grammy-winning composer Lebohang Morake filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles against comedian Learnmore Jonasi, seeking $27 million for allegedly mistranslating *The Lion King* opening chant.
- During a February 25 appearance on the One54 podcast, Jonasi translated the Zulu chant 'Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba' as 'Look, there's a lion,' prompting hosts to laugh at the interpretation the lawsuit claims mocks the chant's cultural significance.
- Morake's lawsuit claims viral comments damaged his business relationships and royalties, causing more than $20 million in actual damages. Lawyers argue 'ingonyama' functions as a 'royal metaphor' invoking kingship, not a literal 'lion' translation.
- Jonasi claims he initially sought to collaborate with Morake but the composer refused, calling him an 'idiot' and 'self-hating negro.' The comedian posted videos joking about the lawsuit, garnering more than 100,000 likes.
- The lawsuit argues Jonasi presented his translation as 'authoritative fact, not comedy,' potentially disqualifying it from First Amendment protections afforded to parody. The case may force courts to define when translation-based humor becomes actionable defamation.
40 Articles
40 Articles
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Lebohang Morake, who performed the iconic opening chant in "Circle of Life" in "The Lion King," is suing the comedian Learnmore Jonasi.
Composer of 'Lion King' chant sues over 'Circle of Life' translation
A Grammy-award winning South African composer who wrote and performed the iconic opening chant in "Circle of Life" for Disney's "The Lion King" movies is suing a comedian for allegedly damaging his reputation by intentionally misrepresenting the song's meaning on…
'Lion King' composer sues comedian
A Grammy-award winning South African composer who wrote and performed the iconic opening chant in "Circle of Life" for Disney's "The Lion King" movies is suing a comedian for allegedly damaging his reputation by intentionally misrepresenting the song's meaning on…
More than three decades after its release, El Rey León has been the subject of a recent millionaire demand. The controversy is in the iconic song at the opening of the film, known as The Cycle of Life or Nants' Ingonyama in Zulu. Its composer, South African Lebohang Morake, has sued the Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi for mocking them.Keep reading...
Lebohang Morake announced that he would seize justice after the wrong translation of one of his songs, spread by a Zimbabwean comedian. ...
‘Lion King’ composer sues comedian over viral translation: ‘Look, there’s a lion!’
Comedian Learnmore Jonasi is being sued over his now-viral translation of the iconic “Lion King” chant, with the composer saying the intentional mistranslation denigrates its cultural significance.
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