What’s in a name? Clearly quite a lot, if you are Yoko Ono, who is suing the singer Lennon Murphy for using the name ‘Lennon’ despite the singer having cleared it with the United States Patent & Trademark office, not to mention the curious Beatle widow herself (in 2003). Even more remarkably, this is actually the name she was born with, rather than some flaky, dreamt up stage persona – nonetheless, Ono’s legal team are reportedly accusing the singer of ‘falsely representing’ herself. If Murphy were a man, one could perhaps excuse a modicum of confusion – but she seems unlikely to dent the late John Lennon’s sales.
More understandable are the objections to the ‘Lookin’ Good With Jesus’ range of cosmetics. Although there is precedent here, with the Jesus action figures once beloved of post-modern, trendy shops, the point of contention seems to come more from the innuendo – the saviour is flanked by two ‘adoring women’, and users are encourage to ‘Get Tight With Christ’. Here are a couple of official blurbs about the products:
“Blue Q Lookin’ Good For Jesus Mirror Compact
Please him – for christ’s sake – and look your Sunday best. Packaged in a decorative cello bag.
Our Price: $5.00
SALE! $4.25
Blue Q lookin’ good for jesus mini kit
Redeems you in his eyes and takes the edge off sinning. Contains mirrored Jesus statuette, vanilla nectar lip balm, Easter-Lily hand & body cream (with sparkle!) and a folding mirror compact.”
Quite something, really – one wonders what the reaction might have been in the Islamic extremities had the image been of the Prophet Muhammad helping ladies feel better about their appearance. Anyone who remembers the furore over the Dutch cartoons will find it a short stretch to imagine the consequences. The cartoon was recently reprinted in 15 Danish newspapers and one Swedish outlet, after a plot was uncovered to murder the artist responsible for its creation. News Hour is always willing to hear the other side of the story, but this kind of fundamentalist lunacy is surely beyond the pale.
One finds it hard to imagine that the creators of the ‘Lookin’ Good For Jesus Mirror Compact’ will receive little more than a few strongly worded letters.
News hour, with Jerry Caesar 