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50 Cent Sues Taco Bell For $4 Million (or 400,000,000 Cents)

080750cent.jpgRapper 50 Cent has filed a federal lawsuit against Taco Bell, claiming the fast food chain used his name without permission in an ad campaign that asks him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent. The ad is part of their "Why Pay More?" campaign, and a Taco Bell rep addressed the debacle, saying, "We made a good faith, charitable offer to 50 Cent to change his name to either 79, 89 or 99 Cent for one day by rapping his order at a Taco Bell, and we would have been very pleased to make the $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice." The problem is that 50 never agreed to it, and now Taco Bell may be left paying more than they bargained for as they face a $4 million lawsuit; the rapper wants payback for "diluting the value of his good name."

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Comments [rss]

  • Reflect

    But they both suck! and were just trying to jerk eachother off to get more money. Serves them both.

    Expect something more from a greedy ass corporation? Or a tired ass rapper?

  • Snoopy

    The Woody Allen thing is different, he's older and Jewish.

  • fortyver

    I cannot remember where i saw a quote saying he was worried that people would think that he sold out. That made me laugh, laugh, laugh. 50 Cent sold out a long time ago. God he is awful.

  • Spirit of 76

    Isn't this like last year when Woody Allen sued because his likeness was used on a billboard? Whatever happened in that lawsuit?

  • Innajunglestylee

    Perhaps 50 Cent and Tom Waits can collaborate after this, they've both been burned by PepsiCo.

  • stupidtrees

    "Hey though, nice you are putting a law degree to good use by being a massive bag of douche on blog's comment board!"

    Worth. Every. Penny.

  • FaceFace

    henricus, laughing about how another commenter wastes his/her time by posting douchebag shit on a blog is like hilarious and meta to the extreme!

    way to discourage an informed point of view on the situation, it really is so much more interesting to make the same 3 jokes about 50 cent over and over again!

  • plk779

    eyekantspel, I think most people around here hate everyone equally.

  • NannyState

    "Get Rich or Fart Tryin'".

  • henricus

    stupidtrees, it destroys your argument, even when backed by a tort, to refer to people as idiots. I think most people are laughing at the way he turned the phrase "value of his good name." We all know 50 is a misogynist who glorifies the gangsta lifestyle and perpetuates the sad state of many of NYC's neighborhoods. Legally speaking, he has a case; common sense speaking, he is a joke. Hey though, nice you are putting a law degree to good use by being a massive bag of douche on blog's comment board!

  • eyekantspel

    I think some of the comments and responses to this are racist.

    They used his name for commercial purposes without his permission.

    If this story involved a white person, you would probably be supportive.

    For instance, if the "Why Pay More?" ad was:

    "We made a charitable offer to Paris Hilton to change her name to "79 Cent Taco" Hilton and sell her taco at Taco Bell, in exchange for a $10,000 donation to the charity of her choice"

    I'm betting you'd take her side. Wouldn't you?

  • TK

    $4 Million worth of tacos should provide adequate sustenance for the Doctor Who marathon. I wonder if he'll invite me?

  • Snoopy

    I hope his illegitimate son gets all his money when he gets popped and spends it on drugs and ho's as well as guns. And rap CD's.

  • Snoopy

    The dude is living on borrowed time.

  • Steven

    50 Cent is a piece of garbage.

  • stupidtrees

    Actually, idiots, the theory under which he's likely suing is a well established privacy tort:

    http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/privacy/Privacy_R2d_Torts_Sections.htm

    (§ 652C)

    He is well within his rights here and would be an idiot not to sue when he has such a solid case and his endorsement is worth so much money.

  • robingee

    What a dick.

  • fugothamist

    i agree with him

  • matty

    It sounds like they concentrated the value on a PPP basis.

  • Snoopy

    payback for "diluting the value of his good name." How about if half a buck paybacks to society for polluting same with his s h i t.

    Where are the drive by shooters when you need them?

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