Steven Crowder, a prominent conservative content creator, announced Thursday that he is suing CNN, digital media company Jubilee, and Texas Senate candidate James Talarico for alleged trademark infringement. The legal action centers on Crowder's "Change My Mind" video format, which he asserts is a registered trademark and was used without authorization during a town hall event co-hosted by CNN and Jubilee on Wednesday.
"We're suing. Not just CNN. Jubilee and James Talarico, as well.Change My Mind is a registered trademark.I was rejected by cable news for this exact concept. We took the risk. We paid the cost. Now everyone else swoops in with investors and donors, steals it, and profits." Steven Crowder, Content Creator
The announcement was made by Crowder on his own program, where he informed viewers, "Well, I guess we should officially announce that we’re suing." The lawsuit stems from a segment within Wednesday's town hall, which featured Talarico and aimed to engage undecided voters in the Texas Senate race. According to Crowder, this segment directly borrowed the "Change My Mind" format, a concept he has utilized for several years across his platforms.
Crowder's claim is grounded in trademark law, with his team at Louder with Crowder asserting that "Change My Mind" is an active, registered trademark. The content creator outlined his grievances, suggesting two potential explanations for the alleged infringement. One theory pointed towards Jubilee, implying that the company "has generated all of their profit off of a completely unoriginal idea, disguised it, and then the mask came off." His second theory implicated CNN, suggesting the network may have proposed the format due to its established brand recognition. "Or maybe CNN suggested, well, you know what? Change my mind has more brand familiarity because billions of people have seen the meme and the video," Crowder stated on his show. These theories collectively address both corporate defendants regarding potential profit and recognition derived from the format.
The lawsuit seeks to uncover several key details, as articulated by Crowder: "We need to find out who flagrantly disregarded the trademark, who flagrantly plagiarized, who profited off of it most, and for what degree of time." This statement highlights four specific areas of inquiry: identifying the party responsible for disregarding the trademark, determining who engaged in plagiarism, assessing the extent of profit gained from the format, and establishing the duration of the alleged unauthorized use.
Crowder emphasized that his issue arises when the format is not only copied but also used for profit and what he described as "propaganda." He questioned the defendants' actions, stating, "Why did you not do that before? All this time, you never came up with this idea because these people were incapable of doing it." His remarks collectively accuse CNN, Jubilee, and Talarico of three specific actions: copying his format, profiting from its use, and deploying it for propagandistic purposes.
The timeline of events leading to the lawsuit unfolded rapidly. The town hall event, featuring the disputed segment with Talarico, took place on Wednesday. Crowder then publicly announced his lawsuit the following day, Thursday, underscoring the immediate nature of his legal response. The inclusion of James Talarico, a candidate in the Texas Senate race, as a defendant stems from his participation in the segment that allegedly infringed upon Crowder's trademark.
As of this report, CNN, Jubilee, and James Talarico have not issued public statements or responses regarding Steven Crowder's lawsuit announcement. The only detailed account of the legal action currently available comes directly from Crowder and his representatives. This remains a developing story, with further details expected as the legal proceedings advance. The outcome of this lawsuit could have implications for intellectual property rights within the rapidly evolving landscape of digital media and content creation.
