Fox Files Trademark Application for "OK, Boomer"
With plans to make a reality TV series.
Fox Media LLC has filed a trademark application for “OK, Boomer” and plans to name a television show after the phrase, reports CNN.
On Monday, Washington, D.C. trademark lawyer and founder of Gerben Law Firm, Josh Gerben, revealed the news on Twitter via a screenshot. Fox filed the application on Monday, November 11. The attorney for Fox has signed a sworn intent that the company has a “bona fide intent” to launch a TV series called “OK BOOMER,” and Gerben says that it could be “a reality, comedy and/or game show.” “It would seem unlikely that a company of this size would file such an application unless a show was being considered,” Gerben tells CNN.
Along with Fox, several other applications to trademark the phrase have been filed over the past month. On October 31, New York-based Kevin Yen filed an application for a clothing brand. In addition to Fox and Yen, a Pittsburgh-based company also filed for a brand of stickers and decals, while producer William Grundfest filed a trademark in his name personally for a stage play.
“In all likelihood, the USPTO will deny all of these applications because OK BOOMER has become a ‘widely used message,’” Gerben said. “A trademark registration will not issue in a phrase that is commonly used to convey a social or political message. This is because such a ‘viral’ phrase is incapable of identifying the source of a product or service — which is what trademarks must do to be capable of registration.”
The now viral phrase first appeared on TikTok and soon took on a life of its own. The slogan is used mostly by teens and millennials to poke fun at older generations that are seen as out of touch. Most notably, 25-year-old New Zealand lawmaker Chlöe Swarbrick used the phrase to dismiss an older member of parliament for heckling her while she spoke about the country’s Zero Carbon Bill.
In related news, late last month Kawhi Leonard filed a trademark application for “What it do baby.”
FOX has filed a trademark application for "OK BOOMER."
The media giant filed the application on November 11th.
According to the filing, FOX intends to launch a reality, comedy and/or game show called OK BOOMER.
My full breakdown 👇#OkBoomer#FoxNews pic.twitter.com/tmEDHC3QgM— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) November 18, 2019
