Have you ever watched the television show, ‘Swamp People’? In the U.S., it’s broadcast on The History Channel. If you haven’t seen it, the series follows a group of hunters during alligator hunting season in America’s biggest swamp, Louisiana’s Atchafalaya.
Troy Landry is one of the people featured on the show who happens to be known for his catchphrases, including Choot Em, Dats a TreeShakah, Got Gator?, and Tree Breaka. His company, Troy Landry Productions, LLC, has registered nine of them as trademarks. Here’s the record for Landry’s Choot Dat from Corsearch® Advantage™:
Landry claims that three companies, Halpern Import Co., National Cap and Sportswear, and Ripple Junction Design Co., are profiting from the use of his phrases and is suing them for trademark infringement. The suit seeks all profits, punitive damages, and attorneys fees.
You may remember another recent trademark story from Louisiana concerning a phrase using the word, “Dat.” For non-American T+B readers, “dat” is an English idiom that is said to have originated in minstrel shows in New Orleans. If you’re an American football fan, you may have heard “Who dat?” chanted at a New Orleans Saints NFL game. (Dat’s another trademark story that you may want to read about on The TTABlog.)
What’s your favorite TV show catchphrase? You may want to think that over while you meet Troy in these scenes from the show:
