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Barney turns purple
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February 10, 1998: 12:53 p.m. ET
License holder sues costume shops over imitation purple dinosaur suits
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Barney is turning purple over imitation dinosaur outfits he says infringe on his copyright, and he's taking some costume renters to court.
Dallas-based Lyons Partnership L.P., owner of the rights to the Barney dinosaur children's character along with other characters seen on his PBS television show, said Tuesday it has filed lawsuits against at least 700 costume shops and retailers around the country.
Lyons is attempting to stop the use of bogus adult-size Barney costumes. Lyons doesn't license any such costumes in adult sizes because it is concerned over the behavior of adults who might wear them and children who may view their actions.
"Many of these very vulnerable children have been shocked and disappointed by seeing someone in a bogus Barney costume behaving rudely, smoking, drinking, or otherwise behaving in ways they know are not appropriate for Barney," the company stated.
More importantly, said Lyons, it is worried that an adult may use the costume to lure a child into a dangerous situation.
The company admitted that it would be very profitable to license adult-size costumes, but said these concerns led them to their decision to ignore this market.
The move is part of an overall strategy by the licensing company to get rid of the large-sized Barneys. Two years ago, it sued three manufacturers to stop them from making costumes, and two settled out of court.
In October, Lyons filed a copyright and trademark infringement suit against the Famous San Diego Chicken (a.k.a. Ted Giannoulas). The chicken, which performs at sporting events, pretended to beat a fake Barney during Giannoulas' routine. That suit is pending.
Lyons said it has approached costume shops and retailers in an attempt to get them to give up their alleged Barney outfits and avoid legal action, and noted that "dozens" did. However, most rejected or ignored Lyons' offers, resulting in the suits.
While Barney's nasal-twanged voice sometimes raises the ire of adults, his PBS television show, "Barney and Friends," is a hit among the pre-school set, with about 12 million viewers each week.
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