DJ Pauly D of Jersey Shore is being sued by… DJ Paulie!
Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio was hit with a $4 million trademark infringement lawsuit Thursday, filed by a Connecticut DJ, Paul Lis, who goes by the stage name, “DJ Paulie.”
DJ Paulie claims his long-established DJ business of 40 years hit the toilet because of the newer but now more famous DJ from Seaside Heights overshadowing him.
According to the New York Post, Lis’ attorney, Jose M. Rojas, says: “[Lis] formally trademarked the name ‘DJ Paulie’ and then came the ‘Jersey Shore’ which basically wiped him off the face of the map.” The lawsuit alleges that because MTV has flooded the internet with so much Jersey Shore information, it is now impossible to find any content or information on Lis.
The lawsuit alleges.”The reality television show [chronicles the lives of] a group of young adults pursuing a debauched lifestyle suggestive of loose morals, violence, intoxication and liberal profanity — the exact opposite of the reputation the Plaintiff, ‘DJ Paulie’ that [sic] he had spent decades cultivating.”
Delvecchio had previously tried to trademark his “Pauly D” nickname, claiming his and Lis’ businesses are sufficiently different to avoid confusion with consumers, but his attempts were denied.
Along with Pauly, MTV and hotels and other businesses that have contracts with him are named as defendants in this lawsuit.