A company co-founded by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James that bills itself as an “athlete empowerment brand” has filed to trademark the phrase “Shut Up and Dribble.”
According to the United States Trademark and Patent Office, the company Uninterrupted, Inc. filed the request earlier this week.
The phrase would be used on such items as “downloadable virtual goods, namely, computer programs featuring footwear, clothing, headwear, eyewear, bags, sports bags, backpacks, sports equipment, art, toys and accessories for use online and in online virtual worlds.”
Entertainment services such as video, social media posts, music and games are also part of the filing.
The “Shut and Dribble” phrase gained popularity in February 2018 when Fox News host Laura Ingraham responded to a James interview in which he discussed the political climate in the United States and after his Los Angeles residence was vandalized when it was spray-painted with a racial slur.
Laura Ingraham to LeBron and KD: “Shut up and dribble!”
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 4, 2020
To Drew Brees: “He’s allowed to have an opinion.” 🧐 pic.twitter.com/PtEBHdPh7o
James said this about then-President Donald Trump at the time:
“The climate is hot,” he said. “The number-one job in America, the appointed person is someone who doesn’t understand the people. And really don’t give a [expletive] about the people.”
Ingraham said on her show that that James is “someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball.”
“Keep the political comments to yourselves. Shut up and dribble,” she said.
Read more at usatoday.com
