Fox News anchor who shares same name as hamster toy sues Hasbro for $5M

New York Daily News ^ | September 1, 2015 | Dareh Gregorian

[ConservativeStatement]

A Fox News anchor says she’s no hamster—or choking hazard.

In papers filed in New Jersey Federal Court, Harris Faulkner says she’s suffered “substantial commercial and emotional damage” from a plastic hamster doll that shares her name.

[tioga]

It’s a chance to land some big bucks!

[JJ_Folderol]

Has Harris Faulkner copyrighted or trademarked herself?

[CatherineofAragon]

"substantial commercial and emotional damage”

OMG, just stop it.

[Leep]

Does the plastic toy say something, “Harris Faulkner from Fox News sucks!”

[originalbuckeye]

C’mon FReepers. Who would ever name a plastic doll ‘Harris Faulkner’ unless they were intending to make fun of the newscaster?? How else did they come up with that name? I hope she is successful.......just another double standard, this time from the toy industry. Do you think they’d ever name a plastic hamster ‘Lester Holt’??

[Last Dakotan]

I’m probably the odd FReeper out on this one, but I think she has a case. Her name is her “brand”. Seems to me if the company wants to market a toy with her brand, she should have been consulted and a contract signed for royalties.

I agree with you.

[Bryanw92]

>>I’m probably the odd FReeper out on this one, but I think she has a case. Her name is her “brand”. Seems to me if the company wants to market a toy with her brand, she should have been consulted and a contract signed for royalties.

I agree. If her name was Suzy Smith,then this would be frivolous. But something as distinctive as Harris’ name should be a brand.

[rstrahan]

First step in naming a doll, etc is to see if there is a public personality that has a trademarkable or copyrighted name. In this case, as Harris Faulkner would be a member of SAG/AFTRA, this is clearly the case.

Her name, her product image. She has a case.

[thackney]

Her name is her “brand”.

So can anyone who is older with the name Harris Faulkner sue her?

[RJS1950]

If another person named Harris Faulkner writes a book pushing for implementation of sharia law in the U.S. can she sue that person?

[Stirner]

It all depends on when the toy came on the market. It looks sort of retro to me. If it came out before she was a public figure, then it’s just a coincidence and she loses.

[moehoward]

"...but I think she has a case."

She sure as hell does.

[Tucker39]

I’d say there’s a racist or two in the toy naming department at Hasbro. Naming a toy rodent “Harris Faulkner” is no happenstance. It was intentional, and malicious.

[jospehm20]

As long as it shoots blood out of its eyes.

[M Kehoe]

How was Hasbro able to trade mark her name?

5.56mm

[refermech]

Just going after a big payday. If anything this improves her “brand”

[who knows what evil?]

What the hell is a “Deco-bit”???

Check the litter box.

[Tucker39]

Excellent point. Wish I’d thought of it. Or Juan Williams. Or Sheila Jackson Lee.

[EDINVA]

They laughed when Sarah and Bristol Palin trademarked their names.