Celebrity Justice
Devo to McD's -- We'll Whip You, Whip You Good!

Posted Jul 1st 2008 8:36AM by TMZ Staff

Devo -- yep, as in '80s Bar Mitzvah stalwart Devo -- is red hot over a McDonald's Happy Meal toy that they say co-opts their most famous get-up.

The New-Wave band is whippin' mad over "New Wave Nigel," (left) a lil' singer guy who clearly wears one of their concentric "Energy Dome" hats. On their website, the Devo boys call the toy an "unbelievable rip-off."

The fast food behemoth had no comment as yet.

UPDATE: Devo's lawyer tells TMZ that there isn't any lawsuit being filed -- and there won't be. The matter has been "amicably resolved on mutually agreeable terms." The lawyer did not indicate whether she too wore an Energy Dome during billable hours.

Filed under: Celebrity Justice


Tags: American Idol, AmericanIdol, Devo, McDonalds

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1. When I saw that toy around my house I instantly thought of Devo. Devo shouldn't sue because at least it's gotten people to remember who they were. Micky D's did them a favor.

Whip 'em, whip 'em good!

Posted at 8:54AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Dawn Day

2. MCDONALDS RULEs!!! they have the best fries.

Posted at 8:55AM on Jul 1st 2008 by midget

3. Agreed!! Get over yourselves and be glad you made some kind of an impact. Most young people probably don't remember who you are. Maybe they just need the money...

Posted at 9:04AM on Jul 1st 2008 by chacha

4. McDonalds is garbage.
Devo rocks.

How embarassing for Devo to appear to sell out to crap like McDonalds!

Posted at 9:31AM on Jul 1st 2008 by x

5. I say SUE 'EM....SUE 'EM GOOD!!

Posted at 9:55AM on Jul 1st 2008 by devo fan

6. Mark MOthersbaugh of Devo has earned a fortune over the years doing ad jingles and soundtracks to TV shows. He's got the money to sue for them ripping off his trademarked hats. McDonald's needs to be sued the same way M&Ms ought to pay up for ripping off the Naked Cowboy. They are inferring endorsement of their product by these people.

Posted at 9:58AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Corey

7. My daughter got a happy meal with one of them toys in there and wanted me to throw it away after we got done eating cause it was ugly and she didnt want it.

Posted at 10:24AM on Jul 1st 2008 by sgnmg

8. They are still living? Wow.

Posted at 10:27AM on Jul 1st 2008 by JT

9. OBVIOUSLY a rip-off of DEVO - I hope they CRACK THAT WHIP and WHIP IT GOOD!!

Two things in life you must learn while very young: don't mess with the mouse, and and don't mess with Mickey D...

Posted at 10:47AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Kate

10. Guess Devo is out of money and looking for ANY way to get some..give me a break, if I ran around in that hat..would you sue me?

Posted at 10:57AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Tommy

11. Devo doesn't have a case. Unless they were planning on marketing a line of FREE plastic action figure knick-knacks, McDonalds isn't stepping on their toes. More than anything, this is a tribute to Devo because it recognizes the iconic nature of their tiered hats. It doesn't harm them, it basically reinforces their status as a major group of the new wave era. Case dismissed.

Posted at 10:58AM on Jul 1st 2008 by paul

12. Yeah, it's a rip-off. Just because McDonald's is a big corporation doesn't mean they can rip-off the little guy, even if the little guy was famous a long time ago.

Posted at 11:02AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Becky

13.
what is it with all these 80's
bands needing money ?

Posted at 11:03AM on Jul 1st 2008 by kevin coe

14. This is especially ridiculous considering that Devo was almost entirely about mocking and defying pop consumerism.
I don't think it's so much that they want to be paid for every little plastic likeness produced, but rather that they'd rather not have one of their most iconic symbols as a band associated with things like McDonalds and American Idol.

Posted at 11:06AM on Jul 1st 2008 by Lauren

15. Um, do you really think McD's made any extra money because they put a crappy toy in their happy meal that looked like Devo? Not that I'm saying it was right to steal the image, I'm just saying.

Posted at 11:16AM on Jul 1st 2008 by shannon

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