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Celebrity Justice
Oprah: 'Aha!' I Got You!

Posted Apr 24th 2009 11:27AM by TMZ Staff

Oprah Winfrey just had another Aha! Moment -- when she decided to wage a legal war against an insurance company using her signature catchphrase.

Oprah Winfrey

Just a few days ago, Oprah's lawyers fired off a cease and desist letter to Mutual of Omaha demanding they shut down their plans to run a gigantic advertising campaign with the slogan, "Official sponsor of the aha moment."

In the letter, sent April 21, Oprah's peeps claim they have the rights to the "Aha Moment" slogan and they threatened to sue because O doesn't want Mutual to mislead her fans into thinking she's associated with them.

But Mutual of Omaha is fighting back with a lawsuit, claiming that even if Oprah had trademark rights to the phrase, she "abandoned" those rights by failing to "police their alleged mark" when other businesses used it in the past.

In the suit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Nebraska, Mutual asks the judge to rule that they have the right to use the phrase in their campaign.

A rep for O tells us, "Harpo has not filed a lawsuit or counterclaim against Mutual of Omaha. We hope to reach an amicable resolution on this issue."

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Tags: aha moment, cease and desist, CeaseAndDesist, lawsuit, mutual of omaha bank, O, oprah, oprah winfrey

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16. GET OVER YOURSELF OPRAH. CAN'T STAND YOU ANYMORE. TIME TO RETIRE BECAUSE NOBODY IS WATCHING YOU ANYMORE. SHE IS A DISGRACE.. AN UGLY ONE TOO.

Posted at 11:48AM on Apr 24th 2009 by OPRAH IS A HAS BEEN

17. OPRAH WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE YOUR JUST A DUMB ASS THAT THINKS CAUSE YOU OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH THAT THEIR GOING TO LESTEN TO YOU QUIT READING YOUR OWEN PRESS AND COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH OBAMAWOOD DRAMA IS ALL YOU REALY ARE.

Posted at 3:54PM on Apr 24th 2009 by SHUT UP DEMS

18. Well I like Oprah, almost always. I used to be a daily watcher, but haven't been for more than a few years now. I watch a couple times a week or perhaps 4 or 5 times a month if I'm home. As for her having the money to fight, excuse me, the lady has billions of dollars, of course she has the money to fight. However, I don't think she should, I see it as stupid and senseless and it should not be something owned by her. If she does want to fight it, go ahead let her spend her big money, but I hope she loses.

Posted at 11:57AM on Apr 24th 2009 by Terri

19. Who does she think she is!? What a GREEDY, SELFISH, PIG she is! Just because she uses an expression that THOUSANDS of people used before her, she thinks she has the right to it...because she is Oprah Winfrey?!!! It's like her viewers are brainwashed...they follow every word that comes out of her mouth like a cult, which just makes her more money. Stop falling for her crap!

Posted at 11:58AM on Apr 24th 2009 by Nik

20. Cognitive psychologists have been using the term "Aha! moment" for decades to describe a type of problem-solving involving a sudden insight. She might have applied for sole use of the phrase as a slogan, but she certainly did not invent it!

Posted at 11:58AM on Apr 24th 2009 by PhDLady

21. OPRAH IS JUST FAT AND FULL OF HER SELF THATS WHY HER BOY FRIEND FOUND SOMEONE ELSE. JUST BECAUSE OBAMA NO DRAMA IS YOUR BEST FRIEND YOU THINK IF YOU OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH IT'S AS GOOD AS DONE. OPRAH IT'S TIME TO GO AWAY WERE DONE WATCHING YOU TALK TO MUCH ABOUT THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

Posted at 3:54PM on Apr 24th 2009 by SHUTDEMLIARS

22. Unless she copyrighted it, she doesn't have a case.

Posted at 12:07PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Ugh!

23. Oprah Winfrey really needs to get over herself. People say things like "aha moment" without hearing it from Oprah first. You can't be serious that you think you own a phrase like that. Shameful and pathetic!!!!

Posted at 12:10PM on Apr 24th 2009 by givemeabreak

24. In real life, Oprah is not a very intelligent person. I used to watch her show, but I rarely tune in now. She has the money to hire very smart people who make her look good. I'm amazed that Stedman has stayed around as long as he has. But, then again, money talks.......................

Posted at 12:12PM on Apr 24th 2009 by GetALife

25. The really funny thing is she really believes that she invented the phrase. How incredibly stupid and arrogant! My mother used that same phrase at least 20 years before Oprah 'thinks' she thought of it. She has an obnoxiously overinflated opinion of herself.

Posted at 12:18PM on Apr 24th 2009 by bqgirl

26. What do you think about that Max Keiser?

She's a highly overpaid overrated black teleprompter read.

Why do all these real zero's...

make so much money?

Her producers made that show....

she reaped their benefits.

She's like Larry King...

totallllly inconsequential.

Posted at 12:18PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Inny

27. I cannot stand this arrogant, disgusting woman!!! Oprah, go away!!!

Posted at 12:21PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Luca

28. Oh Krikes, Oprah! I love you but let this one go. You don't own everything, and you're rich enough. Dang!

Posted at 12:22PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Just Noticing

29. What do you think about that Max Keiser?

An over rated, over paid, fat, black ,teleprompter reader....

is ONLY respected because she has more toilet paper currency...

than most people.

Her producers made that show...

and everyone knows it.

What's $2 billion times zero.

It's still zero. .

Posted at 12:26PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Inny

30. I HATE TO TELL OPRAH BUT she did not originate this phrase! AND if you didn't make it up originally you should not be trademarking it! Talk about AUDACIOUS! This woman is OUT OF CONTROL. I hope Mutual of Omaha wipes the floor with her! Oprah being associated with any commerical endeavor would be a minus for the company in my personal opinion.

Posted at 12:30PM on Apr 24th 2009 by rj

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