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

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."



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

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46. Oprah needs an AHA moment herself. She needs to look at herself naked in the mirror and say "aha I am a fat cow. Maybe I should lose some weight again." This woman thinks the world revvolves around her. I guess she just can't have enough money.

Posted at 2:39PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Sparky

47. "Ah ha Moment" is like saying you invented the words "TV Dinner". I bet you would sue anyone that might say YOUR WORD "vajayjay" too. Come on........... this is a lot narsassistic don't ya think? I guess when the world is watching your platform, produced by HARPO Productions (remind me...is God given the opportunity to have a seat at the table of one of your production meetings)??? I think not, cause God doesn't fit into the plan for the "NEW AMERICA" as presented and produced by Oprah Winfrey through the mediums Barack and Michelle Obama. Sorry, used to like you,...now not so much.

Posted at 3:02PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Empowered

48. Aha, that is what there is noise when I walk.

Posted at 3:14PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Keepingittreal

49. I'm so tired of this woman. She's way too full of herself.

Posted at 3:39PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Kay

50. Don't bother trying to fight Oprah.

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

51. The only reason she has an audience is the free stuff she gives away. Her Christmas show giveaway can come up at any time so people get tickets to her show , and they hope they hit the right show! She is so over...can't stand to watch her anymore..She acts like she is the expert on every subject. Watch her eat sometime...gross....she should spend her money on learning to eat with her mouth closed, and not throw the food around so everyone can see it. Cows chew with more class. But then she is an expert....................

Posted at 4:03PM on Apr 24th 2009 by twirp

52. I'd like to know why my comment was deleted from this site???????????????????

Posted at 4:16PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Carolyn

53. So can Eddie Murphy sue Oprah?

"Taste the soup!"

Posted at 4:42PM on Apr 24th 2009 by John

54. I'm on Oprah's side. The woman is a Goddess. I watch her every day. We have a black president only because of her. She's given over $300 million to charity, and she's been using the term before anyone. Omaha Bank needs to back off.

Posted at 4:53PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Dan

55. Go Oprah. I'll side with her over a greedy insurance company any day. I admire her so much

Posted at 4:55PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Anne

56. Oprah has climbed out of extreme poverty to give $300 million of her own hard earned money to charity. She has the number one ratings on day time TV, even after a quarter century on the air. I like this woman a lot. Only people who don't are racists, sexists & fat phobic bigots who can't stand an overweight black woman with money & power.

Posted at 4:58PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Bill

57. I can't believe how dumb the people who post here are. Oprah's not saying she invented the term "Aha". She's saying she invented the term "Aha moment". And she's right. I've never heard anyone say it before Oprah

Posted at 5:02PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Jonathan

58. I think she's absolutely brilliant to have come from where she did to where is today. A marketing genius, an improvisational genius, and even a political genius (look what she did for Obama). And she probably did come up with the specific term "Aha moment". "Aha" is pretty common, but not "Aha moment"

Posted at 5:08PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Kelvin

59. I read every comment and was unable to find just ONE compliment for Oprah. How sad to gain tremendous fame, popularity, a financial empire (not on her own) and not ONE person to speak well of her. It is NOT jealousy. It takes more than just handing out gifts to create "friendships." I am so sorry for her. When you come down to it, she probably is one of the loneliest women in the world regardless of all the applause and attention. I really am sorry for her.

Posted at 5:19PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Butterfly

60. Butterfly you are SO jealous of Oprah. How is she lonely? She has
MILLIONS of screaming fans, hundreds of daughters in Africa, a
boyfriend she's been with for decades, and a cool best friend like
Gayle (who was her best friend long before she had money). Oh, and
don't forget she climbed out of poverty to make BILLIONS of dollars
(without the help of any family or connections that most billionaires
depend on) and single-handedly put a black man in the white house, and
has the highest rated talk show in history. Oh, and she's also given
more money to charity than any performer in history. How bitter and
sad your heart must be that you have to tear down such an
inspirational woman to feel better about yourself.

Posted at 6:37PM on Apr 24th 2009 by Cyndy

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