NEW YORK: Michael Jackson’s estate sued ABC on Wednesday, arguing that a special the network aired last week about the pop singer’s final days used his songs and music videos without permission.
The copyright infringement lawsuit, which also names ABC’s corporate parent Walt Disney Co. as a defendant, was filed in Los Angeles federal court and took aim at “The Last Days of Michael Jackson,” a two-hour show broadcast on May 24.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
“Like Disney, the lifeblood of the estate’s business is its intellectual property,” the complaint said. “Yet for some reason, Disney decided it could just use the estate’s most valuable intellectual property for free.”
An ABC News spokesperson said the company had not yet reviewed the lawsuit but defended the broadcast.
“The ABC News documentary explored the life, career and legacy of Michael Jackson, who remains of great interest to people worldwide, and did not infringe on his estate’s rights,” the spokesperson said via email.
Jackson, known as the “King of Pop,” died in 2009 from a prescription drug overdose at age 50.
The estate raised objections to the show before it aired last week. According to the lawsuit, a lawyer for Disney told the estate the special’s use of copyrighted music was “fair use” because of its documentary nature, an argument the estate called “absurd.”
“If Disney’s position on fair use of the estate’s copyrights were accepted, a network, studio or producer could make a documentary about Walt Disney, and spend most of the documentary’s time using, without Disney’s permission, extensive clips of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney, and Disney movies,” the lawsuit said.
The show employed “at least 30 different copyrighted works,” according to the lawsuit, including hit songs like “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” and video footage owned by the estate.
Jackson has led Forbes’ list of the highest-earning dead celebrities five years running, with an estimated $75 million last year thanks to a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas and a new posthumous album, among other sources of revenue.
Michael Jackson’s estate sues ABC, Walt Disney for copyright infringement
Michael Jackson’s estate sues ABC, Walt Disney for copyright infringement
Gigi Hadid introduces sun-washed knitwear in new Guest in Residence drop
DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian model Gigi Hadid this week released the first drop of her brand Guest in Residence’s spring/summer collection.
The pictures she shared with her 79.5 million followers on Instagram showed that the new offerings lean into relaxed, sun-washed dressing, blending the brand’s signature knitwear with a more playful, resort-ready mood.
The collection features lightweight cardigans, cropped knits and long-sleeve tops paired with knit shorts, relaxed trousers and soft lounge pieces designed for warm weather.
A palette of coastal blues, butter yellow, soft red, cream and pastel tones runs throughout, complemented by subtle stripes and textured finishes.
Across the images, knits are layered over swimwear or styled as coordinated sets, aligning with the collection’s casual, seasonal direction.
Hadid wrote on Instagram that the newly launched products are now available in stores and retailers worldwide.
The model and entrepreneur’s latest drop was a collaboration with Moon Boot, the Italian snow boot brand. Released in November, Hadid and the brand dropped 16 designs for winter.
A week before that, she launched her winter collection that expanded Guest in Residence’s knitwear offering with cold-weather staples designed for layering.
The range included chunky scarves with fringe finishes, ribbed beanies, knitted socks, striped sweaters, zip-neck tops and relaxed knit polos, alongside straight-leg trousers and casual separates.
A muted winter palette of red, cream, brown, forest green and blue ran throughout, with stripes and textured knits adding visual contrast.
Hadid launched her clothing label, which features soft, colorful knitwear, in September 2022.
“Over the last handful of years, I didn’t want to be backed into starting my own line just because there was an offer on the table or a deal to be made,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram at the time.
“The earliest days of Guest in Residence came about when I started to question the cashmere market, and those answers gave me a path,” she added.
“I believe that because of its sustainable qualities — natural and made to cherish and to pass down — cashmere is a luxury that should be more accessible.”
Celebrities including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper have been spotted wearing the label’s designs.
