Get the latest gossip
Beastie Boys Sue Chili’s Owner for Unauthorized Use of ‘Sabotage’ in Ads
Beastie Boys has filed a suit against the parent company of Chili's over the unauthorized use of their 1994 single 'Sabotage' in ads.
The suit, filed in New York federal court, claims that Brinker facilitated the creation of social media videos to promote Chili’s starting in or around November 2022. In addition to claims that the sound recording for “Sabotage” was used without authorization, the complaint alleges that the ads resemble the Spike Jonze-directed music video for “Sabotage,” which featured Beastie members Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Adam “MCA” Yauch and Michael “Mike D” Diamond starring in a fictional 1970s-style police show called “Sabotage.” The social media advertisements for Chili’s also depicted three characters in similar 1970s-style outfits “robbing” ingredients from a Chili’s restaurant. The suit claims that members of the group have and will continue to suffer damages in an unknown amount and that Brinker acted with a “willful disregard of the harm to plaintiffs.” Beastie Boys are seeking a permanent injunction, statutory damages of $150,000 in each case of copyright violation, attorney fees, three times the profits from false representations and use of its trademarks, and more.
Or read this on Variety