Eminem feuds with ‘Real Housewives’ stars over ‘Shady’ trademark

Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant may be real housewives — but they’ll never be the real Slim Shady if Eminem has anything to say about it.

Rapper Marshall “Eminem” Mathers is on a legal mission to prove he’s the real Shady after “Real Housewives of the Potomac” stars Dixon and Bryant tried last year to “Reasonably Shady” – the title of their hit Podcasts – to be branded. An attorney for Dixon and Bryant told the Times Tuesday that the reality TV duo intends to “defend their trademark application” despite the “Real Slim Shady” artist’s request to have it blocked.

A court filing filed Tuesday with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says Mathers “believes he will be harmed by the issuance of a registration for the REASONABLY SHADY trademark” because it “resembles” Eminem’s longtime nicknames Shady and Slim Shady.

The musician’s lawyers argue that “the mark proposed for registration by the applicants, REASONABLY SHADY, is likely to create confusion, error or deception … by leading the consumer public to believe contrary to the facts that the goods and services Applicant’s related to the REASONABLY SHADY trademark are sponsored, licensed and/or otherwise approved by Mathers or are in any way connected or affiliated with Mathers.

But Dixon and Bryant — who are trying to sell clothes, mugs, water bottles, makeup and other merchandise that bear their podcast’s name — claim that “the brands aren’t confusingly similar and the services aren’t related,” according to theirs Attorney Andrea Evans.

In Tuesday’s filing, Team Mathers notes that Eminem has long used the Shady, Slim Shady, and Shady Limited brands to sell merchandise such as t-shirts and baseball caps.

“The SLIM SHADY, SHADY and SHADY LIMITED brands have become unique and are exclusively identified by the general public [Mathers] and its goods and services,” the filing states.

“The SLIM SHADY, SHADY and SHADY LIMITED brands have become and are extremely valuable symbols of Mathers, its reputation and goodwill.”

Times News Researcher Jennifer Arkand contributed to this report.