Charlee Chase Update

I saw the story about Charley vs Charlee vs Charlee posted on December 7th.  I am the original Charlee Chase – chiming in with an update. I first contacted Ben @ Puba as he’s the person creating her new website CharleyChase.com. I DID trademark my name and though it took several months, the trademark went through and I finally have the paperwork in hand. He took the information I sent him, forwarded it on to his attorney and apparently told her that I’m suing her. FALSE.  It was NOT my intention to sue her. I simply wanted her to change her name. I’ve since personally contacted her laywer (who will not even speak to me), as well as her manager, her, and hundreds of producers who have hired her (and are still continuing to do so) letting them all know that I personally own the trademark to the name Charlee Chase (or any other mark confusingly or deceptively similar to my trademark used in the adult industry) and I’d like for her to change her name.
Not only is she not changing her name, but she’s continuing to work daily while using my Federally protected Trademarked name, and what’s worse, is she’s boasting the fact that she’s doing so. Basically leaving me NO other choice, but to sue her. Sadly, her manager and lawyer have given her very bad advise. Though at first, she stated she should just change her name, under the advice of counsel, it seems now she’d rather be sued than to simply change her name. Now, not only will I have to sue her, but each and every company who has products with her name on their sites/magazines/boxcovers/etc.
I have actually been using the name Charlee Chase (as well as Charlie Chase) since 1997. It was the stage name I danced under, then began doing webcam under, and from there, went into the more “adult” market in 2002. I’ve been working full time under the name Charlee Chase since then. I’ve owned my clip store since 2006 and have been working on it daily since. Even though one particular site in general doesn’t have all of the boxcovers I’ve done, doesn’t mean I’ve not done plenty! The titles are just scattered all over the pace! I also do fetish as well as adult, so many are in a different genre. I still continue to use the name every single day, and will continue doing so long after I hire an attorney to make sure Charley Chase (and the now other Charlee Chase) stops using my name!
Sincerely, Charlee Chase

Charley vs Charlee vs Charlee

There is always some porn star who doesn’t think her name through.  She doesn’t do the leg work and see if the name is already in use or thinks it is cute to use a name similar to another famous person.

Case in point, why would any person involved in porn think it was a good idea to take the name of Britney’s Spears infant son as their porno name?  Why anyone ever thought it would be okay to profit from porn off of the notarity of a child’s name is beyond me.

The good news is, Britney Spears is way richer and has way bigger and more bad ass lawyer than any porn star ever will and well, that means that one day her lawyers will come after the porn star in question and everything they have ever worked for to identify themselves will be lost.  They will have to to start over with a new name and it will hurt their career because when it comes time to book said porn star, a booking agent who doesn’t keep up with the news will go <new name pornstar> who?  We don’t want to book some chick we’ve never heard of in our movie.

It’s kind of like the porn star Toyota Jones. Have you ever heard of her? Well of course not. There is no porn star who could use that name simply because the car company owns that word.  If you use it, they will sue you.  So if you are smart enough to know that, then what makes you think it’s okay to use other people’s names?

But using other people’s name isn’t the only problem.  There is also the issue of using similar names such is the story with Charley vs Charlee vs Charlee Chase.

Charlee Chase (@charlee_chase)  has been in the business since 2005 but despite how active she is on Twitter, she doesn’t seem to have made any movies since 2008.  In all IAFD shows she has done less than 10 movies throughout the entire span of her career, however she does seem to have done a lot of web work.

Charley Chase (@TheCharleyChase) started in the business in 2007 and has made over 100 movies in the last two years.  She is still active but her name is often confused with the “other” Charlee Chase.  In fact, she previously has gone by the name Charlie Chase, making it even more confusing.

Turns out there is actually a 3rd person using the name Charlee Chase.  On December 5th the 1st Charlee Chase tweeted about the subject.  What she said was ….

I wrote the “other” Charlee Chase today & she deleted it. Laughing my ass off over that one! Little does she realize, I OWN the name so now she’s no longer able to work under my name any longer. Gotta love it 🙂 Merry Christmas to ME!

Having three porn stars use almost the exact same name is crazy.  Not only does it cause confusion for marketing them, and with bookings but it can also hurt them when it comes to things like search engine optimization and braidings.  If one person trademarks the name, then she can go after any other person using any names similar to hers and that means all the time, money, energy and effort put into building up a fan base under said name is now out the window.

So the question is, who is in the right?  Although I’m not a lawyer, I would say first come first serve in a situation like this.  If you were in the business first and you have clearly been in several movies under this name, it should be yours.  Such as the case with Lacey Love of the Love Twins.  Why is there now some other chick, actually two other chicks using the name.   Lacey Luv and Lacey Love (not of the Love Twins).  This causes a HUGE problem when it comes to marketing and quite honestly, it could also cause them jobs because of the marketing problems, some companies would rather just bypass booking them all together then to deal with the potential problems using that girls name may cause them.

I guess the lesson here is don’t be a dumb ass.  If you want to be a porn star RESEARCH your name.

Go to www.Google.com, or www.IAFD.com or www.AdultDVD.com.  Search the name in question and see if you can find another girl in our industry with the same or remotely similar name.  If so then avoid it and move on to the next name.