Fans of the Real Housewives of Potomac know that Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant have been hosting the Reasonably Shady podcast since 2021. The show has been quite a success, and they have even been nominated for awards. However, upon trying to file a trademark for the podcast earlier this year, they were met with a roadblock from none other than Eminem, who has been using the term “shady” since the late 1990sand has the word trademarked.
The Grammy-winning rapper feels it would damage his brand if Robyn and Gizelle were allowed to trademark the name and use it for products. Now, the podcast duo wants Slim Shady to be deposed in court. He and his legal team are seeking a protective order to avoid such measures.
According to the Daily Mail, Eminem’s legal team feels that it would be “premature and procedurally improper” for their client to sit for a deposition. Additionally, Robyn and Gizelle have not served the rapper with a notice of deposition. This is a necessary step before deposing someone.
However, it seems the most significant reason Eminem doesn’t want to sit for a deposition is his lack of knowledge. His legal team said that he has “limited knowledge of the subjects at issue,” and any information he could provide in court would be “duplicative” because he has professionals on his team with “superior knowledge of said issues.”
His legal team went on to say that the podcast hosts “have made no attempt to obtain the discovery they seek via more convenient and less burdensome means.” Additionally, they have “taken no depositions to date” and not made “any attempt to assess whether they will be able to obtain the relevant information from said individuals.”
There’s no word yet on if the protective order will be granted to Eminem. However, the general consensus online is that there wouldn’t be much of a reason for him to be deposed. As his legal team noted, he has very little knowledge of the process and wouldn’t have much to add. It seems maybe Robyn and Gizelle want the clout of being able to say they deposed one of the biggest rappers of all time.
It should also be noted that not having the trademark does not stop them from doing the podcast. However, it does stop them from selling their planned products.
