Man who wrote The Lion King song sues comedian for $27m
The Tab • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Composer Lebohang Morake (Lebo M), who wrote the opening Zulu chant for Disney’s The Lion King song "Circle of Life," is suing comedian Learnmore Jonasi for $27 million over a joke he made on a podcast about the chant’s meaning.
- Jonasi claimed on the One54 podcast that the chant translates to “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my God,” which contradicts the official translation of “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king,” according to Disney.
- Morake alleges that Jonasi’s joke intentionally mocked the chant’s cultural significance and presented the mistranslation as fact, further noting Jonasi received a standing ovation for a similar joke during a live show.
- Jonasi responded by stating he is being sued for telling a joke and has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal fees, emphasizing his intention was never to cause harm but to defend his right to comedic expression.
- The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles federal court, and the dispute highlights tensions around cultural respect and freedom of speech in comedy.
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