{"id":8242,"date":"2025-10-20T21:54:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T21:54:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/amazon-faces-lawsuit-over-fictional-love-zone-radio-show-in-cross\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T21:54:30","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T21:54:30","slug":"amazon-faces-lawsuit-over-fictional-love-zone-radio-show-in-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/amazon-faces-lawsuit-over-fictional-love-zone-radio-show-in-cross\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over Fictional ‘Love Zone’ Radio Show in ‘Cross’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\tThe longtime host of a Harlem R&B radio show called The Love Zone<\/em> is suing Amazon over claims that the tech giant violated his rights by mentioning a fictional show of the same name in an episode of the Prime series Cross<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Maurice \u201cThe Voice\u201d Watts says Amazon and Paramount Television Studios, which co-produced the show, infringed his trademark rights with the 2024 episode of the crime thriller, in which viewers hear a \u201cradio personality in a deep baritone\u201d say \u201cWelcome to The Love Zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\tWatts, who has hosted his own \u201cThe Love Zone\u201d on WHCR-90.3FM for years, says the tech giant showed a \u201creckless disregard\u201d for his rights by featuring the name in the Cross <\/em>episode.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDefendants\u2019 use of \u2018The Love Zone\u2019 was neither incidental nor fleeting,\u201d attorneys for the host write in the lawsuit, obtained by Billboard<\/em>. \u201cIt functioned as a source\u2011identifying element within the story world to add authenticity and cultural resonance, trading directly on plaintiff\u2019s goodwill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWatts has hosted the Love Zone for decades at WHCR, a Manhattan community station owned by the City College of New York that\u2019s known as The Voice of Harlem<\/em>. The show, airing on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight, features \u201cold school soul, classics and R&B\u201d to give listeners \u201ca ride down memory lane.\u201d The station itself is not involved in Watts\u2019 lawsuit.<\/p>\n

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\n\tThough an unapproved appearance of his show\u2019s name was likely frustrating for Watts, such a lawsuit faces long odds in court. The use of trademarks in \u201cexpressive works\u201d like books and movies is usually allowed under the First Amendment; brand owners can only sue in rare situations that are explicitly misleading to consumers.<\/p>\n

\n\tWatts says Cross<\/em>\u2018s use of the name of his show clears that legal threshold, arguing that The Love Zone<\/em> name has become \u201cclosely associated with Watts\u2019s deep baritone delivery\u201d during his decades on the air.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe mark and persona have developed substantial goodwill and secondary meaning, especially within Black American communities and the broader listening public,\u201d his lawyers write. \u201cPlaintiff has suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable harm, including loss of control over his brand, damage to reputation and goodwill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSuch lawsuits turn on whether or not consumers are confused, and Watts says the Cross <\/em>episode has already clearly left many people perplexed: \u201cFollowing release, listeners and members of the public contacted plaintiff via phone, text, and email congratulating him on his \u2018Amazon\/Paramount deal\u2019 and presumed collaboration with Cross<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tReps for both Amazon and Paramount did not immediately return requests for comment on the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

\"Billboard<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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