In The United States District Court For The Southern District of New York
In The United States District Court For The Southern District of New York
Defendant.
Plaintiffs, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Inc. (“NATAS”) and
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“ATAS”) (collectively, the “Television Academies”),
by their undersigned attorneys, allege as follows, upon actual knowledge with respect to
themselves and their own acts, and upon information and belief as to all other matters.
2. For more than 70 years, the Television Academies have conferred the famous
the EMMY Award was first presented in 1949, it has only grown in stature and fame. Today the
EMMY Award is the most famous television entertainment accolade in the world.
3. Since 1949, the EMMY Award has been conferred in the form of the iconic
EMMY Statuette, which is symbolic of, and synonymous with, the famous EMMY Award.
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and disseminated an image of the EMMY Statuette with an image of a SARS-CoV-2 virus
created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). In doing so, Defendant
infringed the Television Academies’ copyrights, and diluted and infringed their trademark rights,
all to advertise and promote Defendant’s “Crony Awards” show. And when the Television
Academies served a lawful DMCA copyright takedown notice asking YouTube to remove
Emmy Awards, the Television Academies, and NATAS President Adam Sharp, which constitute
libel.
PARTIES
5. Plaintiff, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Inc., is a New
York not-for-profit corporation with its principal place of business at 450 Park Avenue South,
corporation with its principal place of business at 5220 Lankershim Boulevard, North
7. Defendant Multimedia System Design, Inc. d/b/a Crowdsource the Truth is a New
York corporation with places of business at 505 8th Avenue, New York, New York 10018 and
252 7th Avenue Apartment No. 6S, New York, NY 10001, and an address designated for service
of process at 208 East 51st Street, Suite 200, New York, New York 10022.
8. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §
1121 and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1338(a) and (b). Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367, this Court has
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supplemental jurisdiction over the Television Academies’ state law claims because those claims
are substantially related to the Television Academies’ federal Copyright Act and Lanham Act
claims.
9. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendant, and venue is proper in the
Southern District of New York pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and (c) and 28 U.S.C. § 1400(a)
because the Television Academies are being harmed in this District; Defendant is domiciled in
this District; Defendant’s agent can be found in this District; Defendant is conducting business in
this District; and Defendant is violating the Television Academies’ rights in this District.
10. The Television Academies have long used their famous EMMY Statuette to
recognize excellence in the television industry. The famous award is conferred on members of
television casts, crews, and executives for a broad range of achievements and contributions to
11. The EMMY Statuette is a gold statuette molded in the shape of a winged figure
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12. The coveted EMMY Statuette is featured and presented by the Television
13. The EMMY Statuette is featured throughout these award shows, as well as in
invitations, websites, tickets, advertisements, promotions, and of course, the statuettes conferred
14. The Primetime Emmy Award Show (which routinely features the EMMY
Statuette Design, as depicted below) exemplifies the tremendous fame and goodwill that the
EMMY Statuette Design enjoys. Due to its success, the popular Primetime EMMY Award Show
annually reaches millions through television and social media, all of which contributes to the
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15. For example, in 2019, FOX Network broadcast the 71st Primetime EMMY
Awards Show, drawing over 6.9 million viewers. The 2019 Primetime EMMY Awards also
received tremendous social media attention during an approximate 45-day period beginning with
the Emmy Nominations announcement in July 2019. Specifically, 67.9 million people were
reached globally across the Television Academies’ social platforms, including Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat with over 2,800 posts generating 4.03 million interactions. This
constitutes only a fraction of the number of social media impressions as it does not include the
16. The Television Academies devote substantial time, effort, and resources annually
to advertising, marketing, and promoting the EMMY Statuette and EMMY Statuette Design
through virtually every type of digital and print media, such as print advertisements (e.g.,
newspapers and magazines like emmy Magazine), internet advertising, social media, billboards,
17. As a result of the EMMY Statuette Design’s distinctive nature and inherent
strength, widespread use, advertising, publicity, promotion, and substantial sales, the EMMY
Statuette has been famous since long before Defendant began its unlawful acts alleged below.
18. The Television Academies co-own numerous valid and subsisting U.S. trademark
registrations and applications for their EMMY Statuette Design, as described below:
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19. The Television Academies have continuously used the EMMY Statuette Design
20. The EMMY Statuette is integral to the Television Academies’ overall corporate
identity.
21. As a result of substantial promotional efforts, the EMMY Statuette has achieved
widespread public recognition and fame well prior to Defendant’s wrongful acts alleged below.
22. The Television Academies also owns valid and subsisting U.S. Copyright Office
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23. The Television Academies protect their intellectual property rights in the EMMY
Statuette and EMMY Statuette Design through routine enforcement activities on the internet.
25. Defendant Multimedia System Design, Inc. d/b/a Crowdsource the Truth operates
26. Jason Goodman is the principal of Defendant Multimedia System Design, Inc.
and advertises, markets, and promotes that content through social media accounts on YouTube,
28. Mr. Goodman has described the content made available by Defendant as
those that deny the severity and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. See, e.g., “When Is
youtube.com/watch?v=9o6F2bN6CPw.
29. On or about June 12, 2020, two weeks before the Daytime Emmy Awards Show
aired on CBS, Defendant posted its own award show—entitled “Crony Awards”—on YouTube
and other platforms. The show honored countries that refused to lock down and/or minimized
30. To market its “Crony Awards” show via social media, Defendant, without
authorization, created and used an image (shown below) depicting the EMMY Statuette’s
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winged figure but replacing the Statuette’s atom with a depiction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as
31. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image for its “Crony Awards” impermissibly
associated the famous EMMY Statuette and the EMMY Awards with dangerous misinformation
32. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image also linked the famous and venerated
EMMY Award, EMMY Statuette, and EMMY Statuette Design with the term “crony”—a term
33. On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, the Infringing Image was reported to the Television
reference to a family member that had recently passed away due to COVID-19. 1
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All personally identifiable information for the person responsible for reporting this Infringing Image has been
redacted from this screenshot of the person’s original communication to the Television Academies. Such redactions
are meant to protect the sender’s privacy and from the kind of online bullying described below.
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34. Upon receipt of the report of the Infringing Image, the Television Academies
promptly sent a copyright violation notice to YouTube pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c) of the
35. In response and as required by the DMCA, YouTube removed the video
36. On Friday, August 21, 2020, Defendant’s principal, Jason Goodman, emailed
Adam Sharp, President and Chief Executive Officer of NATAS, objecting to the DMCA
Takedown Notice and claiming NATAS had “no legitimate claim of copyright infringement”
37. The next day, Mr. Goodman emailed Mr. Sharp again and asked to speak “today,”
a Saturday, leaving two voice messages on Mr. Sharp’s home telephone number (which was not
the contact information provided to YouTube in connection with the DMCA Notification) and
sending a direct message to Mr. Sharp on Twitter (also not the contact information provided to
38. That same day, Television Academies’ counsel emailed Mr. Goodman asking him
to stop contacting Mr. Sharp and instead await counsel’s reply, which would be provided that
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week. Mr. Goodman responded with three emails to counsel over the weekend demanding
39. On Monday, August 24, 2020, Plaintiffs’ counsel sent correspondence to Mr.
Goodman rejecting his claims and explaining that the DMCA Takedown Notice was duly served;
that the Infringing Image was not “parody”; and that the association of the EMMY Statuette
Design with a pandemic, and to promote Defendant’s own award show diluted and infringed the
40. On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, Defendant filed a DMCA counter notification with
YouTube (the “DMCA Counter Notification”). Pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(g) of the DMCA, a
Service Provider (e.g., YouTube) that removes content pursuant to a DMCA takedown notice
must replace that content within 10 to 14 days after receiving a counter notification in order to
retain its protection from copyright infringement liability as provided for by the DMCA, unless a
lawsuit is filed. Accordingly, Defendant’s DMCA Counter Notification forced the Television
Academies to file suit to prevent YouTube from reposting the infringing content.
41. Over the following four days, Defendant sent four more emails demanding
retraction of the DMCA Takedown Notice. The Television Academies worked diligently to
review Defendant’s complaints, consider its demands, and prepare a response to Defendant’s
settlement demands. At the same time Defendant waged a social media smear campaign against
42. Specifically, between Monday, August 23, 2020 and Monday, August 30, 2020,
Defendant (using the Twitter handle @csthetruth) posted on Twitter using Mr. Sharp’s Twitter
handle, @AdamS, or replied to Tweets from Mr. Sharp’s account (none of which had anything to
do with Defendant) at least eleven (11) times, including Tweets falsely accusing Mr. Sharp of
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being a “political operative” and falsely claiming that Mr. Sharp is abusing the DMCA takedown
process to stifle “competition from real news.” By using Mr. Sharp’s handle, Defendant
43. Defendant also posted YouTube videos that spread falsehoods about Mr. Sharp
and his father (noted journalist Roger Sharp) alleging that their professional careers were the
father, Roger Sharp, spread propaganda on CBS and in exchange his son, Adam Sharp, could
44. The Television Academies tried to resolve this matter without litigation, but once
Defendant filed the DMCA Counter Notification and refused to withdraw it, the Television
Academies had no choice but to file this lawsuit to enforce their rights under the DMCA and
45. Despite the harm to the Television Academies caused by Defendant, the
Television Academies currently seek only injunctive relief to stop Defendant from further
46. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image is likely to cause dilution of the
Television Academies’ famous EMMY Statuette Design and tarnish that famous mark by
associating the famous EMMY Statuette Design with the COVID-19 pandemic and the
47. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image is likely to cause dilution of the
Television Academies’ famous EMMY Statuette Design and blur the distinctiveness of that
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famous mark by exploiting the famous EMMY Statuette Design to promote Defendant’s “Crony
Awards” show, detracting from the strength of the famous EMMY Statuette Design as an
48. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image is likely to cause confusion, mistake, and
deception as to the source or origin of the Television Academies’ products and services, and is
products, its services, and/or its commercial activities with the Television Academies and/or their
corporate identity.
49. Defendant’s unauthorized use of the Infringing Image has damaged and
irreparably injured and, if permitted to continue, will further damage and irreparably injure the
Television Academies, their reputation and goodwill, the EMMY Statuette Design, the
Television Academies’ corporate identity, and the public’s interest in being free from confusion.
50. Defendant knew, or should have known, that its use of the Infringing Image
violates the Television Academies’ rights in the EMMY Statuette Design. As a result, Defendant
has acted knowingly, willfully, in reckless disregard of the Television Academies’ rights, and in
bad faith.
51. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
52. The Television Academies own valid and subsisting copyright registrations in the
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53. The Television Academies have not authorized Defendant or its employees,
Copyrights by reproducing, distributing, displaying, and creating derivative works from its
EMMY Statuette Design, including but not limited to through Defendant’s creation and
55. Defendant’s creation and dissemination of the Infringing Image was not parody
because it bore no message whatsoever about the EMMY Statuette Design, the Emmy Awards,
or the Television Academies, nor did it seek to offer commentary or criticism about any of them.
56. Defendant’s creation and dissemination of the Infringing Image was not fair use at
least because (a) Defendant used the Infringing Image for an award show, i.e., the same purpose
for which the EMMY Statuette Design is used, and is not ‘transformative,’ (b) Defendant’s use
of the Infringing Image was commercial in nature; and (c) Defendant’s use of the Infringing
Image may have a significant negative impact on the Television Academies’ ability to
58. The Television Academies have suffered actual harm and reputational harm and
incurred significant costs as a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s direct infringement of
59. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
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60. The EMMY Statuette Design is famous, as the term “famous” is used in 15
U.S.C. § 1125(c), and was famous prior to Defendant’s first use of the Infringing Image, based
on, among other things, multiple federal registrations of the Television Academies’ EMMY
Statuette Design (two of which are incontestable), and the extensive nationwide use, advertising,
61. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image, as described above, is likely to tarnish
62. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image, as described above, is likely to blur the
63. Defendant’s actions, as described above, are likely to dilute the distinctive quality
of the Television Academies’ famous EMMY Statuette Design in violation of Section 43(c) of
the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c), as amended by the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of
2006.
64. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
65. Without the Television Academies’ consent, Defendant used and continues to use
in commerce reproductions, copies, and colorable imitations of the Infringing Image in a manner
66. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
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67. Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image, as described above, is likely to cause
Defendant, its products and services, and/or its commercial activities by or with the Television
Academies, their EMMY Statuette Design, and the Television Academies’ corporate identity,
and thus constitute trademark infringement, false designation of origin, passing off, and unfair
68. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
69. Defendant’s actions described above create the impression in the mind of the
public that the Television Academies are responsible for the quality and performance of
Defendants, their products/services, and/or their commercial activities and thus Defendant’s acts
in its EMMY Statuette Design and misappropriation of the Television Academies’ goodwill in
the EMMY Statuette Design, as provided for in N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 360-o.
70. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
71. The EMMY Statuette Design is distinctive because it is arbitrary and/or fanciful
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74. Defendant’s unauthorized use of the Infringing Image dilutes the strength of the
EMMY Statuette Design, resulting in damage to the Television Academies and the substantial
business and goodwill symbolized by the EMMY Statuette Design in violation of New York
75. The Television Academies repeat and reallege every allegation set forth above.
76. Defendant recorded and published videos and internet posts that make the
following false and defamatory statements (“Defamatory Statements”) about the Television
Academies, the Emmy Awards, and NATAS President Adam Sharp, including for example:
a. The Television Academies’ DMCA Takedown Notice was malicious rather than
b. Mr. Sharp is involved in a CIA propaganda operation and is “a foot soldier in the
CIA to control people’s minds using torture and psychoactive drugs and related
murder allegations;
d. Mr. Sharp became the President of NATAS as a result of nepotism through his
79. Defendant acted with malice in an effort to gain an unfair advantage over the
Television Academies and coerce them to withdraw a lawful DMCA Takedown Notice.
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Statements because they injure the Television Academies’ reputation for objectivity, impartiality,
WHEREFORE, the Television Academies request that this Court enter judgment in its
favor on each and every claim for relief set forth above and award them relief including, but not
A. An Order declaring that Defendant’s use of the Infringing Image infringes and
dilutes the Television Academies’ rights in its EMMY Statuette Design and constitutes copyright
infringement, trademark dilution, trademark infringement, and unfair competition under federal
constitute libel per se and/or libel per quod (as appropriate) in violation of New York common
distributors, dealers, and all persons in active concert or participation with any of them:
1. From using or registering the Infringing Image and/or any other confusingly
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Registered Copyrights;
Defendant, are associated or connected in any way with the Television Academies
C(3) above.
advertisements, promotional materials, stationery, forms, videos, “tweets,” social media posts,
and/or any other materials and things that contain or bear the Infringing Image and/or any other
marks, logos, designs, source identifiers, designations and/or defamatory content that is likely to
cause confusion with the Television Academies’ EMMY Statuette Design and/or injures the
all materials used in the violation of the Television Academies’ Registered Copyrights and any
Statements and any other defamatory statements against Television Academies personnel and/or
their families, including but not limited to Adam Sharp and his father.
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G. An Order directing Defendant to, within thirty (30) days after the entry of the
injunction, file with this Court and serve on Television Academies’ attorneys a report in writing
and under oath setting forth in detail the manner and form in which Defendant has complied with
the injunction.
H. Any further relief as the Court may deem just and appropriate.
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