The owner of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is taking My Chemical Romance to court over costumes. Pro Silver Star Ltd. says dancers at the band's Oct. 21 Hollywood Bowl show wore outfits copying the cheerleaders' famous blue-and-white uniform, then took up rifles in a staged firefight and were depicted being shot. The company is seeking a temporary restraining order, an injunction and damages, TheWrap reported, citing court documents.
The company says it asked the band to drop the costumes for the rest of its five-night residency and the band refused. My Chemical Romance has not publicly responded.
What happened at the Hollywood Bowl?
The show was the first of five sold-out nights celebrating 20 years of The Black Parade, staged as a dystopian rock opera set in a fictional dictatorship called Draag, complete with mock news bulletins and pyrotechnics. During "Teenagers," female dancers in cheerleader-style outfits performed choreography, then picked up rifles to defend the band from militarized forces, according to the filing as described by Consequence. The company says they were then shown being shot.
What does the lawsuit claim?
Pro Silver Star calls the uniform "protectable trade dress that no one may use without DCC's permission" and says the lookalike costumes threaten "ongoing and irreparable harm" to the brand's reputation, according to TheWrap and IBTimes.
| Claim or request | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff | Pro Silver Star Ltd., owner of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders brand |
| Defendants | My Chemical Romance: Gerard Way, Mikey Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero |
| Venue | A California court |
| Core claim | The costumes copy the protected DCC uniform and degrade the brand |
| Relief sought | Temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, unspecified damages |
| Status | No ruling reported as of Oct. 24 |
The company says audience members and online commentators "believed that the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders," and that posts saying so are still circulating. It says it has policed unauthorized uses of the uniform for more than 50 years.
Is the lawsuit about the guns?
No, the company says. It says it has no objection to the band's music, setlist, story, politics or decision to put armed performers on stage. "Silver Star asks only that those performers not wear the DCC Uniform while doing it," the filing says, noting that "the universe of alternative costume designs is effectively unlimited."
The company also describes itself as "not litigious," according to TheWrap.
What happens next?
A judge will have to decide whether to grant the restraining order before the remaining Hollywood Bowl dates. If granted, MCR would have to change the costumes for the rest of the run. The band has not commented publicly, and the allegations have not been tested in court.
This story is based on court filings as reported by TheWrap, Consequence, IBTimes and TMZ. It will be updated if a judge rules or the band responds.
