My Chemical Romance and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have officially called a truce. The band’s Hollywood Bowl residency for The Black Parade’s 20th anniversary featured backup dancers in blue-and-white uniforms that Pro Silver Star, the cheerleaders’parent company, said looked too close to the real thing. They sued last week in Texas state court and pushed for a restraining order before the final two shows this weekend. By Tuesday, TMZ reported the two sides had reached an agreement.
Here’s the deal they landed on: the band keeps the cheerleader routine, but the costumes change. The cheerleaders’side made a point of saying they don’t have a problem with the music or the artistic vision, they just didn’t want their uniform caught up in it. Legal experts had told Billboard the First Amendment likely protected the band’s use of the costumes, so settling instead of fighting could end up being the fastest path back to the stage.
The whole thing is a fun little crash course in trademark law versus artistic expression, and it raises a bigger question about how much parody live shows can get away with. Either way, the residency wraps up this weekend and the show goes on, just with some new wardrobe choices.
What’s your take: should the band have fought this in court, or was settling the smart move?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.