Harry Deansway, a comedian who sued Steve Coogan’s production company, Baby Cow, over allegations of intellectual property theft, has been handed a crushing £61,000 court bill after losing the case in the High Court.

The comedian claimed that Baby Cow had copied the format of his YouTube series, “Shambles,” for its 2022 show “Live at the Moth Club.”

The Lawsuit Over Alleged Copying of Show Format

Deansway, whose real name is Joshua Rinkoff, accused Baby Cow of taking his unique concept—blending stand-up comedy with a sitcom set in a real-life comedy club—and repurposing it for their own show.

He argued that both shows shared many similarities, including their setting, blending of live acts and sitcom elements, and the use of a fly-on-the-wall documentary style.

The claim also mentioned similar running jokes, such as the club owner attempting to fix the dilapidated venue.

Deansway’s legal team pointed out 170 similarities between the two shows, suggesting that such coincidences couldn’t be accidental.

However, Baby Cow’s defense argued that their show wasn’t a copy and that Deansway’s “Shambles” was not original, claiming it was inspired by classic comedy formats like “Seinfeld” and “The Muppet Show.”

Court Rules in Baby Cow’s Favor and Orders £61,000 Bill

The court ruled against Deansway, with Recorder Amanda Michaels finding that the format of “Shambles” wasn’t protected by copyright.

Even if it had been, she stated that there was no infringement by Baby Cow’s show.

She pointed out that many of the similarities between the shows, like the characters and comedic devices, were common in sitcoms and not necessarily signs of copying.

The judge further explained that the stock characters and themes of incompetence in both shows were typical in comedy, and therefore, the claim failed.

In addition, Deansway was ordered to pay Baby Cow’s legal costs, totaling £61,000, despite Baby Cow’s expenses exceeding £100,000.

The Impact on Deansway’s Comedy Career

During the court proceedings, Deansway expressed the emotional toll the lawsuit had taken on his career.

He claimed that after taking legal action against such a major production company, he had been “ostracised” from the comedy industry.

Deansway mentioned that he was no longer invited to comedian parties and was generally excluded from the comedy scene, which he said was a direct consequence of standing up to a large company like Baby Cow.

Conclusion: A Costly Defeat for Deansway

While Deansway’s legal battle ended in defeat, it also highlighted the complex nature of intellectual property law in the entertainment industry.

Despite his loss, the comedian’s claims and the court’s ruling shed light on how difficult it can be to protect creative ideas in a world where many comedic formats draw on similar themes and tropes.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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