Oh my my! Ringo Starr has dropped a trademark-infringement lawsuit he launched against a company that makes a sex toy called a Ringo O.
BBC News reports that the former Beatles drummer had sued the company, claiming the rubber item's name was too similar to his own and could potentially make customers think he had some association with the product, which is a rubber ring that fits around a man's penis and purports to help him last longer while having sex.
The lawsuit argued that the 80-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's "name, likeness, and brand" could be tarnished if the "Ring O" moniker received a trademark in the U.S. The suit also points out that the famed musician's name already is trademarked.
Documents procured by the BBC that Starr's lawyers filed in 2019 read, "Consumers will likely believe that Opposer's [Starr's] newest venture is sex toys — and this is an association that Opposer does not want."
However, Starr has now dropped the suit after reaching an agreement with the company that manufactures the Ring O, Pacific Holdings and Momentum Management. According to documents obtained by the BBC, as part of the settlement, the companies have agreed to "avoid any activity likely to lead to confusion" between the product and the Beatles legend.
The agreement also stipulates that a space must appear between the "Ring" and the "O" in the product's name, and that the moniker can only be used for adult sex aids and desensitizing sprays.
Interestingly, the BBC notes that a number of other products with the name Ringo have been trademarked in the U.K., including mop wringers, cookies, and a contraceptive vaginal ring.
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