Comedian Learnmore Jonasi has started a fundraiser to help cover his legal bills after being sued for $27 million over a joke about The Lion King.
Jonasi, whose real name is Learnmore Mwanyenyeka, made the joke during a February episode of One54, referencing the ‘Circle of Life’ song and its iconic opening.
In the now-viral clip, he suggested that the opening phrase ‘Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba’ was Zulu, and translates as: “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god!”
Disney, however, say that its true meaning should be: “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”
Lebohang Morake, the composer of the chant, believes that the video has damaged his reputation and is ‘disrespecting his work’.
His lawyers said in the complaint that ‘ingonyama’ can literally translate to ‘lion’, but is used in the song as a ‘royal metaphor’ that invokes kingship, and that Jonasi intentionally misrepresented ‘an African vocal proclamation grounded in South African tradition’.
Lebohang Morake, the composer of the Lion King ‘Circle of Life’ song (right), alleges that Learnmore Jonasi (left) has damaged his reputation (Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images for ABA/Arturo Holmes/WireImage)
The complaint further accuses Jonasi of presenting his translation ‘as authoritative fact, not comedy’ so it shouldn’t get the First Amendment protections afforded to comedians.
“Jonasi’s reduction to ‘Look there’s a lion. Oh my god’ is not a simplified translation – it is a fabricated, trivialising disortion meant as a sick joke for unlawful self-profit and destruction of the imaginative and artisitic work of Lebo M.” it claims.
Morake also said that Jonasi is ‘insulting my work that has been inspirational to people around the world for over 50 years’, adding: “Then insulting my culture.”
Learnmore Jonasi launches GoFundMe to ‘fight unjust lawsuit’
The stand-up has set up a $20,000 GoFundMe and admitted that he is ‘reaching out during one of the most difficult moments in my life’.
“I was recently hit with a $27 million lawsuit by renowned artist Lebohang Morake (Lebo M) over a joke I made about The Lion King’s opening Zulu chant,” he wrote, as almost $11,000 has already been raised at the time of writing.
“What started as a bit of humour has escalated into a devastating legal battle.
“I am a passionate creator who never intended harm, but I now face overwhelming legal fees just to defend my right to speak and tell jokes.”
‘Circle of Life’ was written by Elton John and Tim Rice (Disney)
Jonasi revealed that ‘the total cost for my defence is beyond my means’, and that he ‘needs your help’.
“Every donation, big or small, will directly go toward my legal representation, so I can fight this unjust claim and protect my livelihood. Please help me raise the funds needed so I can keep telling my story,” he explained.
“If you can, please donate and share this campaign widely. Your support means the world to me.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Learnmore Jonasi was served on stage
The comedian was served his lawsuit while he was performing, a moment which he shared on his Instagram page. He wrote in the caption: “Yep, I am officially getting sued for telling that Lion King joke.”
Warning: video contains strong language
While on stage, Jonasi asks ‘What is this?’ as he’s handed a yellow piece of paper.
He tells the crowd: “Oh s**t, I just got served. Oh s**t. Oh my God. This is for… I did a joke about The Lion King. I’m paying for that s**t now. F**k The Lion King.
“Listen, I now have anxiety, a gluten allergy, I’ve got served – I’m now American! Any lawyer?”
‘Personally I had no idea [the lyrics] had a deeper meaning’
In another video on 14 March, Jonasi revealed that he and Morake had spoken privately when the composer approached the comedian and accused him of ‘disrespecting his work’.
In response, Jonasi said he was actually a ‘big fan of yours’ and he ‘loved the song’, adding that his comments were just a ‘joke’. He said he then offered to collaborate with Morake on a video to ‘educate people’.
“Personally, I had no idea [the lyrics] had a deeper meaning,” he continued.
Jonasi is now selling merch to pay for his legal fees (Instagram/@learnmore_jonasi)
However, ‘everything changed’ when Morake called him a ‘self-hating n***o’, which he has since apologised for in his own video, saying: “If I offended anyone by using the word I used describing this young man, I apologise.”
The musician then offered his perspective on their conversation, claiming that it went south when Jonasi refused to stop telling the joke.
He also said it was unclear whether his comment on One54 was a joke and that Jonasi was ‘making a mockery of his work’.
As well as starting a GoFundMe to fight the lawsuit, Jonasi has also started selling T-shirts to help pay for his legal fees, writing: “Get your T-shirt now. You can really help me pay these legal fees.”
LADbible has contacted Disney and Jonasi’s representatives for comment.