Learnmore Jonasi was mid-set when a stranger handed him a yellow piece of paper. The Zimbabwean comedian looked down, looked up, and told the crowd exactly what had just happened: he was being sued. For a joke. About The Lion King.
The joke in question aired on the One54 podcast back in February. Jonasi insisted the hosts were mispronouncing the opening chant of "Circle of Life" (Nants' ingonyama bagithi Baba) and helpfully clarified that it translated to: "Look, there's a lion. Oh my god!" The crowd loved it. Millions of people online loved it. Grammy-winning composer Lebohang Morake did not.
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Morake, who wrote the chant, says the lyrics are steeped in South African tradition and invoke kingship, not a surprised tourist spotting wildlife. Disney's own translation backs him up: "All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king." His lawyers argue that Jonasi presented the mistranslation as fact rather than comedy, which, if true, strips it of First Amendment protection.
The two men had apparently tried to resolve things privately. Jonasi says he told Morake he was a genuine fan and offered to collaborate on an educational video. Then, he says, Morake called him a "self-hating n***o", and the goodwill evaporated. Morake has since apologised for his word choice while standing firmly by his grievance. Jonasi, for his part, vowed to keep telling the joke.
Now he's fighting a $27 million lawsuit with a GoFundMe, some merchandise, and adds: "I'm looking for a very good lawyer."
Do you think he deserves the lawsuit?
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