Epic legal letter for using the band's songs

The Doobie Brothers have fired a legal broadside at Bill Murray for using their music without permission – but in a memorably unique way.

The band’s lawyers shot a  ‘cease and desist’ letter to the comedy actor for using the track  Listen To The Music in ads for his line of golf shirts, Zero Hucks Given.

But it is hardly couched in the usual impenetrable legalese. In the letter attorney Peter T. Paterno says: ‘It seems like the only other person who uses our clients’ music without permission more than you do is Donald Trump.'

But in the best paragraph he writess:  ‘This is the part where I’m supposed to cite the United States Copyright Act, excoriate you for not complying with some subparagraph that I’m too lazy to Look Up and threaten you with eternal damnation for doing so.

‘But you already earned that with those Garfield movies. And you already know that you can’t use music in ads without paying for it.

‘We’d be almost OK with it if the shirts weren’t so damn ugly. But it is what it is.’

Ending with a reference to Bill Murray’s role in Zombieland, Paterno said: ‘So in the immortal words of John Paul Sartre, ‘au revoir, Golfer. Et payez!’

The letters posted on Twitter by Eriq Gardner of The Hollywood Reporter:

Bill Murray receives a legal demand from the Doobie Brothers. And it’s everything you’d want it to be... pic.twitter.com/R1L99yZSBj

— Eriq Gardner (@eriqgardner) September 24, 2020

Published: 25 Sep 2020