That "The Situation" Guy Has His Trademark Application Rejected

While not as humiliating as being vanquished by an underwater cat, the “Jersey Shore” character Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino has also had his bid to trademark his nickname rejected by government officials.

Sorrentino earlier this year filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeking to trademark the handle he has given his abdominal muscles (Sorrentino, 29, wants to market “The Situation” t-shirts and underwear).

However, records show that a USPTO examining attorney has rejected Sorrentino’s application because of its similarity to a “Situation” trademark issued last year to a Memphis retailer selling men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel and shoes. Government lawyer Simon Teng cited a “likelihood of confusion” if a “The Situation” trademark was registered.

Teng swatted away as “unpersuasive” arguments from Sorrentino’s lawyer, who contended that confusion between the Tennessee firm and Sorrentino’s clothing operation “is extremely unlikely to happen.” Teng also was not swayed by Team Sorrentino’s claim that, “The presence of the article ‘The’ is a key component of the mark, as it refers specifically to Mr. Sorrentino, and is reflective of how the term is used when applied to Mr. Sorrentino.”

The Sorrentino appeal included an amusing section briefly describing his “well-known persona and fame,” just in case USPTO officials do not spend their evenings watching MTV.