ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
FINANCIAL ENTREPRENEUR MARK Bouris has been asked to change the name of his successful wealth management company by British entertainer Elton John, who claims the Australian has “infringed on a trademark made famous” by his 1973 seminal album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Lawyers for the 68-year-old filed a civil case in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom this morning, with a similar case to be put before an Australian court later this week.
This is despite the notion of a yellow brick road first appearing in L. Frank Baum’s, The Wonderful Wizard of OZ, John is adamant that Bouris is liable for using the term.
Widely regarded as being a rather vague, but powerful economic metaphor, the idea of a yellow brick road wasn’t popular in pop culture until it was immortalised in song, says John.
“I wanted to go after him when he first started it, but my legal team said to hold off until the lemon was worth the squeeze,” said John. “Now that he’s got enough money to buy a house in Sydney, they thought it was time to get our money.”
Hitting back at the beleaguered pianoman, Bouris said he started Yellow Brick Road to give quality financial advice and wealth management to every Australian – and nobody else.
He spoke briefly to the media this morning, stating he plans to answer his case in the coming months, if he can be at all fucked.
“The absolute worst case scenario here is that I might have to go to London to make this thing go away,” said the Australian Trump. “I’d rather pull on a Rabbitohs jersey and do another season of Celebrity Apprentice.”
Legal experts from Australia and the UK have been left scratching their heads over the civil case, which one acid-tongued lawyer described as “a case of less sense than pence”.
“It seems Mr John could use some of the services offered by the respondent, as I can only fathom that he’s doing this for the mere entertainment of it, rather than for any financial gain,” said Gregory Bouykyser QC. “Should a judge be suitably convinced that there is a case for Mr Bouris to answer to, his 7-year-old Labrador would make a fine barrister.”
