The Biggest 'The Big Bang Theory' Lawsuits No One Talks About

June 2024 · 6 minute read

Quick Links

The Big Bang Theory can have concluded in 2019 after 12 a hit seasons, but it’s nonetheless widely talked about as one of the highest sitcoms of all time, up there with the likes of Friends and Seinfeld as an adjacent display about a gaggle of friends. Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, and Penny were the focal point of the pal workforce and have been equal parts hilarious and educational. Because of TBBT’s luck, it’s been said that it price manufacturing $9 million per episode in the ultimate season to continue the good friend team’s story. Stars like Kaley Cuoco (Penny) had made a fortune from TBBT, but as is the case with many best shows, lawsuits quickly followed the display’s craze.

TBBT used to be this sort of robust force to behold that many of the lawsuits in opposition to the show had been buried in the newsroom. Creating a destructive spin on the sequence, its content material, or its stars was once seemingly unattainable as a result of TBBT’s robust fan base.

RELATED: The Highest-Grossing Jim Parsons Movies, Ranked

Sheldon’s “Soft Kitty” Caused Some Controversy

Sheldon Cooper had his justifiable share of unique qualities that made him stand out in the pal group. One of the ones qualities was once the talent to make the ones around him feel sorry for him, even supposing he didn’t all the time treat them somewhat. This used to be especially the case when he used to be in poor health. Being away from house, Sheldon—who used to be a stereotypical “mama’s boy”—overlooked his mom when he was feeling beneath the weather. One of the things he overlooked most was when she sang “Soft Kitty.” The first time fans heard the lullaby was when Cooper demanded Penny sing it for him ahead of he went to mattress since his mom wasn’t there.

“Soft kitty, heat kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, pur, pur, pur.”

Sheldon Cooper had some of the funniest lines, and the quick tune gained audiences over and it soon changed into part of Sheldon’s character. What some fanatics don’t know, on the other hand, is that the track was once allegedly used with out the writer’s permission, consistent with BBC. The daughters of the music’s writer, Ellen Newlin Chase and Margaret Chase Perry, filed a swimsuit in opposition to CBS in 2015 for copyright violation. Because of ways in style the tune turned into, the family used to be stricken the network used it without permission.

The lawsuit, alternatively, was once sooner or later dismissed by way of a pass judgement on because, as it grew to become out, production did get permission to use the lyrics from the father or mother company that produces “Soft Kitty” in one of its kids’s books. The problem was that Newlin Chase and Chase Perry had been left in the dark over the deal. Because the community did seek permission from the get started, the case was once dropped.

It’s rare to have a theme track that’s as well-liked (if now not extra) as the show itself, however TBBT proves itself a success in all aspects. Written by The Barenaked Ladies, TBBT’s theme song made millions because it used to be tailored to the “Big Bang’s” thought and talked about the world’s introduction in a fun, ingenious approach.

RELATED: The Truth Behind Big Bang Theory's Controversial Use Of "Soft Kitty"

In an interview with Metro, the band’s frontman Ed Robertson used to be approached by means of TBBT’s creators to jot down the theme. Robertson, however, wasn’t positive the job was once right for him and the band as a result of past TV work that didn’t end neatly. Once Robertson discovered that Chuck Lorre used to be behind the collection, he knew TBBT could be a hit and wound up writing the song with the lend a hand of his band.

According to ScreenRant, In 2015 (8 years after the song’s advent), former band member Steven Page filed a lawsuit in opposition to Robertson. Because of the millions of dollars the Barenaked Ladies’ theme generated due to the syndication factor of one of the most successful sitcoms of all time, Page sought cash he claimed he was once promised. The site printed that Page agreed to 20% of the song’s earnings however never wound up seeing the ones earnings. The outcome of the lawsuit has never been released, however it's hinted that the case was settled when Page joined the band for a concert in 2018.

There Was An Age Discrimination Suit Brought Against Warner Bros.

In August 2016, former assistant director Christopher Klausen filed a discrimination lawsuit in opposition to Warner Bros. Television after feeling driven out through executives after operating on The Big Bang Theory for seven years. The Hollywood Reporter shared that Klausen believes he was allegedly fired after turning 50 and used to be shunned through the cast and workforce.

According to The Wrap, Klausen's tasks had been reassigned to different assistant directors who had been in their '20s and '30s. After Season 8, he gained a call that his contract was once terminated in keeping with performance. As one of Warner Bros. highest-grossing shows, Klausen believed he was once wrongfully terminated and filed a 25-page swimsuit. Shortly after the filing, the lawsuit used to be settled however neither Warner Bros. nor Klausen commented on the subject.

RELATED: Kanye West Fired An Employee For Wanting To Play Drake’s Music

Copy Cat

After freeing in 1007, TBBT was once easily one of the most popular sitcoms on TV. The mixture of a "geeky" clinical friend team and the stunning neighbor across the corridor labored with audience. In fact, it worked so neatly that another manufacturing company in Belarus essentially copied the collection.

The Things shared that TBBT creators had been made conscious about an overly identical display airing in Belarus called The Theorists. In a card that appeared at the end of an episode, Lorre wrote, "Belarus does have a bustling TV production industry. One of their most recent hits is a sitcom about four nerdy scientists who live next door to a beautiful blonde waitress. The characters are named Sheldon, Leo, Hovard, Raj, and Natasha, and the show is entitled, The Theorists." This was Lorre's means of getting again at the copycats for stealing his paintings and rebranding it in spite of how huge TBBT used to be (and how notable TBBT's cast's net worths were.)

In the end, a lawsuit by no means got here to be as a result of Starte Facts shared that when the Belarus actors found out that they had been working on a stolen show, they hand over in unison. The Theorists used to be later canceled and TBBT lived on.

READ NEXT: The Simon Helberg Way: How Howard Wolowitz From 'Big Bang Theory' Earned Made His $45 Million Fortune

Sources: Variety, Economic Times, TMZ

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmq6GTnXqxu9aeqZ%2BtnGTBqbGMm6Cgn5WowW7Ax55km6GXYq%2BiusZmq6Gdn6fGbrjAsKquoaSoeq%2B7jKilnmWklrmsv4yamaitpGQ%3D