Turns out it's some DJ's fault

November 13, 2016 3:18 PM

YouTube Muppet researcher Joshua Gillespie recently shared some findings from a dive into Disney’s Muppet-related domain names, after coming across one little gem.

Disney owns the domain name muppetfucker.net, but it's not because they're trying to protect their intellectual property against weirdos. It turns out that some guy DJd under the name Muppetfucker in the 1990s, until the Jim Henson Company sent him a cease-and-desist letter demanding that he hand over his various Muppetfucker domain names. Disney acquired it when they bought the Jim Henson Company in 2004.

posted by Etrigan (11 comments total)

I always wondered whether there was a good sideline business to be had buying domain names that are offensive to brandholders and then selling them off. Very probably it isn't, but consider the possibilities.

"Hello, is this Coca-Cola?"
"Yes?"
"I've got another one for ya."
"What... wait. Is it you again?"
"You bet! Dig this one! deliciouscocacoladouche.com"
"God fucking d..." [sigh] "Okay. Tell me about it."
"Current bidder is a club promoter in Miami who's starting a crust punk themed event."
"Right. Fine. Whatever. Legal will have papers fedexed by tomorrow. But for fuck's sake cut it out, okay?"
posted by ardgedee at 4:41 PM on November 13, 2016 [15 favorites]

WIPO will side with the Trademark/Industry folks every time (nearly) so it's difficult to win a legal fight with them if they decide to take it there. The only one I know where the holder held off was imagineers.com and that was years ago.
posted by NiteMayr at 5:12 PM on November 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Well sure. But let me have my dreams.
posted by ardgedee at 6:46 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

A friend of mine owned segasonic.net which ended about as well as you can expect. Actually I believe he got a moderate sum in exchange for the domain, which is more than you can expect anymore.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:18 PM on November 13, 2016

I remember when this went down. Muppetfucker was a pretty good happy hardcore DJ.
posted by Uncle Ira at 7:57 PM on November 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

"You're a Muppet researcher for what?"

"What's a domain squatter, and how the hell could you make millions out of being a muppetfucker?"

"I see. Well, tell me this, Future Boy; who's President of the United States in 2017?"
posted by GeckoDundee at 1:18 AM on November 14, 2016 [4 favorites]

(A clarification: Disney bought the Muppets from the Jim Henson Company in 2004, but the company itself is still family-owned.)
posted by nobody at 2:22 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

Not lucrative for me at least. Had some derogatory domain registrations for a well-known entity back in the oughties. No one wanted them.
posted by lhauser at 5:53 AM on November 14, 2016

The only one I know where the holder held off was imagineers.com and that was years ago.

Nissan.com is still kicking around.
posted by jedicus at 7:25 AM on November 14, 2016

Muppetfuckers.net is currently aliased to meetthefeebles.org
posted by benzenedream at 7:48 AM on November 15, 2016

It's good. It's no HornyManatee.com but it's good.
posted by ostranenie at 3:16 AM on November 19, 2016