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Ragin' Cajuns TV show axed

by Leslie Turk

Cancellation of reality show renders potential trademark violation matter moot.

Talktvworld.com reported Monday that Discovery's Ragin' Cajuns is among four new TV shows dropped by their respective networks. Discovery's new reality series debuted in mid-January, following the livelihood of South Louisiana shrimpers.

The website reported that just 671,000 viewers tuned into Ragin' Cajuns' most recent airing, the fourth of seven planned episodes. The show got UL Lafayette's attention, as Ragin' Cajuns is a federally registered trademark and service mark, just like Xerox. Because the nickname is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, UL has certain ownership and protection rights to the moniker, and its communications and marketing department had been looking into a possible infringement.

UL has continuously used the Ragin' Cajuns moniker since first adopting it in the 1960s; however, the nickname was used as early as 1950 by a U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadron.

"Because the Discovery Channel did not produce 'Ragin' Cajuns' retail items and announced that they are canceling the show, we are not pursuing trademark violations at this time," says UL Director of Communications and Marketing Aaron Martin.

TLC has likewise pulled Sorority Girls from its Tuesday lineup, after one airing, and Animal Planet canceled its Thursday duo of Snake Man of Appalachia and American Stuffers, Talktvworld.com reports.

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