Seth MacFarlane Is Being Sued for Plagiarizing Ted Bottle Openers

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The brains and voice behind the Ted comedies, Seth MacFarlane, is facing a lawsuit that’s out of the ordinary. The Hollywood Reporter reports that an inventor named Michael Cram is suing MacFarlane, Universal Pictures, Media Rights Capital, and Target for selling knock-off versions of talking Ted bottle openers.

The piece of merchandise is paired with the special-edition Blu-ray/DVD of Ted. According to THR, Cram has ownership of both talking bottle openers and talking beer mugs, which apparently are both huge money-makers in the marketplace. He’s now claiming the bottle opener packaged with the special edition disc is identical to his product.

Cram has made licensing deals with organizations like NASCAR, the MLB, and, oddly enough, 20th Century Fox for Family Guy. Family Guy is, of course, MacFarlane’s fostered claim to fame as the creator behind the cartoon TV show.

This will be the second lawsuit that the Ted team faces; MacFarlane and companies were being sued last July for stealing the very concept of Ted, the talking fowl-mouthed teddy bear.

Overall, though this seems like an arbitrary lawsuit, Cram’s product seems to be legitimately copied. Side-by-side comparing images are on page eight of the complaint below. Right now, Universal nor Media Rights Capital have commented on the lawsuit.

Ted 2, starring Mark Wahlberg and MacFarlane, wrapped up filming in Boston a few months back. Its first TV spot was released during the Super Bowl, and celebs like Tom Brady, Morgan Freeman, and Liam Neeson are expected to make cameos. Ted 2 will hit theaters June 26.