Skip to main content

MTV Star Sues Entourage, HBO Over 'Johnny Bananas'

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on October 05, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

MTV reality-less star John Devenanzio has launched an official attack on season seven of HBO's hit show Entourage.

Devenanzio filed a lawsuit this week accusing the show's producers of improperly using his nickname, Johnny Bananas. The final season of Entourage features a fake cartoon named Johnny's Bananas.

The similarities have apparently caused him "tremendous emotional distress" and "great mental anguish and pain."

Have you not heard of the other Johnny Bananas? You're not alone.

Devenanzio is not exactly a household name, as the Hollywood Reporter explained that producers had never heard about him or his nickname.

John Devenanzio also claims that the faux cartoon infringes on his publicity and privacy rights. Only he should be able to use the name Johnny Bananas.

Because he has no trademark, he will need to show that Entourage producers had him in mind when they created the cartoon. Or that a reasonable viewer will believe the cartoon to be based on his show biz persona.

As of this moment, this seems like a nearly impossible feat.

During season seven, Johnny Drama, played by Kevin Dillon, voiced a cartoon show about a tough-talking gorilla. That show is called Johnny's Bananas. Do you get the joke? Johnny? Gorillas enjoying bananas? The gorilla's personality mirroring that of Drama?

The picture of the cartoon gorilla also looks suspiciously like Dillon.

His claim to fame is a stint on The Real World: Key West followed by a jaunt on MTV's Challenge. Apparently these shows still exist. Even though people only seem to care about the Jersey Shore.

The truth is that Johnny Bananas is no Puck. He has little name recognition, and will be hard-pressed to prove that Entourage producers were mocking him.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard