A filing in Dallas County court
Pro Silver Star, the parent company behind the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders brand, went to district court in Dallas County, Texas, on Friday. It requested a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction aimed at keeping My Chemical Romance from wearing the contested costumes during performances. The motion followed a Wednesday concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.[S1]
According to the court filing, dancers who appeared with the alternative rock band that night wore outfits that looked almost the same as the cheer squad's well-known white and blue uniforms. The filing also describes the dancers carrying what looked like rifles and taking part in a staged exchange of gunfire, in which they were shown being shot.[S1]
Why the brand says it went to court
Pro Silver Star argued in the filing that audience members and people commenting online reasonably concluded the performers were the actual Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and the company said such social media posts are still circulating. The company described itself as not litigious and said it has no objection to the band's music, its artistic goals, or whatever message the defendants want to deliver.[S1]
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What the company said it wants is narrower: that the performers not wear the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders uniform while doing it. The filing adds that the number of possible alternative costume designs is practically limitless. Representatives for the band and for Pro Silver Star did not immediately answer requests for comment.[S1]
A tour marking two decades of The Black Parade
My Chemical Romance, known for 2000s songs such as Teenagers and Welcome to the Black Parade, is touring to mark 20 years since releasing its third studio album, The Black Parade. The group is set to return to the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night and to perform two additional shows during Halloween weekend.[S1]
Outlets across music and entertainment coverage reported the same dispute, with headlines describing legal action by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders against the band over the stage costumes and the staged shootout.[S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
