Larry the Cable Guy wants Diamondhead store to stop use of 'Giterdone'

DIAMONDHEAD - Larry the Cable Guy is suing a Diamondhead gas station that is using his well-known catch phrase, "Git-R-Done."

Daniel Lawrence Whitney, 52, the comedian and actor who performs under the stage name, Larry the Cable Guy, filed the lawsuit Nov. 18 in the Southern District of Mississippi federal court. On behalf of his company, GIT-R-DONE Productions, Whitney alleges the gas station, Giterdone, located just off Interstate 10 East at the Diamondhead exit, is infringing on his well-known trademark, "Git-R-Done."

"Defendant has purposefully misappropriated this well-known tagline and trademark of the famous comedian and actor, Daniel Lawrence Whitney, known by his stage name, Larry the Cable Guy," the suit says.

Whitney says the gas station is spelling the word "get" as "git" to purposefully imitate Larry the Cable Guy's Southern style pronunciation of his "famous phrase." The store is also putting its "Giterdone" name on signs and merchandise at the store.

"Mr. Whitney may be best known for his folksy, blue-collar catch phrase, Git-R-Done, which he frequently utters, always with a thick Southern drawl," the lawsuit states. "Git-R-Done is the subject of twenty-three United States federal trademark registrations owned by Mr. Whitney's company, GIT-R-DONE Productions, Inc., the plaintiff."

The lawsuit claims trademark infringement, dilution and unfair competition against Giterdone C Store LLC. In the lawsuit, the comedian claims, "defendant's use of the infringing mark is likely to cause consumer confusion, dilution and other irreparable injury to plaintiff's trademark rights. Defendant's use of the infringing mark infringes plaintiff's long-established trademark rights and dilutes the distinctiveness of plaintiff's famous mark."

Whitney wants the court to restrain the gas station from using any marks that imitate his catch phrase, order it to destroy any remaining merchandise and to account the gas station for any profits derived by the name.

It's unclear if the gas station has an attorney. An employee told a reporter to stay off the store's property when attempts were made to speak with someone there Tuesday.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Larry the Cable Guy wants Diamondhead store to stop use of 'Giterdone' ."