Katy Perry's Dancing Sharks Take Bite Out Of Artist's Idea
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The dancing sharks on stage during Katy Perry's halftime performance became an internet sensation almost instantly. An Orlando-based artist rode their wave of fame, creating shark figurines to sell on the Internet.
But the 3-inch "Left Shark" figurines had to be pulled after cease-and-desist letter was sent from Perry's Los Angeles-based attorneys, demanding the shark's removal.
Fernando Sosa, 31, made the sharks with a 3D printer.
The figurines hit Shapeways.com marketplace on Tuesday and by Wednesday afternoon, Sosa had sold 10-15 sharks at $24.99 each.
After receiving the letter, however, the company cancelled the orders and refunded customers.
The letter from attorney Steve Plinio said Katy Perry is the "owner of the intellectual property depicted or embodied in connection with the shark images and costumes" portrayed during the halftime show. The letter said the failure to comply with the demands outlined in the letter "will be viewed by the courts as willful infringement."
Sosa said he didn't think a halftime show prop would be copyrighted. He says his product didn't mention Katy Perry or claim that it was associated with her.
He typically does politically-oriented pieces, including a design depicting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie holding a stop sign and wearing construction gear during the investigation into traffic jams caused by the closure of lanes of the George Washington Bridge in 2013. He's also done 3D figurines of world leaders.
He said he has never heard from lawyers.
"It's one of the more mainstream designs I've done and it came down in about 24 hours," he said.
Sosa said he plans to talk to a couple of lawyers on Friday and hopes he can begin selling the figurines again.
Perry's lawyer didn't immediately respond to phone and email messages left Friday morning.
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