Gizelle Bryant is not just keeping Eminem off her playlists; her entire household is on a Slim Shady shutdown.
Reality TV personality Gizelle Bryant from “The Real Housewives Of Potomac” disclosed that her children have taken to turning off the radio whenever they hear songs by the rapper Eminem. This practice is a direct outcome of the ongoing legal feud between Bryant, her podcast co-host Robyn Dixon, and Eminem regarding the name of their podcast.
The legal conflict originated in 2023 when Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon sought to trademark the name “Reasonably Shady” for their podcast. Eminem contested this move, arguing that it bore too much resemblance to his established “Slim Shady” brand.
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Gizelle Bryant Says Eminem Is Off-Limits In Her Home
Gizelle Bryant, who is a mother to daughters Grace, aged 20, and twins Angel and Adore, both 19, shared that her children are extremely vigilant when it comes to Eminem’s music. They have developed a habit of promptly switching off any song that features Eminem. Bryant recounted an incident where her kids recognized Eminem’s voice on the radio and insisted on changing the station. “My kids are on top of it. They know. No, no Eminem for us,” she explained.
The music snub comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between Bryant and Dixon and the rap icon. Bryant told PEOPLE that the process has dragged on longer than expected.
“The Eminem lawsuit is still going. We’re at the tail end, but you have to understand,it’s like a Patent and Trade issue, and they have their own timeline for when it’s over. So we’re on their timeline,” she explained.
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Speaking of the drama, she added, “I find it to be foolishness. I want it to be over, for sure.” Interestingly, while Eminem’s music is off the table, Bryant says her family still listens to Dr. Dre despite his close ties to the rapper.
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The ‘Real Housewives Of Potomac’ Star Says ‘Reasonably Shady’ Is Still Thriving
Bryant is not letting a trademark fight with Eminem slow down her podcast success. The mother-of-three says her podcast with Dixon, is still going strong even as the legal battle over its name continues.
“Reasonably Shady, it’s still up and running. And we’re like 10 million downloads strong in our fifth season,” Bryant shared.
The rapper, whose full name is Marshall Mathers III, objected to the “Reasonably Shady” trademark, citing potential confusion with his well-known Slim Shady persona. The nickname has been tied to Eminem since his 1999 album “The Slim Shady LP.”
Mathers has pushed back legally, requesting a protective order and arguing that testifying would be a burden given his “limited knowledge of the subjects at issue.”
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The Reality TV Ladies Pushed To Depose The Singer After Initial Denial
Bryant and Dixon were not ready to back down after their first attempt to question Eminem in court was denied. The podcast hosts pushed forward in their legal battle by filing a new request to depose the songwriter.
As reported by The Blast, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled in September 2024 that Bryant and Dixon could only depose Eminem’s manager, not the artist himself.
In October, Bryant and Dixon responded with a request for reconsideration. They argued, “Mr. Mathers’ deposition is critical in determining ownership, validity of rights, state of mind that pertains to fame, along with actual confusion issues, and current use.”
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They also claimed that being restricted to a third-party witness while facing a Motion for Summary Judgement would prevent them from mounting a proper defense.
The Rapper Argued The Podcast Name Would Confuse The Public
Eminem and his legal team pushed back hard against Bryant and Dixon’s attempt to trademark their podcast name, claiming it could mislead the public and damage a brand he spent years building.
The 52-year-old, through his attorneys, filed a formal opposition to the trademark application, arguing that he had spent decades establishing ownership of the “Shady” name.
He holds trademarks for Slim Shady, Shady, and Shady Limited, which have all been part of his identity since his rise to fame in the late ’90s. Eminem’s team said allowing the “Reasonably Shady” trademark could make people think he was involved with the podcast or any related products.
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His attorney argued that the podcast name was too similar in “appearance, sound, and commercial impression,” and would likely “cause confusion and mistake and to deceive.”
Eminem Dodged Deposition, Citing Limited Involvement
The father-of-three managed to avoid being deposed in the trademark dispute, arguing that his direct involvement in the matter was minimal and that appearing in court would place an unnecessary burden on him.
Eminem told the court that his personal testimony would not add value to the case, since he was not closely involved in the day-to-day handling of the Shady brand.
The artist identified three individuals he felt were better suited to testify. His legal team named his longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, Universal Music Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Eric Hahn, and licensing executive, Stuart Parr, as having more relevant insight.
Gizelle Bryant’s stance against Eminem’s music shows she is not backing down in her fight to keep things “Reasonably Shady.”
