Most swim fans already associate the exclamation “Jeah!” with swimming superstar Ryan Lochte. Now, he’s seeking to make it legal. Records at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s website show that on August 1st, he filed paperwork to patent the expression (which he says means “good,” he guesses) to protect his right to produce apparel like his $15 sunglasses that bear the phrase.
Lochte says that the expression has evolved from rapper Young Jeezy, who says “Chea”. Lochte just dropped the “ch” and replaced it with a “j”.
The record shows that Lochte is trying to grab the trademark for a number of industries, including all sorts of apparel. There is already another claim to the word, but that is specifically in the industry of internet hosting.
The full record from the U.S. Patent Office can be seen here.
When did Lochte switch agents? I was watching an old Mel Stewart vlog from Beijing where he interviewed Peter Carlisle (Michael Phelps’ agent), who at the time was naming off a string of clients INCLUDING Lochte!!! What happened? This was in 2008! When did Ryan drop Peter for Erika Wright? She doesn’t have the same vision for Ryan as Peter had. Peter and MIchael knew they wanted start a partnership that included sponsors who reflected Michael’s image. When Ryan was still with Octagon/Peter, I remember really liking him. His image wasn’t this flamboyant, flashy, boastful swimmer. He and Phelps also had great chemistry (look at past youtube videos of races in the relays or even against each other, where they… Read more »
I hope this does not offend anyone but I have been a fan of Lochte’s since before Beijing. I think since he got with his new manager and pr..that he has went down hill. First of with the hair cut.. sorry guys but that hair trademarked him. He looks good now..but not all guys can pull of those locks and he did.
Then there is the cheap merchandise, and now all this bs just to cash in. Ryan may not be a douche. But in the eye of the public, the media, and his pr team are making him seem that way. And not to mention his mother, my mother knows the term “one night stand” as being.. sleeping… Read more »
Lochte’s stock crashed during the Olympics.
Worst. Week. Ever.
Shall we name the ways?
I’ll do my top ten:
1) wanted to wear his grill on the podium after the 400 IM, but wasn’t allowed
2) lost the gold for the U.S. in the 4×100 free relay
3) favorite to medal in 200 free but didn’t make the podium
4) mother told the media he likes one night stands
5) admitted to the media that he pees in the pool
6) Lochte’s house in Florida was foreclosed
7) favored in 200 back and got bronze, and favored in 200 IM, his last showdown with Phelps, and got silver
8) announced his… Read more »
Anagrams for Ryan Lochte:
Yacht Loner
Clay Throne
Lacy Hornet
Earthly Con
Relay Notch
It looks like his PR team is doing a very good job. Look at all the commercial endorsements he’s getting and how many TV talk show couches he’s sitting on. It beats the heck out of working at some mind numbing job at some company where most folks hate what they do.
You don’t reach his level of athleticism if you are an airhead. It takes years of hard work. Ryan does not bother me at all and if you think your kids need a positive role model, that’s your job, not his. He’s show biz, get used to it.
Ryan Lochte can do whatever he wants with his life, it’s his call. Yet, it’s sad to see an Olympic champion being ridiculed and laughed at. It could have been so much better. His agent has chosen that path for him, an “easy money” path, where you gain some (money), but you lose much, much more. You lose your Olympic champion mystique, you lose credibility and dignity. When he retires, he’ll only have his name and image to work with. On the other hand, his agent will milk RL and when Lochte’s 15 min of fame are over, she’ll turn to someone else. Lochte sometimes wears a T-shirt that says “listen to Ryan Lochte”. Well maybe he should do just… Read more »
I don’t laugh at or ridicule Ryan, he’s a great athlete and he’s marketing himself. It’s a new world compared to the old days and he will end up being a celebrity.
He will most likely end up doing very well financially having fun. I’d do it if I could.
Wow, no. It’s not her job to find positive role models for her kids. Ryan is a swim star and kids look up to him. It’s Ryan’s job to realize about this and capitalize on all this. Ryan being Ryan is what swimming fans like. Ryan being what his PR team is making him to be, it is not. He’s an olympic champion trying to become a Kardashian. Figure it out.
The sponsors would have eventually come to him because it was olympic year, he’s a good looking man and has no complaints about being shirtless. And no, he is not showbiz. I work in the entertainment industry and I can tell you, this guy is making a fool of… Read more »
He should get as far away fro his crazy agent as possible. She’s turning him into a joke. I don’t think he realizes that cashing in for some quick money now means that sponsors will view him as tainted in the future and there goes his life time earning power that goes with being a 5x Olympic Gold Medalist.
This makes intuitive sense to me so it is good to hear it confirmed by someone in entertainment. I thought the grill/Jeah/green sneakers was funny and tongue-in-cheek but I assumed he would drop that eventually it kick it up a few notches, I didn’t think he was going to stick with all that try to market all it!! Maybe he needs quick $ because of his parents’ legal and financial troubles, but even if he doesn’t have any shame himself, it’s going to end up being an embarrassment for U.S. Swimming, even if it indirectly sends some publicity and $ their way in the short run.
I seem to remember that Mark Spitz had bad leadership after the 1972 Olympics. Everyone wanted a piece of him and he was not prepared. Sadly he had a short run because of bad advice.(Not saying Lochte is a Mark Spitz).
I read that the Kardashian’s made $65 million in 2011 and they are trashy. I also read that one of the male “guidos” on Jersey Shore made over $7 million last year. There is a segment of American society that seems to love trash. I guess that trash can pay well at times.
Heck, half the news on the internet is trash. Who is dating who, who is splitting up with who and who is wearing what designer’s dress to some “important” show biz function. The “Bachelor” shows are even worse and the American females eat this stuff up.
Gary Hall Jr. got more publicity of testing positive for marijuana than he ever did for swimming. It was all over… Read more »
Wow, no. It’s not her job to find positive role models for her kids. -Actually, you are right. THEY SHOULD BE THE ROLE MODEL, NOT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE!
Could he be doing things differently, absolutely. If the dumbest thing he has done so far as a professional to make money is try to trademark and made up word, say he wants to be on DWTS, and announce that competitive swimmers pee in the pool, what are we so worried about? These aren’t bong pictures (sorry, its true), he is not beating the woman he supposedly loves (almost to death and threatening to take her life WHILE driving a speeding car a la Chris Brown) or gambling on swimming races (Pete… Read more »
Ryan Lochte has the right to earn a buck just like any other athlete. If being loud and proud or flashy or whatever works for him and helps him earn an income to keep swimming, more power to him.
He could be quiet and modest and probably not make much because it does not sell. I think he is kind of funny and he does not bother me at all and I’m also old enough to be his father.
If Snookie and the “situation” and the rest of those knuckleheads on Jersey Shore can cash in to the tune of million$, why can’t Ryan?
Because Ryan Lochte is not a nobody. Ryan Lochte is an 11 times Olympic medalist, record holder american athlete. Ryan Lochte is the example of a person that works hard, is persistent, talented and is not doing drugs and wasting his youth like many other kids nowadays. Ryan Lochte is a role model and, sadly, his team is doing him no favours. They’re using and abusing him and, of course, he likes it because he enjoys the attention.
Now, seriously, would you let your kid get into swimming if you read what is being said about Ryan? There are multiple articles expressing how much of an air head he is; commenters either say he’s a douche or just stupid… Read more »
Amen.
Uh, I don’t really buy that parents won’t let kids go into swimming because of how Lochte’s being treated. It’s not like this is common among all swimmers – it’s pretty specific to Lochte and due to how he presents himself.
Reading comments from articles in the “mainstream” (non-swim) media about this guy has been really difficult. “Douche” is the word that seems to come up the most. “Dumb” is the second and “egotistical” third. Those of us that know him, that have met him, etc. know he’s not a “douche” but a nice, hard-working, fun-loving athlete with a goofy sense of humor and questionable fashion choices when not in a Speedo. His team has taken over his twitter to promote cheap plastic sunglasses and “contests” when anyone knows the best promoter of “Lochte Nation” is Ryan himself. He seems to be poised to be a “flash in the pan” with 15 year olds and make a fortune; the Justin Bieber… Read more »
Meanwhile I, Mr. Paella747, have now filed any and all necessary paperwork to trademark the following words: “the” “and” “somewhat” and “it”.
If any of you speak or write these words on or after October 13, 2012, please be prepared to pay the required royalties. Failure to do so will result in swift legal action.
Thank you.