Lion King Composer Sued Comedian Over Joke Owes $40K
The pursuit of justice sometimes involves some seriously massive numbers, but in this case, the legal battle over a viral joke about a famous song culminated in a surprisingly hefty reimbursement for the comedian involved.
A composer who worked on the iconic “Circle of Life” from The Lion King found himself facing financial repercussions after dropping a major lawsuit against a comedian who made a viral joke about the melody on a podcast.
The dispute centered on the chant that kicks off the famous track: “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba,” which is often translated as “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.” The composer, Lebo M (Lebohang Morake), is credited with writing and performing this element of the song.
The conflict ignited when comedian Learnmore Jonasi, during an appearance on the podcast One54 Africa, joked that the chant actually translated to something much more lighthearted: “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god.” This clip quickly went viral, garnering massive attention and views.
However, the composer viewed this joke not as harmless fun, but as a serious infringement. In a March filing, Morake initiated a lawsuit demanding $27 million in damages, accusing Jonasi of defamation and other wrongdoing, labeling the joke a “fabricated, trivializing distortion” meant for unlawful self-profit.
Jonasi’s legal team immediately pushed back, arguing that the suit targeted core First Amendment protections. They contended that punishing a comedian for being offended by a joke violated fundamental free speech rights.
Despite the legal arguments, the composer eventually opted to drop the case. But Jonasi’s attorneys refused to let him walk away empty-handed, insisting he be reimbursed for the costs of defending the suit.
This is where California’s anti-SLAPP law—designed to protect free speech by deterring lawsuits intended to silence public participation—came into play. In a Friday ruling, Judge Josephine Staton granted Jonasi’s request for reimbursement.
The judge determined that Jonasi succeeded in his anti-SLAPP motion, awarding him $39,560. This amount covered more than fifty hours spent by his two attorneys handling the complex legal proceedings, effectively handing the comedian the payback he sought for the viral controversy.
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