The makers of two separate wall calendars that feature Jewish men may be heading to court, according to New York Post.
In 2011, TV producer Adam Cohen launched the Nice Jewish Guys calendar, featuring G-rated photos of young Jewish men eating hotdogs or holding puppies while smiling innocently for the camera. The calendar included the slogan: “You can take them home to Mom!”
“There are a lot of calendars celebrating physicality, like chiseled firemen or models,” Cohen explained to Post. “Isn’t there a quality just as attractive without having to take off your shirt?”
“I thought, what about the guy who’s just a nice guy?” he continued. “He’s average, he happens to be Jewish, and what’s great about him is, he’s trustworthy. Why can’t we celebrate that?”
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The Nice Jewish Boys calendar became an instant bestseller and is now produced every year, with the 2014 edition selling over 10,000 copies, an impressive number in the wall calendar industry. Cohen also scored a cross-promotional deal with the Jewish dating site JDate
He seemed to have the Jewish men market cornered… Until Duncan Pflaster entered the picture.
Earlier this year, Pflaster posted a call for models for a similar calendar called Naughty Jewish Boys. The calendar, which is set to be released later this year, will be the anthesis to Nice Jewish Boys and will feature shirtless and naked men showing off “the sexy side of Judaism.”
“They’ve had a ‘Nice Jewish Guys’ calendar for several years,” Pflaster said, “and I’ve been joking with friends that there should be some alternative that doesn’t involve sweaters and puppies and looking cute for mom.”
He continued: “There is a kind of implied nice Jewish boyness about how Jewish men are portrayed in the media, and a lot of my friends feel like they’re not fully realized, [but only seen] as a stereotype.”
Cohen isn’t pleased about the new competition. It didn’t take long for his lawyers to send Pflaster a letter saying Naughty Jewish Boys was too close to their trademark and demanding he stop using the name.
“I don’t think there’s any way our calendars can be confused,” Pflaster told New York Post. “I’ve tried to make that clear on the Web site and on all of the materials.”
But Pflaster wasn’t fazed. He responded to Cohen’s letter by calling their case “weak” and refusing to stop production.
Though they wouldn’t go into much detail, Cohen’s legal team to New York Post that they still considered the matter “ongoing,” and that Pflaster could expect another letter from them soon.
Let the games begin.
Scroll down to see more photos and tell us if you prefer your Jewish boys naughty or nice.
Ronbo
Jewish can be hot; these are not.
hotshot70
these are UGLY guys!
mgmchicago
@Ronbo:
mmm, some of the Israeli men on cam four… yeah bb
Sweet Boy
They are as sexy as having a root canal without anesthesia
UWSguy
definitely the naughty ones
MikeE
@Sweet Boy: @hotshot70: Please, please, regale us with photos of your own glorious selves.
DarkZephyr
The naughty ones!!
SteveDenver
This is hilarious. Pflaster should counter-sue for nuisance.
It’s well known among entrepreneurs and trademark/copyright/patent attorneys that if there are potential similar products or spoofs, you establish those ideas through prototype and legally protect them. This way if anyone steps into your realm, your bases are covered.
This could make for a nice spoof romantic comedy movie.
Billy Budd
It is funny, not sexy.
Cam
The possibilities to get just close enough to the trademark to irritate are huge, Hmm, maybe somebody on here should make a calendar of
“Kinda Cranky Jewish Boys”
“Nice but not over their Ex Jewish Boys”
“Simpatico Jewish Boys” etc….
theviagrafalls
Id totally make up to him
barkomatic
The naughty guy is kinda hot actually.
JennyFromdabloc
I love sexy Yid men. But this is just goofy.
Spike
@mgmchicago: Agreed, seen them as well on cam4 and they are HAWTE!
mcflyer54
My thought is they guys selected were intended to appeal to the “jewish mother” for her daughter not as a hottie calendar for the gay guys to ogle.
vklortho
There are some insanely hot Jewish guys, but I agree that this is mostly just goofy. Give me a sexy men of the IDF calendar and I would be set. 😛
Caleb in SC
@MikeE: LMFO! Of course they won’t.