Village People demand Donald Trump to stop using their music and likeness at his events
You can't stop the music but you sure can stop Donald Trump.
The former US president has been given a cease-and-desist letter by Karen Willis, the wife of Victor Willis, the lead singer of Village People after Trump hired impersonators to perform the '70s group's iconic songs — including 'Macho Man' — at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Willis wrote: "We have been inundated with social media posts about the imitation performance where many fans, and the general public as well, mistakenly believe to be that of the actual Village People.
"Therefore the performance has, and continues to cause public confusion as to why Village People would engage in such a performance. We did not."
She explained that the group doesn't wish to endorse Trump's presidential campaign.
"Though my husband has publicly tolerated your client's use of his Village People music, we cannot allow such use by him to cause public confusion as to an endorsement," she said.
"Therefore it is requested that he cease and desist any such further unauthorised use of the Village People image in association with the songs and his campaign (or in his personal capacity)."
However, Joe Tacopina, Trump's attorney, has already dismissed the letter.
He told TMZ: "I will only deal with the attorney of the Village People if they have one, not the wife of one of the members. But they should be thankful that President Trump allowed them to get their name back in the press. I haven’t heard their name in decades. Glad to hear they are still around."
Meanwhile, Victor Willis previously revealed that he'd prefer to keep the Village People's music "out of politics".
He wrote on Facebook in February 2020: "Our music is all-inclusive and certainly everyone is entitled to do the Y.M.C.A. dance, regardless of their political affiliation.
"Having said that, we certainly don't endorse his use as we'd prefer our music be kept out of politics."
Village People are the latest group who have issues with the real estate mogul/reality star/former POTUS' unauthorised use of their music. Other acts who had beef with Trump over the years include R.E.M., Aerosmith, Queen, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Adele, and Journey.— BANG SHOWBIZ
Photos: TPG News/Click Photos, villagepeople.com
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