Zimbabwean comedian’s Lion King joke costs Lebo M R640 000

What started as a joke about one of The Lion King’s most recognisable chants has ended with South African composer and producer Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake being ordered to pay US$39 560 (about R640 000) in legal fees to Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi.

A United States federal court awarded the attorneys’ fees to Jonasi after finding that he was the prevailing party under California’s anti-SLAPP law, following Morake’s decision to abandon his claims against the comedian.

The ruling marks another development in a legal dispute that began with Jonasi joking about the meaning of the famous opening chant from The Lion King’s “Circle of Life”.

The Lion King joke that started it all

The dispute centred on the opening words of the iconic chant, “Nants’ ingonyama bagithi Baba”.

During a podcast appearance, Jonasi offered a humorous interpretation of the Zulu phrase, jokingly translating it as: “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my God.”

The comedian’s comments later attracted the attention of Morake, who is closely associated with The Lion King and its music.

Morake subsequently launched a multimillion-dollar legal action against Jonasi in California, accusing the Zimbabwean comedian of misrepresentation and defamation over his comments about the chant.

The case quickly attracted attention in both Zimbabwe and South Africa because of the unlikely nature of the dispute, a comedian’s joke had developed into a major legal battle involving a globally recognised piece of music.

From a joke to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit

Morake’s lawsuit initially sought millions of dollars in damages.

The legal battle centred on whether Jonasi’s comments crossed the line from protected comedy and commentary into unlawful conduct.

Jonasi, meanwhile, defended his right to make the joke and argued that the lawsuit infringed on his free-speech rights.

The case eventually unravelled after Morake abandoned his original claims.

A US judge subsequently dismissed the lawsuit, setting the stage for Jonasi to pursue recovery of his legal expenses under California’s anti-SLAPP legislation.

California’s anti-SLAPP law is designed to protect people from lawsuits that seek to suppress speech or other activities protected by the First Amendment.

Why Lebo M must now pay US$39 560

After the original dispute ended, Jonasi sought attorneys’ fees for the legal work required to defend him.

The court calculated the reasonable value of those services at US$39 560.

Jonasi’s lawyers had initially sought a higher amount and also requested an additional multiplier that would have increased the award. The court rejected the request for the multiplier but awarded the US$39,560 in statutory attorneys’ fees.

The award is particularly notable because it is significantly higher than the amount Jonasi reportedly paid his lawyers himself.

Jonasi reportedly paid only US$5 350

According to reports, Jonasi paid approximately US$5 350, or about R86 500, out of pocket for his legal representation.

His lawyers reportedly provided their services at a substantial discount while defending the comedian’s First Amendment rights.

The court, however, did not base the statutory award simply on the amount Jonasi personally paid.

Instead, it assessed the reasonable value of the legal services provided in the case, resulting in the US$39 560 award.

That means the amount awarded by the court does not represent a reimbursement of exactly what Jonasi spent.

The court did not rule on the meaning of the chant

Importantly, the latest ruling does not settle the cultural or linguistic debate over Jonasi’s humorous interpretation of the Lion King chant.

The court’s focus was on the legal question of whether Jonasi qualified as the prevailing party under California’s anti-SLAPP law after Morake abandoned his claims.

The US$39 560 award therefore relates to the legal proceedings and Jonasi’s statutory entitlement to attorneys’ fees.

It should not be interpreted as a court ruling that Jonasi’s humorous translation of “Nants’ ingonyama bagithi Baba” was the correct linguistic or cultural interpretation.

The original translation has been widely reported as carrying a meaning closer to “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”