Lady Gaga Files Trademark Lawsuit

Phoro credit: FilmMagic

A Nevada company is using Lady Gaga’s name to sell jewelry and cosmetics and she's not happy about it.

The Grammy Award winning singer filed a trademark infringement lawsuit last week in New York against Excite Worldwide for trying to trademark the names "Lady Gaga" and "Lady Gaga LG” without her permission, the Associated Press reports.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records show the applications haven't been approved, the AP reports, but the singer and fashion icon says they're making it difficult to add her own trademarks surrounding her name.

Her suit says customers could be duped into thinking she's affiliated with Excite Worldwide's products, the AP reports. She's seeking unspecified damages.

The website, exciteworldwide.com, has been disabled.

Lady Gaga Designs Bracelet to Benefit Japanese Relief Efforts, Updated

Photo credit: Lady Gaga Official Store website.

Pop icon Lady Gaga has created a prayer bracelet to benefit the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The simple white bracelet has the words “We Pray for Japan” in red letters in English and Japanese. It is available for $5 on her official store website. However, Gaga encourages people to spend extra for the bracelet. All proceeds will go toward Japan relief efforts, according to the website.

“Little Monsters, show your support for Japan with this ‘We Pray For Japan’ wristband!,” the website reads. “Choose your price to add an additional donation with your wristband. All proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts.”

The bracelet can be purchased now for pre-order and will ship on or around March 25, the website reads.

The death toll from the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami is expected to rise to the tens of thousands, according to official Japanese sources. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese residents have lost their homes and other belongings. The deaths and damages affect more than a quarter of Japan's 47 prefectures (counties). In addition, nuclear power plants in the region are in a precarious situation.

Update 4:48 p.m.: Lady Gaga tweeted: "Monsters: in just 48 hrs you've raised a quarter of a million dollars for Japan Relief."