Comedian faces $27 million lawsuit over ‘Lion King’ joke about song lyrics

Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi is facing a $27 million lawsuit over a joke he made about the lyrics to the opening song of Disney’s “The Lion King.” South African composer Lebohang Morake, known as Lebo M, alleges that Jonasi made false statements about the song’s meaning during a podcast appearance last month.

On the One54 Africa podcast, Jonasi joked that the song’s opening chant, “Nants’ingonyama,” translates to “Look! There’s a lion! Oh my god!” Morake, who performed the original vocals, claims the joke diminishes the song’s value and could harm his reputation and estate. He filed the lawsuit on March 16, asserting that the comedian’s comments misrepresent the song’s actual translation, which he says is “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”

In a subsequent Instagram video, Jonasi said he had spoken to Morake about the joke, describing a confrontation where Morake allegedly called him a “self-hating” Black man and an “idiot”. Jonasi said he intended the comment as a joke and that comedy often sparks conversation. He also revealed he was served with the lawsuit during a comedy show at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

Jonasi, who has launched a GoFundMe for legal support, told the New York Post that he denies the allegations and believes the joke has increased interest in the song and film. “It has revived people’s interest in the song,” he said. “It actually made it more relevant.”

Representatives for both Jonasi and Morake did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

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