A viral joke about The Lion King has turned into a high-stakes legal battle, and now comedian Learnmore Jonasi is taking action to deal with the fallout.
Jonasi, a Zimbabwean stand-up comic, is being sued for $27 million by Lebohang Morake, the Grammy-winning composer behind the iconic opening chant of “Circle of Life.”
The lawsuit claims that Jonasi’s viral joke about the song’s lyrics damaged Morake’s reputation and misrepresented the cultural meaning of the chant, according to the complaint obtained by People.
In response, Jonasi has begun raising money for his legal fees, using humor once again. He recently posted a photo on Instagram wearing a black T-shirt featuring a cartoon design of himself lifting a lion, paired with the words “It's a lion.”
The text on the image read, “Help me pay these legal fees T-shirts available on the link in my bio.”
He added a caption, "You can help me pay these crazy legal fees, I don’t have 27M ??? ".
View this post on InstagramThe legal dispute began after Jonasi made comments during a February episode of the One54podcast. While discussing the famous opening line of “Circle of Life,” he joked that the Zulu phrase “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba” meant: “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god!”
The remark got laughs from the hosts, who said they had always believed the chant sounded more “beautiful and majestic.”
Jonasi doubled down, joking that his translation was “exactly what it means.”
However, Disney’s official translation of the lyric is: “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”
According to Morake’s legal team, while the word “ingonyama” can literally mean “lion,” it is used in the song as a “royal metaphor” tied to kingship and cultural tradition.
The lawsuit accuses Jonasi of presenting his translation “as authoritative fact, not comedy,” arguing that it should not be protected as a joke. It also claims his comments harmed Morake’s business relationships and royalty income, seeking over $20 million in damages plus $7 million in punitive damages.
Jonasi confirmed the lawsuit in a video, saying: "I am officially getting sued for telling a joke."
In a dramatic moment that quickly went viral, the comedian was served legal papers while performing live on stage. Mid-set, he reacted in real time, telling the audience: "Oh [explicit] I just got served. Oh [explicit]. Oh my God."
He continued: "This is for... I did a joke about The Lion King. I'm paying for that [explicit] now. [Explicit] The Lion King."
View this post on InstagramDespite the shock, Jonasi kept his comedic tone, joking about the situation while asking for legal help: "Right now, I'm looking for a lawyer, man. I need a very good lawyer. If you know anybody out here that is willing to help me, please, please reach out to me."
He also shared his frustration, saying: "I can't believe I'm getting sued for telling a joke. What kind of stupid world do we live in? This world is stupid."
To help cover mounting costs, Jonasi launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has already raised more than $10,000. His new merchandise push appears to be another step in funding his legal defense.
Before the lawsuit, Jonasi and Morake reportedly tried to resolve the issue privately. According to Jonasi, Morake accused him of “disrespecting his work,” while the comedian said he responded by calling himself “a big fan” of the song and even offered to collaborate on an educational video.
"Personally, I had no idea [the lyrics] had a deeper meaning," Jonasi explained.
But talks broke down. Jonasi claimed the situation worsened after Morake insulted him, saying: "I’m not going to talk to this person. He called me an idiot."
Per LAD Bible, Morake later issued a public response, saying: “If I offended anyone by using the word I used describing this young man, I apologize."
Still, he stood firm on the lawsuit, adding: "He’s insulting my work that has been inspirational to people around the world for over 50 years. Then insulting my culture."
He also accused Jonasi of benefiting from controversy, saying: "You are riding a huge wave of going viral on negativity."
Related: 'Lion King' Lyrics Translation Goes Viral: Watch the Hilarious 'Millennial Crash Out' Over the Intro's True Meaning
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