Comedian Learnmore Jonasi Wins Legal Battle Over $27 Million ‘Lion King’ Joke Lawsuit

Comedian Learnmore Jonasi has won a legal battle after a Los Angeles federal judge dismissed a $27 million defamation lawsuit filed against him over a joke involving a chant from Disney’s The Lion King. The lawsuit was brought by South African singer and composer Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake, whose Zulu chant opens the famous song “Circle of Life” in the animated classic. The dispute began after Jonasi appeared on the One54 Africa podcast, where he jokingly gave his own translation of the chant “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba,” saying it meant, “Look, there’s a lion. Oh, my God.” The comment went

Comedian Learnmore Jonasi has won a legal battle after a Los Angeles federal judge dismissed a $27 million defamation lawsuit filed against him over a joke involving a chant from Disney’s The Lion King. The lawsuit was brought by South African singer and composer Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake, whose Zulu chant opens the famous song “Circle of Life” in the animated classic. The dispute began after Jonasi appeared on the One54 Africa podcast, where he jokingly gave his own translation of the chant “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba,” saying it meant, “Look, there’s a lion. Oh, my God.” The comment went viral online, but Morake argued that the translation was false and damaged his reputation and creative legacy. He said the actual meaning was closer to a tribute to a king, translating it as, “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.” However, a federal judge in Los Angeles dismissed the case, allowing Jonasi to defend his comments as protected speech. His lawyer, Bryan Sullivan, described the lawsuit as “frivolous” and said Jonasi will seek reimbursement for legal fees under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects people from lawsuits aimed at restricting free expression. Jonasi previously shared his experience of being served with the lawsuit while performing at The Laugh Factory and launched a fundraiser to help cover his legal expenses. The comedian said the situation began as a joke but turned into a major legal challenge over his right to express himself through comedy. The dismissal ends the $27 million claim, though the debate over humor, cultural interpretation and freedom of expression continues.