“It was clear she wanted money,” said the performer Katsuni of the woman who sued her to change her name. “She wanted 500 euros each time ‘Katsumi’ was mentioned.”
Once upon a time the name “Katsumi” was readily identifiable with one of the most popular porn stars of the past decade, but the person who had trademarked the name in 2001 lost an appeal to perform under that name or to profit from it.
Instead, she changed one letter. Katsumi became Katsuni in April of 2007.
“I was shocked when I got the letter from the lawyer at home in Paris,” Katsuni said. “The woman who sued me never contacted me herself, but her lawyer said I must immediately stop using my name.”
After receiving the letter in November of 2006, Katsuni lost her first judgment on January 10, 2007. This picture was taken at the AVN convention in Las Vegas hours after the judgment was handed down in France. Despite being aware of the news, she poses like a trouper.
“Katsumi” is a popular first name for Japanese girls (about as popular as the name “Michelle” for Americans), but in France it is rare. The Miss Katsumi who sued The Artist Formerly Known As Katsumi said that she had been turned down for jobs and had been insulted in public due to the association. Miss Katsumi has refused requests for an interview.
“She also said she received bad phone calls,” Katsuni said.
For Katsuni, who began using the “m” name in 2000 and has been a Penthouse model and a multiple AVN award winner since then, changing her name one letter down the alphabet also meant changing several websites. In addition, she forked over 27,000 euros, or about $40k, to satisfy a French judge.
Katsuni said that the plaintiff never furnished proof that the name was detrimental; no letters from employers or phone records were provided.
“I lost the judgment and then I lost the appeal,” Katsuni said. “Because someone decided she didn’t want the name of a pornostar.”
What, then, can prevent someone named Katsuni from taking her to court all over again?
“Nothing,” Katsuni said. “At least not in France.”
Katsuni’s advice to performers entering the porn industry is to “pick a first name and a last name and check that the name isn’t taken.”
But she admits that might not work, either.
“But that’s life,” she said.
I asked Katsuni if, when she knew she had to change her name, if she’d thought of going wild and renaming herself Lunchpail or Katsilla or Sussudio.
“No, I had too much trouble so I wanted to keep it very simple.”
Katsuni recently began dancing in the United States with a gig at San Francisco’s Crazy Horse. She normally spends most of the year in France but will be returning to the U.S. for most of February to shoot Pirates 2.
Previously: Katsumi to join Robby D’s hand
See also: I Love Katsuni; Digital Playground
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