TikTok star Jools Lebron has expressed frustration in an emotional video after someone swooped in to claim copyright on her viral "very demure, very mindful" phrase.
In a since-deleted TikTok, which she captioned "When you didn't trademark fast enough," Lebron said the trademark filing by someone from Washington named Jefferson Bates was "really fucking me up" because she "invested so much money and time into this." The Chicago-based content creator, who shares makeup-oriented videos on the platform, said that she was hoping to make money from the viral fame to help pay for her transition.
"I feel like I did it wrong, I feel like I didn't try hard enough, and I wanted to do so much for my family and provide for my transition, and I just feel like I dropped the ball," she continued. "I feel like I fucked up, and someone else has it now. And I don't even know what I could have done better because I didn't have the resources."
Lebron garnered viral fame earlier this month after she posted a TikTok in which she playfully showed off how she does her makeup for work. "You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure, very mindful," she said in the clip, which became a popular choice in audio for creators on the platform. "You see how I look very presentable? The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job."
As a result of her viral fame, she even made a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live with guest host RuPaul earlier this month.
Legal documents obtained by TMZ last week show that Jefferson Bates from Washington State filed a trademark for "Very Demure, Very Mindful." The documents state that the individual hopes to use the trademark for advertising, marketing, and promotional services. However, trademarks aren't registered to whoever files first, as multiple parties are permitted to make their case for rightful ownership.