📰 Prince Angry with Prince – News: May. 1985
- GlamSlamEscape
- May 1, 1985
- 2 min read
Updated: May 1
A humorous press moment from 1985, when the world’s most famous pop star found himself in a name dispute with a century‑old pasta brand.
đź“° What the Clipping Shows
A black‑and‑white newspaper article titled “Prince angry with Prince”, accompanied by a small head‑and‑shoulders photograph of Prince with curly hair and a serious expression. The layout follows mid‑’80s Associated Press syndication style — bold headline, dateline in capitals, and compact justified text.
The piece reports on a legal complaint filed by Prince’s representatives against the Prince pasta and spaghetti sauce company of Lowell, Massachusetts, over a television commercial that used his name in a playful concert‑style advertisement.
This clipping matters because it captures a rare intersection of pop celebrity and trademark law — a moment when Prince’s growing cultural power collided with commercial parody.
đź“° The Story Behind It
In spring 1985, attorneys for the 26‑year‑old star of Purple Rain sent a formal letter to the pasta company demanding that it stop using his name to sell spaghetti. The company’s advertisement featured flashing purple lights, screaming fans, and the announcer’s line:
“Ladies and gentlemen. In concert, Prince.”
The camera then panned to a package of Prince spaghetti — a joke that didn’t amuse the musician. His publicist Howard Bloom explained the objection clearly:
“The normal thing is if you want to use someone’s image, you request permission or you pay a lot of money.”
The ad’s creator, veteran California adman Stan Freberg, expressed surprise at the reaction, insisting the spot was meant in good fun and noting that the pasta brand had carried the name since 1912.
“It was all done in good fun,” Freberg said. “After all, Prince spaghetti has had its name since 1912.”
The incident reflects Prince’s growing insistence on artistic and personal control — a theme that would define his career through later battles over ownership, image rights, and creative independence.
đź“° Publication Details
Publication: The Austin Daily Herald
Date: May 1, 1985
Country: USA
Section / Page: 5
Format: News Item
đź“° Related Material
• Associated Press wire story – “Prince vs. Prince Pasta” (1985)
• Chronicle entry: Purple Rain – Legal and Cultural Aftermath
• Rolling Stone – “Prince and the Power of Image Control” (1985)
Additional material connected to this entry is listed in the tag index at the foot of the page.
đź“° Visual Archive
Prince photographed alongside the Austin Daily Herald article reporting his dispute with the Prince pasta company, May 1985.
The clipping features a monochrome portrait and compact text layout typical of syndicated AP news items.
đź“° Closing Notes
This light‑hearted yet symbolic episode underscores Prince’s vigilance over his name and identity — a small but memorable skirmish in his lifelong campaign to protect artistic ownership. Even a pasta brand couldn’t borrow his spotlight without consequence.
đź“ť Copyright Notice
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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