New York City pizza chain Joe’s Pizza is known to many as Famous Joe’s, and it certainly lives up to its nickname.
Joe’s was featured prominently in the Tobey Maguire incarnation of Spiderman; it’s where self-proclaimed “Foodgod” Jonathan Cheban hangs with the Kardashians; and its Instagram account is a barrage of A-list celebrities eager to display how down-to-earth they are by eating a three-dollar slice of Sicilian pie.
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But now, Joe’s Pizza is having a less-than-glamorous moment. TMZ reports that Famous Joe’s, founded by Pino “Joe” Pozzuoli, is entangled in a lawsuit against Joe’s Pizza of the Village in Brooklyn, founded by former employee Victor “You can call me Joe” Zarco. Zarco, like his former employer, also has quite an affinity for celebrities, and an entire ”movie stars” section on his website dedicated to his encounters with them. (Just to be clear, neither of the Joe’s pizzeria founders is actually named Joe.)
Those similarities seem to have gotten a little too uncanny for the original Joe’s Pizza, and Joe v. Joe is headed for the legal system. “According to a lawsuit, he wasn’t all that clever—using the name, Famous Joe’s Pizza of the Village,” TMZ reports. “The OG pizzeria says Zarco pushed the copycatting too far last month when he rolled out almost identical new signs.” According to TMZ, Famous Joe’s is suing Joe’s Pizza of the Village for damages and wants them to remove their signs, which are also allegedly reminiscent of the original.
“As for the lawsuit, we filed a complaint because we want to help stop the confusion the offending business is causing,” Joe Pozzuoli Jr. told MUNCHIES via e-mail, on behalf of Famous Joe’s Pizza. MUNCHIES also reached out to Joe’s Pizza of the Village for comment on the matter but did not receive a response in time for publication.
