A lawsuit brought by South African composer Lebo M over a comedian’s joke about The Lion King has been dropped, but the dispute is continuing because the comedian now wants his legal costs paid. The case matters because it centres on free speech and the legal limits of suing over jokes, with the comedian arguing the claim was an attempt to punish protected expression.

Lebo M had sought $27 million in damages after comedian Learnmore Jonasi joked on the One54 Africa podcast that the opening Zulu chant in “Circle of Life” meant: “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god.” A federal judge dismissed the case on Friday, 10 July, after Lebo M voluntarily agreed to drop it, while also noting Jonasi could still pursue penalties; on Monday, Jonasi’s lawyer formally asked for more than $75,000 in legal fees. Lebo M said the matter had been settled by mutual agreement and denied it amounted to a court defeat, while Jonasi’s side called the original claim frivolous and said it violated First Amendment protections.