A HOLLYWOOD comedy club has failed to see the joke after threatening a St Helens event with legal action over using the same name.

Phil Knight couldn’t believe his eyes when he opened his email from The Laugh Factory in California warning him that he could not use the title for a new comedy night at The Citadel.

The club, where stars such as Jim Carrey and Richard Pryor have performed, gave Phil 30 days to change the name of his Laugh Factory or face legal proceedings.

Aiko Makino, from California, emailed Phil stating: “The Laugh Factory is trademarked in the UK (and EU) so we would strongly recommend that you select a different name for your venue to avoid any legal action.”

Phil, 32, an electronics tester by trade, said: “They could stop our club before it opens.

“I’m not even sure how they heard about us. When I told the Citadel they were stunned. I didn’t really take the first two emails that seriously. Then in the last one they said they would give us 30 days then take us to court.

“Until this happened I had never heard of them so I Googled the name and they are massive.”

Phil wrote back saying that he would change the St Helens venue to The Laughter factory, but the Americans n Turn to page 3 were unimpressed.

A reply stated: “One cannot avoid entanglement by adding two letters to this copyrighted term as a comedy locale.

“We are demanding that you cease and desist from using any name that violates our trademark. Should you fail to do so we will institute legal proceedings against you, the costs of which, you will be held responsible for paying when we prevail in court.”

Phil said: “We will try and get the show out of the way on February 7 then see. It would be great if the town got behind us on the night. And if we make a profit I might be able to get a solicitor.”

Tickets are available from the Citadel for the night and cost £10. Britain’s Got Talent semi finalist Callum Oakley and former North West comedian of the year Steve Harris headline.