Who"s the real Yahoo? A global Internet company or Australian comic actor?
The Federal Court will be asked to decide when it hears a case brought by actor and director Yahoo Serious against US Internet giant Yahoo.
Serious is appealing against a decision by the Australian Trade Marks Office in August this year rejecting his opposition to an application by Yahoo to register Yahoo as a trademark.
The first directions hearing in the case was held last week and the matter will return to court next March.
The actor, known for the films Young Einstein, Reckless Kelly and Mr Accident, was very upset about the situation, his lawyer, Andy Chrysiliou said.
"He can"t understand how a name that he has used, has been identified with him, been exposed worldwide, how someone can come along and simply take that," he said. "We"re wanting to preserve his right to use the name Yahoo."
Chrysiliou said his client, who changed his name by deed poll in 1980, was widely known and had been extensively publicised as Yahoo.