Gorilla Glue Mishap Leads to a Lawsuit… But It’s Not What You Think

This Week’s Wacky Wednesday: Gorilla Glue Mishap Leads to a Lawsuit… But It’s Not What You Think

We all make mistakes from time to time. Someone might mistake flour for powdered sugar, or they might push on a pull door. However, sometimes, the mistakes can be a bit larger and more damaging. Take what happened to Tessica Brown, a woman from Louisiana, in early 2021.

The Glue Incident

While it’s easy to laugh at what happened to Tessica because it does seem like something out of a sitcom, it’s often better to keep it inside and have a bit of empathy. When she ran out of the Got2B glued hairspray that she usually uses, she reached for a different product. She grabbed Gorilla Glue spray, believing that it would serve the same purpose and help her with her hairstyle.

After she sprayed the glue into her hair, she started to realize that something was wrong. It isn’t a product that should be used on hair or any part of the body. She took her story to TikTok a month after using the glue, where she explained what happened. She said that she had washed her hair 15 times, and it still wasn’t moving. Nothing was working.

She may have been reaching out for help to see if anyone else had done something similar and had a solution. However, the post went viral. The video received more than 18 million views in a short period. It was big enough that Gorilla Glue had an official statement out within about 24 hours.

Their statement said, “We do not recommend using our products in or on hair as they are considered permanent.” The statement also provided some ideas on how to potentially get the glue out and different solvents to use, such as rubbing alcohol. They said that her hair might have been fractured at the root.

Tessica eventually had to go to the emergency room, although the treatment she received is unknown.

For a time, it was thought that she would pursue a lawsuit against Gorilla Glue. However, most experts felt that it wouldn’t be a good idea. The label is clear, the company didn’t get notice of what happened right away, and since so much time had passed, it would be difficult to prove what caused the problem. The fact that she’s an influencer could also have presented a problem with her credibility.

Bad Idea Videos

Although she didn’t sue Gorilla Glue, she is going after entities who used the song “Bad Idea”, over her original video. The remix of the song includes Tessica’s voice, where she said putting the Gorilla Glue on her hair was a bad idea. She and her attorneys have sent cease and desist letters to those who are using the video and her voice in this manner.

She claims that using her image, likeness, and voice is copyright infringement. Further, she intends to recover penalties, statutory damages, punitive damages, for the infringement. This case may have more weight than a case against Gorilla Glue would have.