Spike Lee is suing Viacom Inc over the media giant's plans to rename its TNN cable channel Spike TV.
The director and actor has asked for an injunction against Viacom's use of the name, saying he had never given the company his consent.
"The media description of this change of name, aswell as comments made to me and my wife, confirmed what was obvious - that Spike TV referred to Spike Lee," said Lee, whose given name is Shelton Jackson Lee.
TNN, which bills Spike TV - with its reruns of Baywatch and The A-Team - as "the first network for men", said it was "confident that the court will reject any legal claims by Mr Lee to the popular word and name Spike".
