Every once in a while a television show comes around that takes over the airwaves and becomes a permanent fixture of the US cultural zeitgeist. Within the past few years ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Girls’, and ‘True Detective’ have occupied this space at one time or the other.

This year’s tv darling, ‘Empire’ has become all that anyone can talk about. The Fox show has attracted tremendous ratings and is set for a highly anticipated second season. If one man is to be believed though, the whole thing is one big rip-off.

Ron Newt is that man, whom TMZ describes as a friend of the Jackson family. He’s suing Terrence Howard, Lee Howard, ‘Empire’ and others, claiming the hit show is a carbon copy of his film about his life as a “gangster, pimp, and drug dealer”.

He says he met with lead Terrence Howard some time back, where they discussed his documentary ‘Bigger than Big’. He claims Howard connected to it, and the next thing he knew ‘Empire’ hit the screens with basically the same idea and has become a hugely successful hit.

As for the similarities, Newt has a few bullet points for the trial judge…

– Both shows had four drug dealers killed

– In his documentary, Prince shoots his friend. In Empire, Luscious shoots his long time friend

– Both shows have a round table

– In his documentary, China Doll goes to jail for drugs and is released. Cookie goes through the same in Empire

– Also, both China Doll and Cookie loves hats

Yeah, so for this ‘stealing’ of his idea, Newt is suing for $1bn.