MARILYN SEZ...

“Get ready for the lawsuits, darling.”

And why does she say that? Just see what the Financial Times is reporting, gentle reader…

“Marilyn Monroe’s name and likeness will soon appear on lingerie, curling irons and handbags. On Thursday, the rights to the late film star’s image changed hands, with Authentic Brands Group, which manages the estate of reggae star Bob Marley, and NECA, an entertainment and merchandising company, acquiring the rights from Ms Monroe’s estate. Anna Strasberg, the administrator of the estate, will stay on as a minority partner. Jamie Salter, chief executive of Authentic Brands Group, called Ms Monroe “the most iconic personality in the world”. “Everyone aspires to be Marilyn Monroe,” he said. “Madonna, Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan, they all do.” Ms Monroe’s name did not appear on Forbes’ list of the top-earning dead celebrities last year, but sources close to the estate say it earned between $4m and $5m in the past year. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. However, people close to the deal said the new owners paid roughly six times annual revenues, which they said was the industry average for intellectual property rights for deceased celebrities, suggesting the price was in the range of $30m. “There’s a few brands that remain iconic and international and you’ve got to have both,” said Michael Sukin, a music industry lawyer who has worked with the estates of dead stars. “Marilyn is one, Bob Marley is another, and Elvis is probably the biggest of all.” Mr Salter said he would be aggressive in marketing Ms Monroe’s image, saying he would focus on merchandise including handbags, shoes and home care products.”

And then comes the real dubious sting in the tail of the story…

“He also said he was open to using computer animation to insert her image into new films.”

Click here for rare Marilyn videos (before they’re pulled off YouTube?)

The secret word is Violation