As I enter into my sixth year in business as Johnny Meatballs, the copycats continue to surface. I was one of the earliest pioneers in this whole meatball craze and the trendsetter for so much of what has developed.

And while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I am a bit tired of getting flattered and not getting my props. It's one thing when you emulate someone's style as an homage out of respect but when peeps steal entire concepts from me or use phrases I made popular and don't give credit where it's due.... and then try to act like they never heard of me or that they are the “originals,” well, that gets me a wee bit ticked off.

So first came Brooklyn's “Joey Saucy Balls” who went on a reality show trying to bite off my whole comedic character schtick, he later opened a meatball stand in Texas…then came that “Local Meatball” guy in Connecticut who traveled around with a converted hot dog wagon just like me. There have been many others but I'm not gonna get into them right now, it's not worth it. Now the latest guy coming into this crowded scene is a fella named John whose family apparently ran a few pizzerias but are now evidently meatball pros and plan to open a meatball specialty shop soon. So the dude having the name John is just a coincidence (unless of course he starts nicknaming himself “John Meatballs”) but there are far too many real comparisons which cannot be coincidences. And I’d like to share them here but won't reveal who he is or where to find his place. (If you can locate it on your own, that will just prove all my points so please write in the comments if you found it.)

His company does indeed have the same initials as me, JM, but like I said, I won't name the company specifically. We'll call him “JM LIGHT.” Let's get started.

First let's talk about my official Johnny Meatballs colors which are black and gold / black and yellow and my signature phrases which are Meatball King of New Jersey and “got balls,” both of which I frequently use on marketing materials and t-shirts. You guessed it, JM LIGHT also uses the colors black and yellow with similar fonts on their advertisements and they have “JERSEY” in their title AND use “got balls” on their website! I AM JERSEY!!! I GOT BALLS!!! Come on man...think of something else, geez.

Next let's explore my mission statement which is “Old school tradition for the new generation” something I've talked about from day one to explain that in this hectic world we live in, my goal is bringing back the “Sunday dinner experience” which I grew up with at my parents and grandparents homes. This story is something I’ve printed on multiple places including on my retail packages. JM LIGHT also has that exact angle and their company info talks all about the busy world we live in and how their intention is keeping “old school” traditions going with grandma’s homemade meatballs...along with lots of other similar verbiage, family photos scattered throughout to invoke all identical notions and ideals.

Ok... so same colors and catchphrases and same story about meatballs for dinner on Sundays... I guess these can all be just chalked up to chance, no big deal. If that was all. But there's lots more. No, he doesn't have his own imitation version Frankie Antipasto as a sidekick.... at least I don't think so anyway.

The truth is, I always had a vision for my own brick and mortar establishment since I started serving my food as a traveling street vendor. This eatery I conceptualized was to be Jersey's first “Italian-American fast casual,” not a fancy restaurant but not a fast food joint either. A small, trendy walk-up style shop (the anti-pizzeria, no pizza offered) where you ordered meatballs and macaroni just as you’d order burgers and fries. My blueprint was for a limited blackboard style menu where you picked your meatball which featured my classic recipe, a veggie ball and a rotating special ball. You’d pick a sauce (tomato / vodka / brown gravy) and your pasta for a side (or broccoli rabe, spinach, antipasto & salads) with other options like heroes and sliders, riceballs and mac and cheese. JM LIGHT has photos and descriptions which highlight a walk-up area with blackboard, their menu has almost an identical layout to my vision. It asks the customer to “pick your ball” with sauce (red / pink / brown) and a side dish... and these are: pasta, spinach, salads. What else is on there? Heroes and sliders, riceballs, mac and cheese. Oh and did I mention it's all touted as “Naples street food.” Wait just a second now. Street food... “street vendor style” but inside a storefront?!?! Hmmm....

My cafe idea was conceptualized 5 years ago when Johnny Meatballs first began operations and from all the research and rumors I've heard, JM LIGHT also came up with this around 5 years ago. That's probably not the truth though... I would guess around May 2011 when I had my first event of the season that year at the Haworth Street Fair where I imagine JM LIGHT was most likely scoping out my setup. Why would I think that? Well, I discovered with a little more research that their pizzeria was right down the street from this event.

What else has happened over the past 5+ years besides me building my brand? I'll get into that in a second. In 2012 /2013, this whole storefront vision was almost becoming a reality for me. The grand plan was to start with one location in the Hudson County area and franchise from there. So I met with investors, franchise attorneys, shared my business plan (which contained all these detailed blueprints and menu)... I also met with realtors in Hoboken. I was very close to signing a lease in Hoboken but my investors ultimately fell through. Then after Hurricane Sandy hit everything was put on hold. JM LIGHT touts this storefront on their social media pages as the “first location” (which clearly indicates plans for multiple outlets) and it will be opening in Hudson County (one town over from Hoboken) this spring! Weird huh?

Even if we set aside all the other similarities for a second here and focus on a very interesting reality show connection, this should be all you need to know so you don't think I'm really some crazy conspiracy theorist. In 2010/2011, right after filming Vh1’s “My Big Friggin’ Wedding,” I met a whole bunch of other reality show cast members from the local Jersey/NYC show circuit like people in “Cake Boss,” “Real Housewives,” “Jerseylicious,” “Mama's Boys of the Bronx” to name a few. When you do these shows you kind of enter into some kind of fraternity and travel in the same press circles. So there was this party for a grand opening of a new restaurant in Jersey a few of the bigger stars were hosting. That day I came bearing a gift of (what else) a tray of meatballs, which I always did when I introduced myself at such gatherings. Fast forward to 2012, a few of those stars from that day became friendly with my wife and visited her at the office she manages on multiple instances. Now and then they discussed me and my business ventures including a possible “joint venture” since we were in similar fields. But up until recently, they mysteriously lost touch....

JM LIGHT has these same individuals as their “celebrity sponsor” (which really means investors / partners). Yes indeed! Their names are even featured prominently on the menu. That's real wild I must say.

I guess the moral there is to be careful with whom who you share your vision and be cautious of people who act like friends because too often they are just probing you for information. And remember this, ideas “in the air” usually float elsewhere and materialize into realities.

In conclusion, I'd say it's blatantly obvious that there are parallels between yours truly and this “new” company. Am I being paranoid? Could these ALL be coincidences? Could these people have never heard of me and just came up with all these things on their own? They haven’t opened yet but how many more similarities will come when they do open? A line of “got balls” t-shirts? A Meatball Song? A food cart or food truck on the property or off-premises that I will run into in the streets this season at one of my gigs?

Personally to me, the whole thing is a direct rip-off of me and my style/ideas and as I said this is not the first time that copycats have appeared since I began my business in 2009. None of the others have been this similar and none of the others had so many direct connections. My problem is, you can’t trademark a food or a food concept so I have no recourse. But I'm sharing this to reiterate that I am the original so I urge all of my loyal customers to continue to visit me and let this establishment fade into the sunset with all the rest who have come and gone. It’s my duty to expose those trying to continue to capitalize on this trend and all my hard work...

Or maybe I will just show up there and offer a THROWDOWN and let the public decide which of us has the best balls in Jersey!