"Californication" is kind of a lame pun, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers want to take credit for it anyway. So they’re suing Showtime over the title of the recent drama series that revolved around David Duchovny and Evan Handler and many squirm-inducing sex scenes (yep, for those of you who didn’t watch, there was one such scene that involved both Duchovny and Handler, in a threesome with a woman who… well, you really don’t want me to go there, trust me). Referring to the Peppers’ 1999 album and single, singer Anthony Kiedis issued a statement, explaining, "Californication is the signature CD, video, and song of the band’scareer, and for some TV show to come along and steal our identity isnot right." (BTW, I loved the coinage by the headline writers at E! Online: "Californilitigation." Beats the Mary Poppins rip I used for my headline, above.)
Anyhow, in related news, Quaker Oats is suing NBC over its new series Life (lest anyone confuse the Mikey-approved cereal with the quirky cop serial), and God is suing CBS over Numb3rs. (In the network’s defense, a CBS lawyer notes that, when God wrote the fourth book of the Bible, He didn’t bother to replace the "e" in the title with a "3," so the difference should be obvious to anyone who compares the ancient tale of Jewish refugees in an arid wasteland to the show about Jewish sleuths in Los Angeles.)
Title aside, I’m not sure why Kiedis and Co. are worried that people would confuse an album with a pay-cable series. After all, one is a portrait of a formerly edgy and risqué southern California dude who’s gone soft and sentimental in middle age, while the other…
Never mind, Anthony, I see your point.
What do you think? Do the Chili Peppers have a legitimate beef with Showtime, or should they take the Californication title and give it away, give it away, give it away now?
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Maybe it’s because I am a fan of the band but when I heard the title of the show I remember thinking how lame it was that they would use RHCP’s song as the show’s title and what I thought was going to be the theme song, too.
I’m with the Chili’s on this one.
As much as I love all the chilli peppers new stuff, even more than the old stuff, i still think their “identity” is still still tied up in the Give It Away/Under the Bridge era.
Sorry, did not mean to make “Chili’s” a possessive. In case the grammar police are coming to get me.
Also don’t you hate it when these once really rebellious, creative artists end up becoming these “I’m calling my lawyer” litigious pansies?
I mean when Lars from Metallica led the fight against Napster, atleast he was actually losing sales and revenue.
The show Californication does nothing to compete or take away profit from the Chillis, if anything it might remind people about the album who haven’t thought about it in years, which could lead to sales.
I find it pretty hilarious that RHCP are laying claim to the pun since I’ve always thought they “borrowed” the term from the 1984 song, “Californicatin’” by the J. Geils Band. It’s on their album, You’re Gettin’ Even While I’m Gettin’ Odd. Talk about lame puns.
Hank Moody’s book titles are all lifted from Slayer album titles, but you don’t see them suing anybody
The Chili Peppers stole the name so who gave them ownership of that word? How lame is that
I’ve wanted to sue over the show myself, but only because I watched it, not because of the title.
That is the thing, The RHCP only have to prove that the show creators where using that word to create buzz for the show via the popularity of the RHCP. While Showtime has to prove that the word they use is common use and had nothing to do with the RHCP success.
Note that no where does it say that the RHCP create or own the word. Only that the show is trying to bank off of the identity of the popular song…which they did create.
It could go either way, but I’m sure they both will settle.
it’s an exceedingly easy pun, and i’m sure it’s been used many, many times before the chili peppers used it. lame.
Maybe Showtime could change the name to “In Californication.”
The producers of “One Tree Hill” better hope U2 don’t find about that show title!
You know, being an over-entitiled, sue-happy American acting like a spoiled brat is so Red Hot Chili Pepper-esque…Pepper-esque! Trakemark! Trademark! No one else use it or I’ll sue! Because no one would ever think to take something like the Peppers, or California, and add -esque, or fornication, to it. Sad thing is, the Peppers of 20 years ago would have kicked the crap out of someone acting like they are now. Hell, they may have done it to someone who created such a lame pun (sorry Carol, you didn’t trademark that thought).
The Rheostatics (Toronto) recorded a song in the early 90’s titled ‘California Dreaming’. In that song they talk about californication. As that album was recently listed in the top 20 of Canada’s best 100 albums perhaps the RHCP should be awaiting to hear from the Rheostatics litigators because we all know that the Chili’s album is not in the top 20 greatest American albums ever. Top 500 maybe, but 20 never.
Do RHCP really think we’re that stupid that we can’t tell the difference between a cool album with a lame title and a crappy TV series with the same lame title?
I just can’t believe RHCP consider Californication to be their signature CD! Hello? Blood Sugar Sex Magic, anyone? Truly their masterpiece, whether Kiedis wants to admit that or not. As far as this lawsuit, I actually LIKED the TV show and can’t see any way it would damage the band’s reputation so…sorry guys, the suit is pretty frivolous.
Damn! I was going to write a show called “Blood Sugar Sex Magic.” Oh well. Back to the drawing board.
This is the lamest thing ever. This must be the turning point in their career when they become greedy old men that keep making music because they can’t remember how to do anything else.
I admit that I immediately thought of RHCP when I heard that Duchovny’s show had that name, but it seems weird that they’re suing NOW. Maybe they’re just pissed (as I am) that they didn’t get credit in the form of a theme song?
When Duchovny was interviewed for the show months ago, he mentioned the title came from a cautionary bumper sticker, “Don’t Californicate Oregon,” from the ’70s or ’80s. If that’s the case, guess where the Chili Punks got the title. And it took me a while to warm up to it, but I really like the show. It goes well with “Weeds.”
They consider “Californication” their signature CD? That’s depressing.
I can’t believe noone has given props for the blog title. Sing it to the Mary Poppins tune and it fits PERFECTLY. Dude, your linguistic skills rock out loud. Respect.
“Californication is the signature CD…of the band’s career”
WTF, Blood Sugar Sex Magik then Mother’s Milk would be signature releases for RHCP. Californication not even close. Kiedis needs to check himself.
For what it is worth….you can’t copyright a title. Maybe the band should worry more about getting bck to making good music rather than calling their lawyers.
Sounds like time to settle so all parties can get back to the creative efforts they have been so successful at in music and drama.
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