Lose Your Respect for the Chili Peppers too!

[ogsean]

I just finished watching the entire first season of Californication, a fantastic new show that just finished its season a few weeks ago. And I came accross this ridiculous story, I sincerely will never listen to their music again, just like I did with Metallica. Money grubbing s.

Band says David Duchovny's show rips off, dilutes value of its 1999 album of the same name.

When one thinks about the name "Californication," two things immediately come to mind. The habitual television watcher will recall Showtime's new hit comedy Californication starring David Duchovny. The music lover will harken back to The Red Hot Chili Pepper's Grammy-Award winning album Californication, which included the hit singles "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," and the title track.

Now it seems that Anthony Kiedis and the rest of the Chili Peppers don't want the name to be about anything except themselves. The band has sued Showtime as well as Californication's executive producers and production companies over the name of the show, saying that it creates "unfair competition, dilution of the value of the name, and unjust enrichment" of the album, according to the Associated Press.

"Californication is the signature CD, video, and song of the band's career," said Chili Peppers frontman Kiedis. "And for some show to come along and steal our identity is not right."

The show also features a character named Dani California, which happens to be a song title from the Chili Peppers' most recent album, Stadium Arcadium.

Californication stars Duchovny as a sex-addicted novelist currently suffering from writer's block. While coping with his inability to write and engaging in many trysts, he also must manage his relationship with his ex-girlfriend (Solaris' Natascha McElhone) and his 12-year-old daughter Becca (Madeliene Martin).

The suit is seeking permanent injunction on the use of the name "Californication" by Showtime, as well as disgorgement of all profits made by the defendants--in other words, they want all the money the show has made.

[ogsean]

The funniest thing about this is they'll never win. You can't copyright a name (album, show, movie, etc) for this very reason. So I have no clue what lawyer has led them into this, but he must have said

"Hey Anthony and Co! Wanna look like the biggest douchebags ever!?"

[shellyfan101]

Yeah it's really annoying when people do stuff like this, as if they don't have enough money and notoriety already they need to be the only people associated with Californication. I never really listened to their music anyway aside from a few songs, but I think it's kind of stupid to say you will never listen to them again, I mean, buying their albums I can see, but just not listening to them even if you enjoyed them before? Kinda stupid. Though not listening to Metallica is good!

[jack]

Meh, I dont care how big of douchebags they are, I will still listen to their music. Doesnt mean Ill sleep with them, nor any other male, and I wont buy them crapor worship them. But still I guess you have to be a celebrity to understand why everyone needs to sue everyone else, because I sure as hell dont.

Lets ask Yukio Blaze, he has a walk on role in Semi-Pro

[Flava Dave]

Eh, RHCP have always sucked anyway.

[jack]

I believe in my original post I was on topic.

[Rated-R-Superstar-159]

I've always hated this band.

[jack]

Thats because if someone likes some indy screamo band or some LA surf band, they will just say "YA DUDE SLIPNOT SUCKS" but if someone likes slipknot then they say "RHCP SUCKS"

Personally the only reason I even bother to come on here is the updates and news, not for the people.

[Rated-R-Superstar-159]

jack said:

Personally the only reason I even bother to come on here is the updates and news, not for the people.

same here. And i have given this band a chance, i used to listen to different bands from that genre, but i just never was interested in them.

[● kaneisdaman ●]

In all fairness, they can argue this. It is rather unfair to have their work's name taken and used without permission being asked for. I do however disagree somewhat that they want to take all the profits. That is not fair, a more reasonable compensation could be arranged from how i see it.

Also, not listening to their music is a bit extreme. I think based on your view on this, you are a very 'committed' Californication (show) fan.

[ogsean]

kaneisdaman said:

In all fairness, they can argue this. It is rather unfair to have their work's name taken and used without permission being asked for. I do however disagree somewhat that they want to take all the profits. That is not fair, a more reasonable compensation could be arranged from how i see it.

Also, not listening to their music is a bit extreme. I think based on your view on this, you are a very 'committed' Californication (show) fan.

I started watching the show today. But it's ridiculous. I mean, it's like the makers of King Kong suing Peter Jackson for stealing their name. That's the thing, it's not possible!

There can be no copyright on a name, so you can't sue for infringement, there is no problem!

A name is a name, there is no stealing, because there is no ownership!

That's why it's ridiculous, and intellectually- disabled, and the RHCP are obviously bitter that this show has become successful, and they feel they are owed something for naming a different medium by the same name.

[ogsean]

Oh, and to state what I stated earlier, I never purchased any of their music. I obtained it illegally.

This is a stated fact, not a discussion of illegal downloading, for those that are too ing thick headed to tell the god damn difference.

[HugoOne]

It really doesn't bother me what they do with their personal lives. Maybe it really does bother them. Why would they need the money? They're pretty damn well off right now as it is.

The only time I'll stop being a fan is when I'm not longer enthralled by their musical prowess, and judging by Stadium Arcadium, I doubt that's coming anytime soon.

[ogsean]

hugoone said:

It really doesn't bother me what they do with their personal lives. Maybe it really does bother them. Why would they need the money? They're pretty damn well off right now as it is.

The only time I'll stop being a fan is when I'm not longer enthralled by their musical prowess, and judging by Stadium Arcadium, I doubt that's coming anytime soon.

It doesn't bother you that the people you're giving your money to don't care at all about you as a fan, they're merely in it for the money only?

Because that's what a bullcrapcase like this stinks like, same as it did with Metallica. The thing is, Metallica fans are mostly dolts that can't see over their last beer can, so I wouldn't expect them to even think twice, and gladly hand their cash over to money grubbing already-rich "musicians".

I dunno, based on my past experiences, I just thought Chili Pepper fans were smarter than that. Then again, I thought the Chili Peppers were smarter than this. So go figure, I'm the stupid one for having principals.

[blade]

ogsean said:

kaneisdaman said:

In all fairness, they can argue this. It is rather unfair to have their work's name taken and used without permission being asked for. I do however disagree somewhat that they want to take all the profits. That is not fair, a more reasonable compensation could be arranged from how i see it.

Also, not listening to their music is a bit extreme. I think based on your view on this, you are a very 'committed' Californication (show) fan.

I started watching the show today. But it's ridiculous. I mean, it's like the makers of King Kong suing Peter Jackson for stealing their name. That's the thing, it's not possible!

There can be no copyright on a name, so you can't sue for infringement, there is no problem!

A name is a name, there is no stealing, because there is no ownership!

That's why it's ridiculous, and intellectually- disabled, and the RHCP are obviously bitter that this show has become successful, and they feel they are owed something for naming a different medium by the same name.

lmao, bitter?

Why would they be bitter if its dong well? Californication was a pretty succesfull album.

And so what if they dont like that they've took the name? Loads of people would do the same ffs. Im not gonna stp listening to them.

To the comment above, the chili peppers obviously care about their fans, considering they have just completed a 18 month tour for Stadium Arcadium all around the world non-stop ffs. Tell me how thats is being selfish and in it for the money?

[onionmaster]

I'm one of the biggest Chilis fans ever, and I totally agree with that. That show's creator not only stole the name of their album and song (which was presumably made up by them anyway so they can lay claim to it), but also a well developed character in their music, completely ruining the image.

I hope they get as much out of it as they can, the creator didn't have permission to use the name or character.

Anyone who doesn't agree with it, is not a real fan. Which wouldn't really surprise me, most people who don't agree are idiots.

People only ever say Chilis suck because they've only heard their most recent singles anyway. remember they have been around for over 20 years, they are bound to get a little tedious.

[blade]

onionmaster said:

I'm one of the biggest Chilis fans ever, and I totally agree with that. That show's creator not only stole the name of their album and song (which was presumably made up by them anyway so they can lay claim to it), but also a well developed character in their music, completely ruining the image.

I hope they get as much out of it as they can, the creator didn't have permission to use the name or character.

Anyone who doesn't agree with it, is not a real fan. Which wouldn't really surprise me, most people who don't agree are idiots.

People only ever say Chilis suck because they've only heard their most recent singles anyway. remember they have been around for over 20 years, they are bound to get a little tedious.

Exactly. I bet they havent listened to anything past BSSM/Mothers Milk

[Suckasays]

To be fair, I had never heard that term until the Chili Peppers came up with it. So I can see their point, though I'm not a fan in the least.

[Revvie®]

Californication is a portmanteau of California and fornication, written about in Time on August 21, 1972 and seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. states of Colorado, Oregon, Idaho,[1] and Washington.[2] It refers primarily to a "haphazard, mindless development that has already gobbled up most of Southern California",[3] which some attribute to an influx of Californians to other states in the Western U.S.

So let me get this straight, they have a copyright on this name and that album came out in 1999 while this article seems to have been way before it....give me a break

I honestly hope they do not win this b/c that would be ridiculous. They are trying to get money and claiming rights on a phrase that they themselves did not originally come up with. I hope Showtime wins this suit.

[compton]

I think RHCP has a valid argument, IF they trademarked the the word. If not then I really don't see what the courts will do for them. I don't understand why so many of you have gotten so pissed about this topic. How much money they have is irrelevant. If Showtime and the producers of the show are found to be in the wrong, then that's stealing. And OG Sean, you could not have been more wrong. Peter Jackson was hired by the people who own the rights to King Kong to direct the remake. You're mistaking intellectual property and real people's names (the ladder cannot be owned by anyone, the other can be trademarked). Not trying to start a fight here, but you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Clearly you've let your personal feelings about the band cloud your judgment.

Where is Adam Bomb when we need him? He knows his shit, I'm sure he could give us the definitive word.