Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. Californication (the show)

[MartyMcFly3]

Link (with complaint)

Normally I'm against lawsuits by celebrities but the Showtime show has the title of a cd/song by RHCP and one of the characters "Dani California" is the title of a RHCP song so I think Showtime should have gotten RHCP's permission. Even I originally thought the show had some sort of RHCP attachment to it when I saw the title/character's name for the show.

That and Im a huge RHCP fan. Though Blood Sugar Sex Magik is definitely a much better album of theirs and what I consider their best work.

 

[hdeck]

shocked that it too this long for a lawsuit to happen.

 

[trmiv]

They have a valid complaint. I totally thought the Chili Peppers had something to do with that show (I've never seen the show though, no showtime).

 

[aircooled]

Yeah, I always though they at least had OK'd the name. I too figured there was a RHCP connection.

 

[MyThirdEye]

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3
Link (with complaint)

Normally I'm against lawsuits by celebrities but the Showtime show has the title of a cd/song by RHCP and one of the characters "Dani California" is the title of a RHCP song so I think Showtime should have gotten RHCP's permission. Even I originally thought the show had some sort of RHCP attachment to it when I saw the title/character's name for the show.

That and Im a huge RHCP fan. Though Blood Sugar Sex Magik is definitely a much better album of theirs and what I consider their best work.

Blood Sugar Sex Magic is by far the best album.

Stadium Acradium sucks. Every song basically sounds the same, and has the same sucky theme.

 

[alkemyst]

I also thought the RHCP someone had endorsed this movie with the title, character names.

Sort of messed up.

 

[Platypus]

last dance with dani california

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: hdeck
shocked that it too this long for a lawsuit to happen.

I'm sure they wanted to make sure the show was a hit and would do more seasons before they filed suit. They are already making the second season and that will give them more leverage to get some nice coin out of Showtime.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: amjohns5

Originally posted by: MartyMcFly3
Link (with complaint)

Normally I'm against lawsuits by celebrities but the Showtime show has the title of a cd/song by RHCP and one of the characters "Dani California" is the title of a RHCP song so I think Showtime should have gotten RHCP's permission. Even I originally thought the show had some sort of RHCP attachment to it when I saw the title/character's name for the show.

That and Im a huge RHCP fan. Though Blood Sugar Sex Magik is definitely a much better album of theirs and what I consider their best work.

Blood Sugar Sex Magic is by far the best album.

Stadium Acradium sucks. Every song basically sounds the same, and has the same sucky theme.

WTF

hump de bump -> slow cheetah -> stadium arcadium sound NOTHING alike

just 3 random songs. I think alot of the songs in the album are cheesy as fuck, but there's a few god tracks in there (slow cheetah, if, wet sand)

 

[DangerAardvark]

The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

 

[DangerAardvark]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

Read the article/complaint...

The lawsuit isnt about inventing the word. The lawsuit is about the tv show using the word as Unfair Competition. Due to the fact Californication is a major hit/cd for RHCP, the word is commonly associated with the band nowadays. Its the difference between a copyright and a trademark.

Think of it this way. A new show comes out entitled "Sympathy for the Devil". No, the Rolling Stones didn't invent any of the words in the title, however those words combined are commonly associated with the Rolling Stones.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

So by your reasoning I can name something..."adobe acrobat" or... "home depot" or.... "apple"... w/o consequences? cool.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I'll never think that removing whole sections of vocabulary from common usage is okay, no matter how famous you get. I think the courts will probably see it your way though.

 

[KeithTalent]

You are all wrong!! Mother's Milk is by far their best album!

KT

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
You are all wrong!! Mother's Milk is by far their best album!

KT

neg

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
You are all wrong!! Mother's Milk is by far their best album!

KT

Mother's Milk is classic. I like the fact that BSSM both sounds like a cd-length jam session with how its mixed and that I can just press play and not worry about skipping any tracks. Very few albums have both those features.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

So by your reasoning I can name something..."adobe acrobat" or... "home depot" or.... "apple"... w/o consequences? cool.

No. RHCP didn't come up with the word either. It existed before.

It'd be like me calling a tv show "adobe acrobat" and then having YOU sue me because you put it in your post first.

This is all beside the point. Californication existed before RHCP, and Dani California was a huge rip off of a Tom Petty song (last dance with mary jane), so they shouldn't bitch about it

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

You also acknowledging Dani California?

 

[torpid]

The word was coined by a magazine in the 70's. RHCP has no right to claim ownership of it. It was on bumper stickers all around the area at the time.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
The term "Californication" predates the RHCP album by some time. But, combined with the name "Dani California", I can see how confusion might happen. But grounds for a lawsuit?

how is that NOT grounds for a lawsuit? The show had instant name recognition because of RHCP

Because they didn't invent the word. They popularized it. Reminds me of the Spike TV vs. Spike Lee suit from a while back. The fucker didn't invent sharp, pointy metal objects.

So by your reasoning I can name something..."adobe acrobat" or... "home depot" or.... "apple"... w/o consequences? cool.

If you want to create a TV show called "Apple" you most certainly can do so. If you want to create a company that makes computers and electronics called "Apple" you will have a problem.

Adobe Acrobat is harder because it's a phrase that is associated with the company, but you can make a TV show called "Adobe" or "Acrobat" without issue.

Edit: Also, Apple Records didn't go after Apple Computers until they got into the music business with the iTunes store.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: torpid
The word was coined by a magazine in the 70's. RHCP has no right to claim ownership of it. It was on bumper stickers all around the area at the time.

wouldn't this be the same if I called some show "Strawberry Fields" I mean they existed before but the Beatles popularized them.

Did the producers of "Can't Buy me Love" get sued?

Chili Peppers are nuts.
And to those voting for their best album you do realize they had things out before Mother's Milk that blew all the future releases out of the water right?

 

[KingGheedora]

Why would anyone assume the show had an affiliation with RHCP? I didn't.

 

[nakedfrog]

I don't see why RHCP deserve to get any money out of this.