Red Hot Chili Peppers sue Showtime over Californication
November 20, 2007

It's somewhat of a surprise that it took the Red Hot Chili Peppers this long to notice and file suit against Showtime over the use of the name "Californication," the title for the 2007 Showtime series Californication starring and co-produced by former X-Files star David Duchovny. As reported by Rolling Stone, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have demanded that Showtime, David Duchovny, and the Californication project stop using the name Californication since the Red Hot Chili Peppers claim the series stole from the Chili Peppers' hit album "Californication". According to reports, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are also demanding that any profits made from the series be given to the band.

As Rolling Stone goes on to report on the most recent statement from the L.A. based California band, Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis isn't too happy, "Californication is the signature CD, video and song of the band’s career... For some TV show to come along and steal our identity is not right."

It appears that Kiedis and his Chili Pepper bandmates recently found out about Showtime's Californication and moved to take action. While Anthony and the Chili Peppers have filed suit, some online reports suggest that producers of the series are claiming that they cribbed Californication from a bumper sticker. Despite the fact that Californication aired months ago, the Red Hot Chili Peppers could be justified over how they feel regarding the use of the word, especially since one of the characters on the show is named "Dani California," a famous lyric within the hit song "Californication". However, as the BBC News reports, series creator Tom Kapinos revealed to the press in July that he first heard the term in the state of Oregon where bumper stickers in the 1970s displayed the words "Don't Californicate Oregon".

In 1999 the Red Hot Chili Pepers released "Californication," their seventh album, which went on to sell over 15 million albums worldwide and spawned the hit singles "Scar Tissue," Otherside," and "Californication." Californication - the series - first aired on August 13, 2007 on Showtime and stars David Duchovny as an author and single parent who often overindulges in sex and drugs.