Was it only a matter of time?

We should’ve known there were gonna be issues when none of their songs played over the opening credits. Not so unbelievably, the Red Hot Chili Peppers today sued Showtime over the name Californication, which happens to the be the title of their 1999 CD and single. As we all know, it’s also the name of our favorite dark comedy about writers block, random sex, love and other self-destructive behavior.

The Associated Press says RHCP claims Showtime is diluting the value of the name, which the band feels is “inherently distinctive, famous … and immediately associated in the mind of the consumer” with the Chili Peppers.

The suit seeks to bar Showtime from using the name for the show and to pay damages and restitution. Whether RHCP will have any success is another story. Tom Kapinos, the TV show’s creator and executive producer, has said that he got the name from a vintage bumper sticker — “Don’t Californicate Oregon” — that was popular in the ’70s when Californians were busy migrating to the Pacific Northwest. The term could be deemed too common to copyright. Then again, it doesn’t help Showtime that the series has a character named “Dani California” — another Chili Peppers song.

While we contemplate these legal wranglings, here’s a little musical accompaniment: