NBC is finding out that it's not a good idea to piss off the under-sink garbage disposal industry. According to Zap2It, the parent company of disposal manufacturer In-Sink-Erator is suing NBC to block re-airings of the pilot of Heroes. Apparently, they're not happy with the scene where cheerleader Claire tests her power of indestructability by sticking her hand in an In-Sink-Erator disposal and flipping it on. Emerson, the parent company, claims that it casts their disposals in a bad light, telling audiences that a person could actually get injured if they accidentally stuck their hand inside a moving disposal. Yeah, I'm sure those spinning chopping blades are completely safe.

But a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch got the real scoop from a company spokesman: they're mainly suing because NBC never got permission to use the product name on the show. "It's a trademark thing," the spokesman told the paper. What they're saying is, "Pay us a licensing fee and you can show our product mangle as many hands as you want."

[via Pop Candy]

It turns out somebody already came up with the super-lame Supernova name for their own band. According to MTV News, the Orange County-based punk band, Supernova, has filed a trademark infringement suit against producer Mark Burnett for this summer's Rock Star: Supernova. The original Supernova formed in 1989 and released four albums, the most recent in 2000. The band is still alive and kicking: recording a new album and performing gigs next month. The lawsuit names Burnett, his production company, and the three members of the new Supernova band: Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted and Gilby Clarke. The band wants Burnett to make it clear that the television show is not associated with them, wants to prevent Burnett from trademarking the Supernova name, and claims the producers of Rock Star knew the band existed and was still together. Didn't anyone check out iTunes before naming the new band?