'NCIS' Gets Sued Over a Farting Hippo Puppet

Lawsuits are not uncommon in Hollywood. Lawsuits about farting hippos are.

CBS is facing a lawsuit from a company called Folkmanis, Inc., who claims that "NCIS" infringed on their copyrighted puppet. Indeed, the original design of the hippo puppet was used on many episodes of "NCIS" and was accompanied by a farting noise that the puppet also had.

Now, CBS is selling "Bert the Farting Hippo" (as he came to be known on the show) products in its online store. The problem is, CBS was allegedly having these hippos manufactured and shipped over from China, rather than having Folkmanis, who holds the copyright on the hippo's design, fill the orders for them.

Thus far, the flatulent hippo has earned a little more than $700,000 in profits for CBS, which Folkmanis is attempting to claim for its own.

CBS has not responded to requests for comment as of yet, so the case of the farting hippo remains a mystery.