Pope Emeritus Rapped By Rapper?

The New Yorker reported on February 27, 2013, that a trademark dispute had arisen over former Catholic Pope Benedict's use of the new title "Pope Emeritus."  According to the article, Oakland rapper "Pope Emeritus" owns trademark rights in his moniker, is "[f]urious at what he is calling a clear case of trademark infringement" by the ex-Pope, and "won't let anybody mess with [his] brand."  Naturally, the article, by Andy Borowitz, is a joke.

There are no United States trademark registrations for "Pope Emeritus."  Among a number of other trademarks, there is a registered trademark for "POPE OF SLOPE," an abandoned trademarks for "POPESOAP," a canceled trademark for "ELECTAPOPE," and an abandoned trademark for "POPE BENEDICT PRETZEL").  There is no word yet on whether Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger finds the joke (or any of the actual trademarks) at all funny.