ANIMATED SHORTS SPECIAL: TROUBLE IN THE BOONDOCKS

[MattBrady]

BET VS. BOONDOCKS: ROUND ONE
ADULT SWIM TO NOT AIR TWO EPISODES OF MAGRUDER SERIES

by Steve Fritz

Well, it seems Aaron McGruder can take swipes at Ann Coulter, Rosa Parks, Oprah Winfrey and the Daughters of the American Republic, but if he specifically takes on BET head honcho Debra Lee, that’s another story. One the public is currently being denied.

As fans who have read this column might remember, in a past interview McGruder, creator of the hit Adult Swim series The Boondocks, went on the record to say there would be 15 episodes for his second season of the series.

Also, in past interviews when asked if there would be any subject McGruder could not air, [AS]’s Mike Lazzo said McGruder can talk about anything he wanted.

Now anyone who goes to McGruder’s current MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/amcgruder, will see it is led with the quote, “"Okay, so... maybe it's a 13 episode season..."

The reason for this is two of the planned episodes, “The Huey Freeman Hunger Strike” and “The Ruckus Reality Show” have been pulled. The episodes take savage strikes at not only favorite target BET, but also two of its key executives, Debra Lee and former Boondocks producer Reggie Hudlin. In “Hunger Strike,” Lee is made to look a lot like Dr. Evil from Mike Myers Austin Powers films while “Wedgie Rutland” is depicted as a total toadying nerd. “Hunger Strike” takes even broader strokes at the Black Entertainment Television, implying its true goal is to destroy and/or diminish African-American culture, exemplifying what Chuck D’s statement that the networks letters really stand for the “booty ‘en thugs” network. “Ruckus” takes matters even further, working off the premise that the black-hating Uncle Ruckus is given his own show on BET.

Rumors of the shows being pulled began circulating on the internet about two or so weeks ago, primarily at hip hop-oriented sites like YouHeardThatNew (http://www.youheardthatnew.com) and MissInfo, www.missinfo.tv. MissInfo even managed to get some clips, which apparently got pulled real fast.

At that time, McGruder, BET and Adult Swim were contacted for verification, with only Adult Swim stating the missing episode were being rescheduled.

The on January 23, the site hiphopdx (http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/i...ondocks-vs-bet) weighed in with this:

Over the past couple of weeks there has been rumors hovering about a certain Boondocks episode waiting to be aired. A clip leaked to youtube that previewed the episode which takes a critical and humorous look at BET and its programming. The snippet heightened curiosity of when the episode would eventually air. After the rumored original air date (January 7th) had passed, there would be even more speculation as to what happened to the episode. The clips on youtube were also taken down with no explanation.

Message boards ran wild with talk that BET put a halt to the episode ever airing but there was absolutely no confirmation from either sources at BET or Boondocks. It’s no secret that the Boondocks has attracted controversy (ie: last year’s controversial “Return of the King” episode) but to hear that an episode may possibly never air has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Today, an anonymous source close to the situation issued a statement exclusively to HipHopDX.com explaining that not one, but two episodes have been banned from airing. Here's his statement as to what has transpired in recent weeks…

“It now appears official that TWO episodes of The Boondocks second season -- clips of which surfaced on and then were pulled from Youtube -- will not air. At all. Ever.

Fans who were waiting for the show to reach the levels of controversy that last year's Peabody Award-winning "The Return of Martin Luther King" episode achieved will have to cross their fingers and hope that Sony execs don’t also pull the episodes from the second season DVD, which is slated for late spring.

The two episodes were originally scheduled to air on November 16 and December 17, respectively. No official reasons were given for the banning of the episodes from either Sony or Adult Swim as of yet.

Rumor has it the higher ups at BET have been pressuring Sony behind the scenes for months to yank the episodes, including threatening legal action. Now I’m pretty biased as a BET hater, but it’s sad the people in charge over there are more worried about being teased by a cartoon than producing good television. Not surprising, but still sad.

I’m a fan of the show and I've seen the episodes and they are undoubtedly the most cutting, brilliant and funny episodes of the season. In the first one: "The Hunger Strike" – Huey teams up with an Al Sharpton-like character (played by Cee-Lo Green from Gnarls Barkley) and goes on a hunger strike to protest BET. In what has since become a bizarre example of life imitating art, BET execs ‘Deborah Leevil’ and ‘Weggie Rudlin’ (imagine Black female Dr. Evil and Reginald Hudlin as Number 2) go through extraordinary lengths to thwart young Huey’s crusade. In the second one, titled "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show”, BET gives Uncle Ruckus his own show, and what follows is one of the most ____ed up and hilarious things I’ve seen on TV in years.

Is this controversy good for the Boondocks? Probably. For McGruder, controversy has never been a bad thing. But it’s doubtful any of this can be good for BET , which seems to be under perpetual fire from community activists and critics alike for its garbage programming. Now with this and BET founder Bob Johnson’s cheap shots at Obama, Huey Freeman may not be the only one hungering for a BET boycott.”

Calls and emails to Aaron McGruder’s office have yet to be returned. An exclusive clip has also been leaked to HipHopDX.

Further inquiries to McGruder, BET and Cartoon Network were sent, with only CN Sr. VP of Public Relations James Anderson responding, to wit: “The episodes are not scheduled to air on Adult Swim. Beyond that, we really don’t have any further comment.”

Informed sources state that have been consulted have told Newsarama that if Adult Swim could air the episodes, they would. They are pointing fingers McGruder’s production partners Sony as the ones who pulled the plug.

In the meantime, the question now is if [AS] won’t air the episodes, will they eventually appear in the upcoming second season DVD set, which is slated for release this spring. In the meantime, a new episode of Boondocks, “The S-Word,” aired last Monday with a repeat slated for tonight at 11:30 p.m. Another new episode, “The Legend of Catcher Freeman,” is slated for Monday, January 28, also at 11:30 p.m. It should also be noted that McGruder is supposed to launch a new live action show on SuperDeluxe.com (www.superdeluxe.com), a new project from Cartoon Network’s parent company, Turner. The new project is called The Super Rumble Mix Show.

[von Doom, M.D.]

I have no interest in this show or the network, but if true, then this must be fought to the utmost. Censorship cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any medium, for any reason.

[tauaru]

I imagine the episodes will be on the DVD set anyway so I'll see them there. I wish they could be aired though McGruder is a madman and I love his style.

[Beheader]

Sad.

You'd think a channel that plays Soul Plane every other night would have a better sense of humor.

[Dalarsco2]

I think the fact that they play Soul Plane at all proves their sense of humor is beyond repair.
For the record, I've never seen Soul Plane but think it does look mildly amusing at the very least. That was just too easy a burn to not take the shot.

[Johnny Triangles]

Originally Posted by von Doom, M.D.

I have no interest in this show or the network, but if true, then this must be fought to the utmost. Censorship cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any medium, for any reason.

Even though I'm on MacGruder's side in this case, I have to say, blanket statements like this I don't agree with. I do think censorship in this case is silly, but to say censorship can't be tolerated in any form in any medium? A little far. I mean, if one of Nickelodeon's Saturday morning shows wanted to air a live action humans-raping-puppies episode or if one of ABCa shows was going to air nonstop full-on clips of terrorists beheading people uncensored, I'd like to think the networks in either case have a right to decide against airing those episodes.

[Harmful]

Originally Posted by von Doom, M.D.

I have no interest in this show or the network, but if true, then this must be fought to the utmost. Censorship cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any medium, for any reason.

Really, so if I voiced my opinion that I think this is a bigoted rascist cartoon that should never have gotten on TV in the first place it would be okay?

If this show was about white kids, who were militant white supremacists with cracker adults, do you think it would see air time?

I dont like any show that uses the word ______ as freely as his one does, whether its written by african americans or not. Look at that, you cant even use the word in this forum without it being censored automatically...

[The Funketeer]

Originally Posted by von Doom, M.D.

I have no interest in this show or the network, but if true, then this must be fought to the utmost. Censorship cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any medium, for any reason.

A network choosing not to air an episode of a television show that they pay to produce on a channel they own is not censorship. No one is telling McGruder he can't say these things, they're just telling him he can't say them there.

It sucks that they're pulling the episodes though. I didn't even realize the second season had started. Looks like I'm going to have to catch up.

[projectnrm]

Originally Posted by Harmful

Really, so if I voiced my opinion that I think this is a bigoted rascist cartoon that should never have gotten on TV in the first place it would be okay?

If this show was about white kids, who were militant white supremacists with cracker adults, do you think it would see air time?

I dont like any show that uses the word ______ as freely as his one does, whether its written by african americans or not. Look at that, you cant even use the word in this forum without it being censored automatically...

Have you watched "the Boondocks"?

[blckng]

Sad. The one cartoon I watch with any regularity, and it's being censored. Here's hoping the episodes are included on the DVD.

[DBHughes]

This was done to Family Guy once before with the Jewish Christmas episode, and that episode eventually aired. I think the same thing will happen here though it may take awhile. BET just doesn't have a real leg to stand on, in my opinion. Just look at all the times NBC, CBS, etc. have been made fun of on various shows; to say BET has a valid claim would open the flood gates on all of those. Just won't happen.

[Tony Snark]

Originally Posted by Harmful

Really, so if I voiced my opinion that I think this is a bigoted rascist cartoon that should never have gotten on TV in the first place it would be okay?

If this show was about white kids, who were militant white supremacists with cracker adults, do you think it would see air time?

I dont like any show that uses the word ______ as freely as his one does, whether its written by african americans or not. Look at that, you cant even use the word in this forum without it being censored automatically...

White people are the REAL minority!!!!!!

[RoiVampire]

Originally Posted by Harmful

Really, so if I voiced my opinion that I think this is a bigoted rascist cartoon that should never have gotten on TV in the first place it would be okay?

If this show was about white kids, who were militant white supremacists with cracker adults, do you think it would see air time?

I dont like any show that uses the word ______ as freely as his one does, whether its written by african americans or not. Look at that, you cant even use the word in this forum without it being censored automatically...

the difference is that militant black supremacists aren't nazi's like militant white supremacists

plus the N-word is only used by deplorable characters in the show, not by any of the main protagonists, except for riley, but then riley is not been to be the voice of reason in the slightest, and even he doesn't use it that much

[theNameless]

This thread is going to be so bloody entertaining I'm messing myself already.

[save_us 619]

So,BET threatend to sue Cartoon Newtwork over a little satire? that sucks.




PS: Chuck D is right BET does stand for Booty en thugs.

[Randy Hassan]

I'd like to hear about the falling out between McGruder and Hudlin...

Also, the myspace page claims McGruder makes less than $30K annually. Could that be true?

[Benjamin1345]

Originally Posted by Johnny Triangles

Even though I'm on MacGruder's side in this case, I have to say, blanket statements like this I don't agree with. I do think censorship in this case is silly, but to say censorship can't be tolerated in any form in any medium? A little far. I mean, if one of Nickelodeon's Saturday morning shows wanted to air a live action humans-raping-puppies episode or if one of ABCa shows was going to air nonstop full-on clips of terrorists beheading people uncensored, I'd like to think the networks in either case have a right to decide against airing those episodes.

That's a ridiculous comparison. If a Nickelodeon cartoon displayed intense and unnecessary violence and gore, it would be breaking its own goddamn rules--rules the people who write the show were well aware of going in. How is 'The Boondocks' criticizing people, issues, society, et cetera, going against what the show is about? II's not censorship to say, "No, makers of Spongebob Squarepants, this episode cannot be about the female orgasm." This, on the other hand, is obviously censorship.

[Harmful]

Originally Posted by RoiVampire

the difference is that militant black supremacists aren't nazi's like militant white supremacists

plus the N-word is only used by deplorable characters in the show, not by any of the main protagonists, except for riley, but then riley is not been to be the voice of reason in the slightest, and even he doesn't use it that much

You watch this and then tell me this again with a clear conscience...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH2dlM5jsMU

or this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb8dMjGn8-I

or this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-lHl...eature=related

Nope, no Nazis here...oh wait

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB3WcKaIHpk

[Super Skrull]

This sounds like a perfect time for Marvel to get rid of Hudlin on the poor selling Black Panther title!

[GrimJack]

Like comics fans really needed another reason to dislike Hudlin...

[SMARTASS8]

This just makes me want to watch the show. I used to love the comic strip for its first few years, but it then just started coasting until McGruder pulled the plug on it. I tried one episode of the show but didn't like it. I might have to give it another chance. It seems like McGruder is an angry guy, but I like that he calls out fools, no matter what their color, that so many others are scared to verbally attack.

[GenerallZodd]

Originally Posted by Harmful

Really, so if I voiced my opinion that I think this is a bigoted rascist cartoon that should never have gotten on TV in the first place it would be okay?

Sure it would be ok. It'd be a stupid thing to say, but you can say it all you want.

Who is it racist toward or against? Black people get it worse than any race on the show.

Originally Posted by Harmful

If this show was about white kids, who were militant white supremacists with cracker adults, do you think it would see air time?

I'm not even sure what your point is supposed to be.

Originally Posted by Harmful

I dont like any show that uses the word ______ as freely as his one does, whether its written by african americans or not. Look at that, you cant even use the word in this forum without it being censored automatically...

Good to know. However, people can say what they want in this country. No matter how sensitive you get about it.

[Ignatius Prime]

Originally Posted by Benjamin1345

That's a ridiculous comparison. If a Nickelodeon cartoon displayed intense and unnecessary violence and gore, it would be breaking its own goddamn rules--rules the people who write the show were well aware of going in. How is 'The Boondocks' criticizing people, issues, society, et cetera, going against what the show is about? II's not censorship to say, "No, makers of Spongebob Squarepants, this episode cannot be about the female orgasm." This, on the other hand, is obviously censorship.

No, it isn't. Learn what "censorship" means.

The government telling a newspaper it cannot print a story is censorship.

A television network deciding not to air an episode of a show it broadcasts is not censorship. It is a business decision. The decision may be stupid and pointless, to be sure, but calling this idiocy "censorship" debases the concept, and by extension those who fight against it.

Cartoon Network has every right not to air episodes of television shows on its schedule, just as you have every right to choose not to watch their programming if you disagree with their decision. But don't pretend that something as idiotic as whether or not CN airs two episodes of its best show because they're afraid of getting their asses sued into the ground is anywhere close to as terrible as actual censorship.

"Censorship" is a totalitarian abuse of basic human rights by a governmental agency. This is a one giant media company deciding not to fight with another.

KNOW WHAT WORDS MEAN BEFORE YOU USE THEM.

[Dalarsco2]

Originally Posted by projectnrm

Have you watched "the Boondocks"?

Ya. Sometimes it goes too far in trying to make white guys look evil, but most of the time it's hilarious. It's like a very black South Park with really good anime-inspired animation.

[Harmful]

Originally Posted by GenerallZodd

Who is it racist toward or against? Black people get it worse than any race on the show.
.

Exactly my point, it promotes racism towards blacks, and promulgates the stereotypes so many white people complain of, and reinforces their beliefs that this is how african americans are. I mean its written and produced by a black guy, so it must be true...right?

Sure its a funny show, but that doesnt make it right.

Lets take my premise another way since you dont like using white supremacists. How about if the characters were all Jews? Would it be aired then? No, but since its blacks its okay...