The Cartoon Network has decided to reward creator Aaron McGruder with a new series of the controversial Boondocks, even after Rev. Al Sharpton complained about the recent Martin Luther King episode.
The episode, which aired on the eve of the Martin Luther King holiday, showed the character Huey imagining Dr. King surviving his 1968 assassination and emerging from a coma in the year 2000. Dr. King is so disturbed by what his people have become and in a climatic scene in the episode, he yells out "Will you ignorant niggas please shut the hell up?!"
A statement released by the network said "This episode in no way was meant to offend or 'desecrate' the name of Dr. King."
But Rev. Al Sharpton was less than happy, “Cartoon Network must apologize and also commit to pulling episodes that desecrate black historic figures,” Sharpton said in a statement. “We are totally offended by the continuous use of the “N” word in McGruder’s show. While I can appreciate Mr. McGruder and his achievements, this particular episode is over the line. If we don’t receive an apology, we will picket the corporate headquarters.”
This hasn't lessened the network's interest though. The network’s Adult Swim late night block has ordered 20 more episodes of the series from McGruder's production company Rebel Base and Sony Pictures Television. The show centers around two rambunctious brothers (10-year-old Huey and 8-year-old Riley – both voiced by Regina King), who move from the South Side of Chicago to “The Boondocks” with their grandfather (Robert "Granddad" Freeman, voiced by John Witherspoon).
The show’s Nov. 6, 2005 debut is ranked as the best series premiere in Adult Swim history, while the series itself has consistently ranked among the top programs on basic cable each week among young adult viewers. This month, The Boondocks was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
"Adult Swim's passion for this show has been evident from day one, and we're thrilled to be on this journey together,” said Zack Van Amburg, Co-President of Programming and Production for Sony Pictures Television. “Aaron has created a group of amazing characters that tell entertaining and thought provoking stories, and we are so grateful to have found the perfect home for them.”
New episodes are expected on Adult Swim in late 2006. Ten episodes of the initial 15-episode order have already aired this season.
The episode, which aired on the eve of the Martin Luther King holiday, showed the character Huey imagining Dr. King surviving his 1968 assassination and emerging from a coma in the year 2000. Dr. King is so disturbed by what his people have become and in a climatic scene in the episode, he yells out "Will you ignorant niggas please shut the hell up?!"
A statement released by the network said "This episode in no way was meant to offend or 'desecrate' the name of Dr. King."
But Rev. Al Sharpton was less than happy, “Cartoon Network must apologize and also commit to pulling episodes that desecrate black historic figures,” Sharpton said in a statement. “We are totally offended by the continuous use of the “N” word in McGruder’s show. While I can appreciate Mr. McGruder and his achievements, this particular episode is over the line. If we don’t receive an apology, we will picket the corporate headquarters.”
This hasn't lessened the network's interest though. The network’s Adult Swim late night block has ordered 20 more episodes of the series from McGruder's production company Rebel Base and Sony Pictures Television. The show centers around two rambunctious brothers (10-year-old Huey and 8-year-old Riley – both voiced by Regina King), who move from the South Side of Chicago to “The Boondocks” with their grandfather (Robert "Granddad" Freeman, voiced by John Witherspoon).
The show’s Nov. 6, 2005 debut is ranked as the best series premiere in Adult Swim history, while the series itself has consistently ranked among the top programs on basic cable each week among young adult viewers. This month, The Boondocks was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
"Adult Swim's passion for this show has been evident from day one, and we're thrilled to be on this journey together,” said Zack Van Amburg, Co-President of Programming and Production for Sony Pictures Television. “Aaron has created a group of amazing characters that tell entertaining and thought provoking stories, and we are so grateful to have found the perfect home for them.”
New episodes are expected on Adult Swim in late 2006. Ten episodes of the initial 15-episode order have already aired this season.
