AN OPEN LETTER TO COMEDY CENTRAL - UPDATED 4-17-06

Dear Comedy Central,

I watched South Park last night (Cartoon Wars, part 2), and I see you decided against airing the image of a cartoon Mohammed handing a salmon helmet to Peter Griffin. You were afraid that Muslims might be offended if they saw something like this:

(click to enlarge)

On the other hand, showing Jesus crapping on the American flag - you didn't have a problem with.

Huh... and to think that - back on July 4th, 2001 - you couldn't have cared less if South Park showed a cartoon image of Mohammed...

Something must've changed between then & now.

Well, I'm not going to make any idle squawkings about not watching Comedy Central any more. I like South Park.

On the other hand, I *did* take note of who bought air time during your capitulation to terrorist threats:

iPod + iTunes

NBA Ballers Phenom

"Fun With Dick and Jane" DVD

Netscape internet service

Amp'd mobile

eXmark LazerZ lawn mowers

Dell

Toyota Camry

"Scary Movie 4" DVD

Gametap

Unless they find somewhere else to spend their advertising budget.

Or unless you re-run the episode uncensored.

Your call.

UPDATE 4-13-06 10:30AM: After reading some of the discussion threads on the South Park BBS, there appears to be some debate as to whether the episode was censored by Comedy Central or if the black screens were done by Matt & Trey to make a point.

Pending confirmation from either party, I think it was both. I don't think the black screens were inserted by Comedy Central in order to prevent the image of Mohammed from appearing, however, I *do* think that at some point CC had actually come out and told Matt & Trey directly that they would not show an image of Mohammed.

I'll speculate further by suggesting that, had CC approved the Mohammed image, Matt & Trey would've included it in the episode and used a different ending sequence. One that made Comedy Central look like defenders of free speech instead of hypocritical jackasses.

UPDATE 4-13-06 1:15PM: I'm giving myself a high-five for guessing correctly that it was both. Stephen Spruiell called CC and asked about the black screen containing the words "Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Mohammed on their network". The response:

"They reflected it accurately. That was a Comedy Central decision."

Now we'll just wait & see how my further speculation pans out.

UPDATE 4-17-06: Don't threaten a boycott of Comedy Central. Threaten their advertisers instead. American Digest explains the principle behind this approach.