al sharpton

Fans of Everybody Hates Chris know that Chris' mother, Rochelle, is a woman who doesn't take any BS from anyone, a "ghetto snob" who isn't afraid to tell you exactly how she feels, and often at full volume. In fact, sometimes she can be -- what's the word I'm looking for? Oh right, a total bitch. That's okay, though, it makes her character stand out from the crowd and creates a nice dynamic between herself and the rest of the family.

As I've said in my reviews of the series, Everybody Hates Chris is highly fictionalized, but as Hunter S. Thompson attempted to demonstrate in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, sometimes fiction can reveal something that's even truer than the truth.

A recent episode of The Boondocks cartoon rubbed Reverend Al Sharpton the wrong way. The episode, called The Return of the King, featured an animated Martin Luther King, Jr. using the "n"-word. The story has King being named a traitor and terrorist sympathizer for his non-violent response to the September 11th attacks. It aired on January 15, the night before the MLK holiday. I didn't see the episode, so I can't tell you exactly how the "n"-word was used.

Sharpton is demanding that Cartoon Network apologize and pull any episodes "that desecrate black historic figures." Cartoon Network released a statement (not an apology), defending Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder. The Network said, "We think Aaron McGruder came up with a thought-provoking way of not only showing Dr. King's bravery but also reminding us of what he stood and fought for."

Al Sharpton still wants to be president, so starring in a sitcom probably isn't a great idea. Or, is it? At least, he doesn't seem to think so. He's putting to rest rumors that he is going to be in a new CBS sitcom called Al in the Family, which was going to focus on what Al Sharpton is best at: being Al Sharpton. It's not like Al hasn't been on television before (other than presidential debates), he had guest appearances on Boston Public and My Wife and Kids. Of course, Rev. Sharpton gave a great quote about why he won't be doing a sitcom, "I'm not interested in being Archie Bunker, I'm looking forward to becoming George Bush." That sounds like an announcement that he's running in 2008, doesn't it?