The controversy and fallout from Postcards from Buster just keeps rippling ever outward into American politics and popular culture. PBS chief, Pat Mitchell has fallen on her sword after Secretary Margaret Spellings tore out her windpipe over the ‘lesbian’ Sugartime episode of the series. Now, PBS executives are scurrying for cover as they try to deflect blame or credit for their abject capitulation to the Bushite philistines.
Clips from ‘Sugartime’ episode and statement
from Postcards from Buster senior editor
(credit: Ryanne’s Video Blog)
Rep. Barney Frank wrote an irate letter to Spellings taking her to task for insulting millions of American homosexuals by saying they aren’t fit airing on America’s public network.
Even more troubling is that a Buster senior editor worries that the entire series is in jeopardy because the government will never fund it again and no corporate sponsors will step in to save it. All the Buster staff and producers have scattered to other projects and it appears that this show and all of PBS is in terrible disarray. Thanks to Grant, a commenter at Tim Karr’s media blog for pointing me to this wonderful video interview with “Jean D.,” the Buster editor, in which he speaks candidly about the Buster flap and its longterm impact on the staff and PBS in general.
See this earlier post on the Buster imbroglio.
thanks for the link!
good to spread this around.
-ryanne
I watched the Simpsons tonight and was shocked…
…shocked that they felt the need to put a disclaimer about the show containing some scenes about gay marriage.
We’re talking about THE SIMPSONS here.
Things are really out of control in this country.
It’s a culture war, all right, and the rightwingnuts started it!