REV. AL SHARPTON CALLS FOR CARTOON NETWORK & AARON MCGRUDER TO APOLOGIZE
FOR DESECRATING THE NAME OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BY AIRING A
TASTELESS " BOONDOCKS EPISODE" ON KING DAY

New York, NY (Tuesday, January 24, 2006) ---Reverend Al Sharpton is
calling upon Cartoon Network and Aaron McGruder to apologize for
desecrating the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Monday, January
16th, Cartoon Network marked Martin Luther King Day by premiering a
"Boondocks" episode by Aaron McGruder entitled, "The Return of the King,"
which featured the civil rights pioneer emerging from a coma and having to
deal with post 9/11 America. Reverend Al Sharpton, who is one of the
country's foremost leaders for civil rights, is calling upon Cartoon
Network to apologize and to discontinue airing this episode. According to
Sharpton: "Cartoon Network must apologize and also commit to pulling
episodes that desecrate Black historic figures. 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."