Dear Log,
This article is so bathetic that I sense I must include it all:
Entertainment: MTV apologizes for Gandhi lampoon
The Associated PressNEW DELHI, India (January 31, 2003 11:58 a.m. EST) - MTV US apologized Friday for offending Indians by airing in the United States a show that lampooned India's revered independence leader, Mohandas K. Gandhi.
"MTV US apologizes if we have offended the people of India and the memory of Mahatma Gandhi," the music channel said in a statement faxed to news media. "Mahatma" means great soul and is an honorific often attached to Gandhi's name.
Nearly 150 lawmakers and political activists had fasted at Gandhi's memorial Thursday to protest against the MTV show they said insulted Gandhi.
The show, "Clone High, USA," has not been aired in India, but a newspaper report about it has upset many Indians who revere Gandhi as a hero and an advocate of nonviolence.
"Clone High, USA" introduces a character called G-Man - a fictitious Gandhi clone who wears dangly earrings, eats junk food and is the ultimate party animal.
MTV US said it had "utmost respect" for Gandhi and that the spoof would not be shown outside the United States.
The MTV Web site, however, carries a picture of the clone caricature and a write-up on the show, which can be accessed world wide.
"MTV US wants to make it clear that 'Clone High' was created and intended for an American audience," the statement said.
"We recognize and respect that various cultures may view this programming differently, and we regret any offense taken by the content in the show," the statement said.
The animated show parodies several historical figures from around the world, including the United States, where this form of comedy is common, MTV US said.
