The promised land of prime time nirvana will escape GOD THE DEVIL & BOB in
Salt Lake City, Utah, whose NBC affiliate has refused to air the network's
upcoming animated comedy. KSL-TV VP and general manager Al Henderson said
the station decided to pre-empt the "not-so-heavenly" toon because it "was
not very funny." "We didn't think it was written well," Henderson said. "We
found some of the humor tasteless." The new series follows the
misadventures of Detroit auto worker Bob Alman (voiced by French Stewart),
who finds himself picked by the Devil (Alan Cumming) in a bet with God
(James Garner), to see if humankind is really worth saving. Henderson
stressed that the show wasn't pulled by KSL owner Bonneville Intl. -- which
is owned by the Mormon church -- due to religious issues. In reply to the
accusation of censorship, he declared: "We don't apologize for setting a
standard in what we believe in." In the summer of 1999, KSL also refused to
air animated show, STRESSED ERIC and hasn't run SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE since
becoming an NBC affiliate. NBC has signed with local WB affiliate KUWB to
air GOD THE DEVIL & BOB Saturdays at 10 p.m. KUWB already runs SNL. NBC is
scheduled to preview the show on March 9 at 8:30 pm EST/PST.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
