-
May 15, 2008 1:12 pm US/Eastern
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
Boston Publisher Upset Over Curious George Shirts
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
The Boston-based publisher of the popular children book's series "Curious George" is considering legal action against a Georgia bar owner for selling T-shirts that link Sen. Barack Obama to the monkey.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is upset with Mike Norman, owner of a Marietta, Ga., bar, for selling the shirts which show Curious George peeling a banana with "Obama in '08" printed beneath the image.
"Houghton Mifflin Harcourt did not nor would we ever authorize or approve this use of the Curious George character, which we find offensive and utterly out of keeping with the values Curious George represents," said Richard Blake, the company's spokesman. "We are monitoring the situation and weighing all of our options."
Norman, who began selling the shirts in late April, has said they are not meant to be racist. He said he thinks the Democratic presidential candidate and the character "look so much alike."
Bill Nigut, southeast regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said Norman is being disingenuous.
"He can pretend he doesn't understand what the message of that T-shirt is, but he knows full well that's an offensive and demeaning stereotype used to insult African-Americans," Nigut said. He called on citizens not to buy the T-shirts, but stopped short of calling for a boycott of Norman's business or denying him to speak out.
"His speech is protected, but that doesn't mean that it's appropriate and that doesn't mean it's not hateful," Nigut said.
WGBH-TV in Boston co-produces a Curious George cartoon for PBS. In a statement to WBZ Thursday, they were also disturbed by the shirts.
"We consider this depiction to be offensive and deplorable … WGBH did not and would not authorize use of Curious George image in this way."
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)