Profanity in 'Doonesbury' Rankles Papers

Edit (Moderator): Moved from Human Interest to General News.

Link : http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=757&e=10&u=/ap/20041029/ap_on_el_pr/doonesbury_flap

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - At least 20 newspapers are objecting to Saturday's "Doonesbury" comic strip because it features a profanity, uttered in the strip by Vice President Dick Cheney


Dick 'Go F**k yourself' Cheney


Editors told Universal Press Syndicate, the comic strip's distributor, that if their reporters aren't allowed to use profanity in stories, they don't think "Doonesbury" should, either.


In Garry Trudeau's comic, the voice of Cheney directs a caricature of President George Bush (news - web sites) to tell a reporter to "go f--- himself."


A spokesman for Kansas City-based Universal Press Syndicate said at least 20 newspapers have contacted the company to complain about the cartoon for Saturday editions.


"In this particular instance, we have a strip known for strong political satire," said Lee Salem, editor at Universal Press. "In this case, as in many prior instances, we assume editors will make the decision on the local level whether they use it or not."


The comic plays off two controversies. In June, Cheney directed a similar profane comment at Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) during a confrontation on the Senate floor while members were having their annual group picture taken.


The strip also refers to questions about a mysterious bulge in Bush's suit jacket during a recent presidential debate. Some have speculated that the bulge was an audio receiver and that the president was getting messages passed to him. The White House and others have laughed off that suggestion.


In the strip, Cheney's voice is coming into Bush's ear.

if you dont like it.. you know what you can do...


At The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., features editor Alicia Roberts said profanity isn't allowed in the newspaper, and editors aren't making an exception for Trudeau.


Instead, she said the newspaper would put a note on the comics page telling readers they can see the strip if they come to the newspaper's front desk. It also will direct them to a Web site.


"The frustrating thing about it for us is that it becomes a readers relations issue. We have to justify it either way, and we're always going to make someone unhappy," Roberts said.


Salem said no changes ? such as offering an alternative strip for the day ? have been planned as a result of complaints from the newspapers, which are scattered across the country.


The comic is sent to about 1,400 newspapers.