Activists condemn new UPN comedy for civil rights

"This show desensitizes the pain and devastating suffering of slavery," said Ron Wright, pastor of the Emmanuel AME Church in Los Angeles.

"There is no compromise on this. This show need not air," said Danny Bakewell, head of the Brotherhood Crusade civil rights group.

Bakewell and Wright said they plan to organize a protest to demand that the show be kept off the air, and say they will target advertisers if it does appear.

The network has no plans to yank the show, UPN President Dean Valentine told the Los Angeles Times. "We have nothing to feel bad about," he said. "They can march up and down the street all they want to."

The series, set to debut Oct. 5, is a farce about a black English nobleman who winds up as a servant and adviser to Abraham Lincoln.

Chi McBride, who plays Pfeiffer, said he anticipated the controversy but stands by the show.

"If this were a comedy about slavery, I would not be involved," he said.

There are a few jokes referring to slavery in early episodes, including one in which Lincoln's chief of staff sees the title character relaxing in the kitchen and remarks: "The slaves haven't been emancipated yet, Pfeiffer. Get your feet off that table."

Valentine said the pilot was shown to black groups, who "found it incredibly funny."

He said the network has gone out of its way to avoid alienating blacks.

"The last thing we want to do is offend an important part of our constituency."

09-23-98