'Postcards' from edge of morality war

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/1/5 | Peter Hartlaub

[SmithL]

Buster the talking rabbit has brought his video camera to film an Orthodox Jewish family in New York, a Muslim family in Chicago and Pentecostal Christians in North Carolina.

But it was the character's interactions with two lesbian families in Vermont that brought the ire of George Bush's new appointment for education secretary, along with a PBS decision to pull the "Sugartime" episode of the "Postcards From Buster" children's television show from nationwide distribution.

San Francisco public television station KQED received the episode directly from the producers at WGBH in Boston, and it will premiere at 4:30 p. m. Wednesday on Channel 9. At that time, Bay Area viewers may feel let down by the lack of controversial fodder in the episode. An early look at "Sugartime" shows more minutes spent discussing dairy farms, making chocolate chip cookies and draining sap from maple trees than exploring same-sex unions.

"I didn't understand what all the hullabaloo was about. It falls in line with what Buster has done in the past," said Jeff Clarke, KQED's president and chief executive officer, during an interview Monday. "He visits a Mormon family in Utah, and he visits with an African American cowgirl down in Houston. The whole idea is to showcase the local and regional differences that we have around the country."

"Postcards From Buster," a spin-off from the popular "Arthur" series, premiered in October, and is aimed at children ages 4 to 8. It blends animation and live-action footage, with Buster behind the camera as he interviews real-life people and films educational demonstrations. The show has already visited San Francisco twice -- including shows featuring Chinese New Year and some hip-hop dancers -- although no same-sex couples were included.

"Postcards From Buster" is funded in part from ... the U.S. Department of Education.

[SmithL]

Buster, You're So SpongeBob

Your tax dollars at work (and play.)

[madprof98]

"I didn't understand what all the hullabaloo was about. It falls in line with what Buster has done in the past," said Jeff Clarke, KQED's president and chief executive officer, during an interview Monday. "He visits a Mormon family in Utah, and he visits with an African American cowgirl down in Houston. The whole idea is to showcase the local and regional differences that we have around the country."

Mormons, black cowgirls, lesbian lovers . . . maybe he could visit some suicide bombers in the Middle East as well. Really help our kids appreciate the diversity which makes up the human mosaic.