From: robert_c72athotmail@invalid.net   
      
   Pink Freud wrote:   
   > Dog N-Bombs Himself into Hiatus   
   > By Natalie Finn November 1, 2007 at 6:27 am   
   > A federal manhunt couldn't do it. Turns out the only thing that could keep   
   > Duane Chapman down is the Dog himself.   
   >   
   > A&E has suspended production on its hit reality series Dog the Bounty Hunter   
   > in light of some-to put it mildly-racially insensitive remarks its star   
   > looks to have made during a phone conversation with his son Tucker, a   
   > recording of which was duly posted online by the National Enquirer.   
   >   
   > "We take this matter very seriously," A&E, which lent its full support to   
   > Chapman while kidnapping charges were pending against him in Mexico, said in   
   > a statement Wednesday. "Pending an investigation, we have suspended   
   > production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take   
   > appropriate action."   
   >   
   > Here are some snippets from the understandably controversial chat, in which   
   > Chapman-a Hawaii-based bail bondsman by trade-discusses with his son the   
   > repercussions of having a black person around while he and his team use the   
   > N-word (Tucker's girlfriend, Monique Shinnery, is black):   
   > "I'm not taking a chance...not because she's black but because we use the   
   > word n---er sometimes here. I'm not going to take any chance ever in life of   
   > losing everything I've worked for 30 years because some drunken n---er heard   
   > us say n---er and turned us into the Enquirer magazine...I'm not taking that   
   > chance at all never in life. Never..."   
   >   
   > Et cetera.   
   >   
   > Chapman has already tried to make things right, releasing a statement on   
   > Wednesday in which he says that it was the character of his son's girlfriend   
   > that he objected to, not the color of her skin.   
   >   
   > "I have the utmost respect and aloha for black people who have suffered so   
   > much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred," Chapman said. "I did   
   > not mean to add yet another slap in the face to an entire race of people who   
   > have brought so many gifts to this world. I am ashamed of myself and I   
   > pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused.   
   >   
   > "My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended   
   > for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language," he continued. "I am   
   > deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using   
   > such a hateful term in a private phone conversation.   
   >   
   > "I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her   
   > character. However, I should have never used that term."   
   >   
   > Chapman also said that he's been in touch with his spiritual adviser, Rev.   
   > Tim Storey, who is black, and that he'd like to meet with other black   
   > leaders.   
   >   
   > "I know that all of my fans are deeply disappointed in me, as well, as I   
   > have tried to be a model for doing the right thing," he added. "I did not do   
   > the right thing this time, and hope you will forgive me."   
   >   
   > The expletive and slur-laced conversation has already provoked outrage from   
   > civil rights activists, including the Congress for Racial Equality chairman   
   > Roy Innis, who told the Enquirer that Chapman "should not have a show."   
   >   
   > "He needs to answer for his behavior," Innis said. "When someone gets the   
   > opportunity to use the airwaves, he becomes a role model, whether he likes   
   > it or not. Dog Chapman should not be in that position, posing as a good   
   > guy."   
   >   
   > Chapman's reality series, in which he and sons Leland and Duane Lee, as well   
   > as his wife Beth and unrelated pal Tim Chapman go after on-the-run   
   > criminals, is A&E's top-rated series. Dog the Bounty Hunter premiered in   
   > 2004, buoyed largely in part by the footage Chapman's team shot while   
   > hunting convicted rapist Andrew Luster down in Mexico.   
   >   
   > They caught up with Luster in June 2003, after which the felon was sentenced   
   > to more than 100 years in jail, but Chapman was later charged with   
   > deprivation of liberty in Guadalajara.   
   >   
   > All of the charges were dismissed in July after a Mexican court determined   
   > that the case's statute of limitations had expired. However, U.S.   
   > authorities left a $300,000 bond in effect, with a federal prosecutor asking   
   > for more time to evaluate the case.   
   >   
   > http://tv.yahoo.com/dog-the-bounty-hunter/show/36544/news/urn:   
   ewsml:tv.eonline.com:20071101:0354a673_d0b5495c_a1f0_d3837d031db6__ER   
      
   I've been wondering if the recording this whole mess revolves around was   
   a violation of that state's laws on recording phone calls AND if the   
   press reports amount to being an accessory to such a violation. Laws may   
   vary from state to state, but in some, a criminal violation occurs if   
   the other party isn't notified that the conversation is, or may be,   
   being recorded. At one time there was even a requirement for a periodic   
   beep audible to both parties when the conversation was being recorded.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)