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November 6: Boondocks creator skips rock stations including 99X for interviews
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to a story by former WAOK-AM talker Rob Redding in “Editor & Publisher,” Aaron McGruder, creator of the new TV show “The Boondocks,” abruptly cancelled on three radio stations including 99X, saying he was unfamiliar with them. The story makes it clear McGruder wasn’t shunning them because they were geared to a white audience but it could be interpreted that way.
Wally, producer of the 99X morning show, told me they didn’t make a big deal out of it on the air but did mention in passing that McGruder was favoring urban stations over rock ones. “I don’t know if it was a racial thing more than a format thing,” he said.
Comments
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By Keena Hunt
November 7, 2005 11:38 AM | Link to this
Actually, I heard the 99X radio broadcast on Friday, November 4, 2005 concerning Mr.Aaron McGruder. And I would have to say that a big deal was made about that fact that Mr McGruder cancelled his radio appearance at the last minute and that this cancellation was due to racial issues. As a matter of fact, the morning cast commented several times that Mr. McGruder would not call in to their show because the cast of 99X is white. Furthermore, one of the disc jockeys stated this morning that they heard specifically from Mr. McGruder’s publicist that he cancelled the 99X interview because he wanted to only interview with “black” stations.
By Kemi Lane (Keminications.com) ATL Media Gossip Cafe
November 7, 2005 12:25 PM | Link to this
I moved here 2 years ago from Baltimore, MD and have known Aaron since he started sketching that boy “Huey” in his dorm at University of Maryland. I think it’s a BIG mistake that he’s only doing Urban stations. I will do all the media…..It’s not every day an urban cartoon makes it to TV and besides, I would tell the so called “white” stations why Im the angriest black man in America and why Im angry.It’s good for ratings Rodney! …And for Pete’s sake this is November…Sweeps/Ratings season!
By Rafiq Jennings
November 16, 2005 08:16 AM | Link to this
Aside from race, perhaps Aaron McGruder doesn’t realize that rock music was a Black art form (i.e.Jimi Hendrix).
By BJ
November 17, 2005 02:58 PM | Link to this
I enjoy the Boondocks comic and now the show.
You just feed the frenzy of theories wondering why he cancelled the shows. Any publicity, good or bad, is publicity period. This got enough attention to get a blog about it and for that station to talk about him and the show without having to appear. I say his plan to get his name and show out there to the audience worked.