NBC tangles with affiliates over 'God, the Devil and Bob'

From Lauren Hunter
CNN Entertainment News Correspondent

March 10, 2000
Web posted at: 4:53 p.m. EST (2153 GMT)

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- "Hi, I'm your maker, and this is the evil one." That's hardly your typical pickup line. But then again, "God, the Devil and Bob" is not your typical animated comedy.

In the show's series premiere Thursday night, everyday guy Bob met God (voiced by James Garner) in a bar. There, God (who resembles deceased Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia) suggested that Bob might be interested in redeeming mankind.

"You show me that the world's worth saving," God pitched in a Sodom-and-Gomorrah type bargain, "and I'll spare it." Bob took the challenge.

Alan Cummings voices the devil, and French Stewart of "3rd Rock From the Sun" voices Bob.

Some NBC affiliates not amused

Ratings for the premiere were strong, beating all the show's competitors in that time slot.

But not everyone thinks animating God is a good idea. At least nine NBC affiliates have refused to air the show, including KSL in Salt Lake City, the management of which calls the the program's humor "tasteless." Stations in Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana and Mississippi also have declined to broadcast the show.

Some of the stations, citing the show's drinking and sexual references, asked to air the program in late-night hours. NBC said the program must be aired in its regular time slot or not at all. While NBC has more than 220 affiliates nationally, it's rare for network affiliates to shy away from parent programming. Network officials say they're working to find other outlets in those markets.

Religious groups critical

	MESSAGE BOARD
Are you for or against NBC's 'God, the Devil and Bob'? Go to the boards

Some religious groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American Family Association, have also criticized "God, the Devil and Bob," saying it trivializes God.

"This kind of tasteless and trivial portrayal of God does a disservice to the millions of American television viewers who have deeply felt religious beliefs," Nihad Awad, executive director of the American-Islamic council, said Thursday.

The creator of the series, former seminary student Matthew Carlson, says the reaction by the stations and religious groups is unwarranted.

And NBC defends the show, saying it reflects no intention to offend anyone. The show, the network says, "deals with the moral dilemma of good vs. evil in each episode. As such, it follows in the long tradition of entertainment vehicles that comedically depict this universal struggle."

Even divine intervention may not get the show on the air in some markets. But most of the country can reckon with "God, the Devil and Bob" in its regular Tuesday night time slot, beginning March 14.

'God, the Devil and Bob' vs. Salt Lake City, Pocatello
March 7, 2000
Retirement? Not likely, as James Garner gets part of God
March 6, 2000

American Family Association
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
KSL (Salt Lake City NBC affiliate)
KPVI (Pocatello, Idaho NBC affiliate)
NBC
   'God, the Devil and Bob'

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.