From the Stupid to the Ridiculous

By now, I'm sure you've all heard about how two hippies shut down Boston last week by putting up the above "Lite Brite" around the city as a promotion for a show on the Cartoon Network. Yes, the same device was also posted in other cities without incident, and Turner Broadcasting System, Cartoon Network's parent company, and a contractor have now agreed to pay Boston $2 million to reimburse the city. And yes, criminal charges have been filed against the two gentlemen who put up the devices (although these appear inane as the individuals clearly lacked the requisite intent and, for the most part, stupidity is not a crime).

But just when the story could get no more idiotic, or so I thought, I had MSNBC on this weekend and during a story on this incident, they showed the device pictured above but blurred out its left hand because the character is, it appears, attempting to make an obscene gesture. That a network feels the need to do this is simply risible, and if the FCC received any complaints about people who saw the unedited Lite Brite, these people need some serious help. Just too ridiculous.