A&E Renews Racial Slur Using Duane 'Dog' Chapman

HONOLULU — Bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman's TV show will return to the air this summer, months after it was pulled when the reality star used a racial slur in a profanity-laced tirade.

Filming has begun on the fifth season, according to executives with A&E, the cable network that broadcast "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Reruns of the show will start June 25, with new episodes, including ones from the fourth season that have not previously aired, coming a few weeks later.

The show features Chapman and crew chasing down bail jumpers in Hawaii and other states. It was pulled from the air in November when Chapman was heard in a taped phone conversation using a racial slur in reference to his son's girlfriend, who is black.

The Chapman family, A&E executives and a representative from a civil rights organization were part of a carefully choreographed press conference Wednesday to announce the relaunch of the show.

The message: Chapman deserves a second chance.

"It's not about ratings," A&E spokesman Michael Feeney said. "We know his heart. We know him and know he's not a racist."

Scott Lonker, vice president nonfiction and alternative programming at A&E, said viewer demand for the show also weighed in the decision.

Niger Innis, national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality, said Chapman's use of the racial slur was wrong. But he noted that Chapman "took ownership of the harm it caused" and "sought to turn his life around."

Alphonso Braggs, Hawaii chapter president of the NAACP, disagreed, saying Chapman got off lightly for behavior that is "absolutely unacceptable."

"If individuals see they are able to behave inappropriately with little or no consequence, they will continue that pattern," he said.

Chapman, in his trademark sunglasses and badge, signed a copy of his book, "You Can Run But You Can't Hide" at the media-only event and said he was "ashamed" by his racial comments.

He said he has received counseling and reached out to blacks, speaking at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event and participating in a toy drive.

"There was one perfect person, and they called him Jesus Christ," Chapman said. "You have to ... realize that everyone is human, and you can err."

His wife, Beth, said her husband's use of the racial slur was not a reflection of the family's feelings and vowed it would not set them back.

"We're Chapmans, and we're fighters," she said. "And brother, we're not going to settle in our setbacks. We're going to have a comeback."

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Comments

[Cowtippin]

Ok I for one am really sick of all you judging a white man for using the "N" word when we have black entertainers and rappers dropping the "N" word like they are saying hello. The real issue here is that black people have forgotten what the "N" word really means.....and now for some unknown crazy reason black people seem to think that it's ok to use the "N" word as long as it's used to make money....but heaven forbid if a white man uses the "N" word. Look why don't black people fess up that the screwed up and stop using the word all together. Because in my book the "N" word takes us all back to when black people were slaves. So keep using that word and you people will never progress

[Bluedog12]

Mcain is looking for a running mate. Dog just has to dump the mullet .

[Blutus]

What you cannot change is the passage of time.

All of us are running out of time.

Do you really have time for such dreck??

Read a book, take a walk, play an instrument.

Turn this crap OFF!

[Flick08]

This show provides a weird kind of balance. If UPN and the WB only air shows of blacks in minstrel type behavior it's only fair that there's a show that's pure white trash to even things out a bit.

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

I never liked Dog, even before his racism appeared. His show is just a glorified version of Cops, except he's more sanctimonious. He always talks in black and white (no pun intended) terms, labeling everyone he's going after a "bad guy" (even though he was a bad guy himself once), and his constant praying seems like it's done for the camera and nothing else. It wouldn't surprise me if he ran as a Republican someday.

[citizenofmars]

Great! I can't wait to see how many homeless Hawaiian kids get busted for not showing up for their "trial" before hostile Japanese judges, who throw away the key for minor pot infractions and 'fighting'. Hawaiian "Justice" is one of the most corrupt excuses for a legal system anywhere in the USA. Chapman's just another cog in a broken, dishonest legal merry-go-round that entraps kids like flypaper captures flies. Fuck him and the rest of the crooks who rake in the cash from poverty stricken natives whose only crime was trying to "feel good". And we won't even mention the medieval conditions inside Hawaiian prisons. Paradise, my ASS...

[Counterglow]

Maybe A&E should consider a name change. This racist pig is neither artistic nor entertaining.

[MoeSart]

What do you want to do? Charge him with a HATE CRIME? Put him in jail?

Take his money away? Put a scarlet letter on his forehead?

The left wing crazy are as full as hate as the right wing crazy are. Same kind of crazy.

[HeyFella]

This has nothing to do with being left wing or right wing, Dolt!

[MajorKong]

How about taking his crappy TV show off the air?

[ilovedessert]

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ART & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK, MOST OF IT'S OFFERINGS A CRAP, JUST TO GET HIEGHER RATINGS A&E, WAS CREATED AS THE MERGER OF THE ART CHANNEL AND THE ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL YEARS AGO. THEY DECIDED THEY WANTED A BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE, NOW I NOLONGER WATCH THE CHANNEL AT ALL, IT WENT FORM BEING PBS TO BEING CRAP!

[protagonia]

ilovedessert,

They have been turned into shit by an infiltration. They are rotten inside and now outside as well. All redesigned for mean, stupid people.

[BroMan]

Why did he have to receive counseling if he really, truly felt no ill will (my words) toward blacks? Also, he apologized and put his actions where he mouth "was." Whether or not his contrition was sincere for ratings, some people don't even do that. I'm sure he feels horrible because he got caught saying some stuff that wasn't very nice. I would too.

[JoJoW]

As an African American I think he does deserve a second chance. We all know people of all colors say terrible things behind closed doors. This is something he said in a private conversation and I personally don't think he should have ever been taken off the air because he got caught. If everyone was fired from their job because of saying something stupid, we'd all be at home. Our people are stronger than words and we can be forgiving.

[CaptainSunshine]

As an African American, I agree with you. This man needs a second chance.

[bob5701]

The top rated show in West Virginia.

[pzdoff]

A&E.....glorifying assholes for your entertainment.

[Horus]

"Niger Innis, national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality, said Chapman's use of the racial slur was wrong."

Okay I know its pronounced "Nigh-gur", but if that was my name growing up I bet I would've become the national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality too!

[Hydro74]

this is one of those "do i laugh or do i not" punch lines...

[jgalvan]

Scraping the bottom of the barrel eh? Should win a Emmy for this one A&E!