BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Electronic light boards featuring an adult-cartoon character triggered bomb scares around Boston on Wednesday, spurring authorities to close two bridges and a stretch of the Charles River before determining the devices were harmless.
Turner Broadcasting Co., the parent company of CNN, said the battery-operated light boards were aimed at promoting the late-night Adult Swim cartoon "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." The devices had been placed around Boston and nine other cities as part of an "outdoor marketing campaign," a company statement said.
The devices displayed one of the "Mooninites," outer-space delinquents who make frequent appearances on the cartoon, greeting passersby with a raised middle finger. Nine were reported around Boston on Wednesday, sending police bomb squads scrambling and snarling traffic and mass transit in one of the largest U.S. cities.
I'm curious to see if they air one of thier typically snarky bumps about this tonight.
Well, they apologized. The bump said that as soon as they heard that the ads were being reported as suspicious, they contacted the police and "third party marketing company" to have them remove. They commended the Beantown police for doing a quick job.
*Looks like they are repeating the bump before each show. No music behind it, very silent.
I can picture all the 40+ year old Bostonites calling the local police going, "There's a bomb and it's giving me the finger!" I guess Cartoon Network thought enough people would recognize the Aqua Teen Mooninite character to plaster flickering lightboards of them all over town. Apparently not. I mean, we have those things here in New York, but they aren't under bridges and strange places like these were.
In the end it was handled pretty tastefully and I guess it's a sobering reminder of the times we live in. But it makes me wonder about Adult Swim's success and the kind of business they're hoping to make with the Aqua Teen movie.
Movie Trailer
The Suspects Speak!
*I take back what I said about this being handled tastefully - Boston police arrested Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens, the two men responsible for installing the light boards. Likewise, the police are unsatisfied with Turner Broadcasting's apology, calling it "outrageous" and the product of "corporate greed."
This is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, it was certainly an ill-advised marketing campaign, but there's no reason to arrest people. Go after the corporation, maybe, but jeez. It's a goddamn cartoon.
Didn't take long for someone to make T-Shirts about the whole mess.
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