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The producer of an upcoming animated Hollywood feature starring the creator of the universe, "The Ten Commandments,"claims Radio Disney censored the words "chosen by God" from a radio ad for the film.Promenade Pictures founder and CEO Frank Yablans-a former partner of Walt Disney himself-told WND he had no choice but to go ahead with Radio Disney's version of his ad after paying for the spot."I could go to jail for what I would like to do to them," the studio pioneer said. "It's just outrageous that in the United States of America they won't allow the name of God."Radio Disney spokeswoman Patti McTeague insists the script change had nothing to do with censoring God. She told WND it was done to make the text understandable and because corporate policy requires including the name of the production company in any ad.The line "Chosen by God" was replaced in the 30-second spot with the line "From Promenade Pictures."Asked to respond to Disney's explanation, Yablans said, "They're saying that now because they got caught with their fingers in the cookie jar."The non-profit Christian legal group Liberty Counsel announced today it has launched a petition drive to ask Radio Disney to "stop its ridiculous censorship of the word 'God.'" Yablans – formerly president of Paramount Pictures where he developed blockbusters such as "The Godfather" and "Chinatown" – said only Radio Disney has chosen to remove "God" from the "Ten Commandments" ads airing on various media outlets. The film opens in theaters Friday."If the script was suitable to everyone else, it was suitable to them," he said. Yablans, who co-founded Buena Vista Pictures with Walt Disney in the late 1950s, said the legendary Mickey Mouse creator would have fired the person who removed "God" from the ad."That's for openers," Yablans said."Better yet, he never would have hired him."'Chosen by God'
In an Oct. 2 e-mail obtained by WND, Radio Disney sales associate Jason Atkinson informed the media representative hired by Promenade, Casey Baker, that the network's broadcast standards and practices department said scripts for the "Ten Commandments" radio spots should "omit the following line: CHOSEN BY GOD."Reached by telephone, Atkinson acknowledged he had heard something about the script change but said he was unsure of the details. When asked specifically about the e-mail he sent, Atkinson said, "I can't comment." Radio Disney's McTeague told WND that Promenade's media buyer accepted the change and placed the spot."We don't change the script for anybody," she said. "We make suggested edits to comply with our guidelines."Nothing in the guidelines, she maintained, would require removing a reference to God.After providing WND with Promenade's original script, McTeague explained that the line "From Promenade Productions" needed to be included, and by inserting it in the place of "chosen by God," it would help prevent confusion in the text. The lines before "chosen by God" listed four of the voice talents, she noted, and listeners mistakenly could take that to mean the actors, not Moses, were "chosen by God."Furthermore, the Radio Disney spokeswoman argued, a line by an actor portraying the voice of God remained in the spot.
The original script Promenade gave Radio Disney is as follows:
CMP HOME ENTERTAINMENT
PROMENADE PICTURESTHE TEN COMMANDMENTS 10/1/07NARR: ANDY GELLERMUSIC: SCORE / 24 UNCOMMON HERO
"EPIC STORY - RADIO" (PRE-STREET) :30 v2
NARR: ONE OF THE GREATEST STORIES OF ALL TIME… IS NOW AN ANIMATED MOVIE EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY…
NARR: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!
God: "Moses, give them my message and they will follow you out of Egypt."
NARR: AN ORDINARY MAN…AN EXTRAORDINARY CALLING!
Moses: "Let my people go!"
NARR: WITH BEN KINGSLEY… CHRISTIAN SLATER…ALFRED MOLINA… AND ELLIOTT GOULD!
NARR: CHOSEN BY GOD…
Moses: "On to the promised land!"
NARR: THE TEN COMMANDMENTSRATED GNow in theatresCHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS....
To read more and listen to the ad go to:
As in the days of Noah.....
