A&E Network Lets 'Dog’ Out
by R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 2/25/2008
That Dog will hunt, again.
A&E Network plans to resume production of its reality series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, nearly four months after suspending the show after racist remarks made by star Duane Chapman — aka Dog — were posted on the Web.
The network has yet to set a return airdate for the show, which follows the exploits of Chapman and his family, who hunt down criminals for rewards.
A&E suspended the show in November after the National Enquirer posted an audio clip of Chapman using the n-word in reference to his son’s girlfriend during a private phone conversation.
“Over the last few months, Duane 'Dog’ Chapman has taken and continues to take the appropriate steps in reaching out to several African-American organizations in an effort to make amends for his private comments to his son which were released publicly,” said the A&E statement. “Since the premise of Dog The Bounty Hunter is about second chances — we have decided to give him one.”
On the audiotape, Chapman is heard using the n-word several times in a telephone conversation with his son Tucker. Chapman expresses his displeasure that Tucker is dating an African-American woman, warning that she could jeopardize the show if she overhears Chapman and his team using the n-word.
Tucker Chapman taped the phone call with his father, and sold it to the Enquirer, according to a report in the Associated Press.
Dog, which had debuted on A&E in 2004, was one of the first reality shows A&E added to its schedule.
