Entertainment

FLASHBACK: Czech Republic Refused North Korean Demands To Ban ‘Team America’

Alex Griswold Media Reporter
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Here’s an old story with modern implications: back in 2005, the Czech Republic refused North Korean demands that the movie “Team America: World Police” be banned for its depiction of then-leader Kim Jung-Il. (RELATED: US Links North Korea To Sony Hack, ‘The Interview’ Terror Threat)

The movie, written and directed by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, depicted Kim as a power-hungry and comically inept dictator bent on world domination (and secretly an alien cockroach). “It harms the image of our country,” a North Korean diplomat said according to the Associated Press. “Such behavior is not part of our country’s political culture. Therefore, we want the film to be banned.”

The Czechs refused. “We told them it’s an unrealistic wish,” said a government spokesman. “Obviously, it’s absurd to demand that in a democratic country.” (VIDEO: Gene Simmons On Sony Hack: ‘Cyber War Has Been Declared’)

Obviously, there’s a difference between the government banning a film, and independent companies doing the same. But perhaps Sony, Paramount, and the countless theater chains should be taking notes on how to deal with threats from brutal dictatorships.

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