Bush parody banned in Britain

The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Center, a British watchdog group, has banned a commercial that pokes fun at President Bush.

In the offending ad, Bush is shown opening a copy of a video, saying “My favorite -- just pop it in the video player.” He then sticks it into a toaster and burns it. The ad promotes a video and DVD of highlights from “2DTV,” an animated series that mocks politicians and celebrities.

The ad could only be shown, the group said, if the makers sought the president’s permission -- a guideline for the portrayal of living people. “People are entitled not to be exploited for someone else’s commercial gain,” said the group’s director.

Giles Pilbrow, producer of “2DTV,” said requiring satirists to seek permission from their targets was “an idiotic request” that would mean asking Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein if it was all right to caricature them. “I doubt we could get Bin Laden’s permission -- he’s a bit tricky to track down at the moment,” he said.