Earlier today, host and co-founder of the popular
'Comic Book Hater' podcast Schooly G found himself victim of what some are referring to as an act of censorship. While replying to a thread on the
Comic Geek Speak forum entitled ‘
Ask Matt S.,’ Schooly replaced his usual icon with a bastardized form of Matt S.’s own avatar. The original icon depicted Hank Hill (of Fox television’s popular animated program ‘King of the Hill’) with a slightly demonic looking expression, and what has been described as a ‘Santa Hat’ adorning his head. Schooly’s aberration to the original and added a brown image on the lower-left quadrant, placed in the general vicinity of Hill’s mouth.
“It looked kind of like a turd, or maybe a brown penis,” said Schooly’s co-host, DJ Sloofus. “It was pretty crudely drawn, so it was hard to tell exactly what it was. Knowing Schooly as well as I do, I’d be willing to bet that he meant it to be offensive.”
Regardless of intention, the removal caused immediate outrage amongst the internet comic book community. “Schooly has every right to put his own icon up there,” said GrendelFan101, a member of the popular rec.arts.comics newsgroup. “Last time I checked, this was a free country. I guess some parts aren’t as free as the rest.”
Others were not as forgiving. ElricBloodsword, posting on a popular podcasting forum, said “That guy Schooly is an asshole. He was messing with Matt S. before, on the
Comic-Book Haters thread. They should have deleted his entire post, not just the icon.”
Within minutes, the moderators of the CGS forum did just that. Schooly G’s post, which referenced virginity, vaginas and other ‘adult’ topics, was removed from the thread entirely. Sloofus, posting shortly thereafter, attempted to apologize on behalf of his partner. “I wanted to set the slate clean, and try to exonerate myself from any ill will. I’m planning a cookout once the spring starts up, and I was going to ask Matt S. to come to it. I hope this doesn’t make things uncomfortable between him and Schooly, because last year the event was ruined when some of my buddies got drunk and started pissing on the neighbor’s lawn. I hope we can get through this one without any major ‘incidents.’”
Upon hearing of his icon’s deletion, Schooly G. returned to the CGS forum to voice his discontent. “i hope my new icon is acceptable to the NAZIS THAT RUN THIS PLACE!,” he said, in an obviously heated post. No ‘emoticons’ (characters used by grade-schoolers to indicate an expression of feeling) were used, implying that Schooly’s comments were meant to be interpreted ‘as-is.’
According to Sloofus, “I know Schooly was feeling pretty hot at the time, but that may have been a little much. I mean, sure, I’d be pissed if they took my icon down too, but I probably would have just let it go.”
Good Carny Folk was unavailable for comment.
Readers of this blog are invited to make up their own minds as to whether or not Schooly’s revised icon could be deemed ‘offensive.’The Original 
Schooly's variation
