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Buster furor helps me understand TiVo a bit better

Evan Hansen Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Department Editor Evan Hansen runs the Media section at CNET News.com. Before joining CNET he reported on business, technology and the law at American Lawyer Media.
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Evan Hansen

The PBS children's show that dared speak its name--but not show its face--is available for viewing online.

"Sugartime," an episode in the series " "="" rel="noopener nofollow" class="c-regularLink" target="_blank">Postcards from Buster," was scheduled to run Wednesday. The show follows Buster, an animated rabbit, as he visits a family led by two women. Dozens of PBS affiliates decided to pull the program after conservatives, led by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, complained about the "lifestyles portrayed" in the episode.

Of course, scarcely a season goes by without gay references being discovered in (or projected onto) kids' shows, from Teletubbies to Barney the Purple Dinosaur and, most recently, SpongeBob Squarepants.

Is this evidence of a vast media conspiracy? Don't ask me. All I know is that I now I have a reasonable explanation for why TiVo thinks I'm gay: My children love all those shows.