 Reverend Al Sharpton (qv) publicly criticized  Aaron McGruder (qv) and Adult Swim for this episode. Sharpton felt  that depicting Martin Luther King (qv) using the word "nigga"  would "desecrate black historic figures". He demanded a public  apology and threatened to stage a protest against Time Warner, Adult  Swims parent company. McGruder spoofed Sharptons criticism in  subsequent episodes and in the comic strip the show is based on.