Cartoon Network Head Quits Over Mooninite Scare

Jim Samples, General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Cartoon Network, has officially resigned from the Cartoon Network, taking full responsibility for Boston's absurd Mooninite bomb scare.

"It's my hope that my decision allows us to put this chapter behind us and get back to our mission of delivering unrivaled original animated entertainment for consumers of all ages," said Samples, who was the network's general manager and executive vice president.

He said he regretted what had happened and felt "compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch."

We don't really fear for Samples: he'll find another job with no problems. But we think it's sad that he felt compelled to take responsibility for a media frenzy predicated not by any semblance of rationality, but by the abject hysteria and incompetence of Boston's officials.

But there's another lesson here: as cool as we thinking stuff like the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Lite-Brites were as guerilla marketing, it's obviously not a good investment. After all was said and done, Aqua Teen Hunger Force's latest episode only got 6,000 more viewers, at the price of over $2 million to Cartoon Network. That's pathetic. Not even the hilariously illogical world of print mag advertisement will pay $2 million for 12,000 eyeballs, give or take the stray puncture victim.

Cartoon Network Head Quits [Time] (Thanks, Evan!)