Cartoon Network shuts down Boston

From Variety.com (AP photo via FOXnews):

NEW YORK -- Suspicious packages blamed for shutting down major roads and bridges around Boston Wednesday turned out to be part of a marketing stunt for Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network.

Reports of suspicious objects with LED lights forced the temporary shutdowns of Interstate 93 out of the city, a bridge between Boston and Cambridge, and a portion of the Charles River. At least one of the nine "suspicious objects" found was detonated by the Boston police.

The objects were devices with magnetic lights resembling a character on Cartoon Network's Aqua Teen Hunger Force, part of a street marketing campaign to promote the show.

Turner released a statement explaining the campaign.

"The 'packages' in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said. "They are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of Adult Swim's animated television show Aqua Team Hunger Force."

"Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards," Turner said. "We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger."

Turner said the campaign has been underway for "two to three weeks" in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

"It's a hoax -- and it's not funny," said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

Kudos to Adult Swim for uncovering the U.S. city with the most uninformed and underworked officials in the entire country (THEY DETONATED ONE! -- it looks like a Lite Brite!) and, at the same time, unassumingly getting more press then they could ever possibly imagine -- and all this leading up to an Aqua Teen movie. Well played, Adult Swim, well played.

As for that last quote, is it me, or does this make Massachusetts politicians look even dumber? Watch Aqua Teen's ratings go up this week. Check that, watch Aqua Teen's ratings SKYROCKET this week.