Film producers sorry for jokes

Ice Cube serves a customer in Barbershop

The producers of hit US film Barbershop have apologised for including a series of jokes about civil rights leaders.

The film, at number one in the North American box office chart, stars hip-hop performer Ice Cube as a man who inherits a Chicago barbershop.

It features a cantankerous old barber, played by comedian Cedric The Entertainer, who makes jokes about Martin Luther King's alleged promiscuity.

Civil rights icon: Rosa Parks after being charged in 1955

The character, Eddie, claims Rosa Parks - who famously refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man in 1955 in Alabama - only took the credit for what she did because she was connected to a leading pressure group, and directs a swear word at campaigning politician Jesse Jackson.

Eddie is condemned by the other characters for being disrespectful - but this was not enough for Jesse Jackson, who said the families of King and Parks had been upset by the barbs.

Producers Bob Teitel and George Tillman said they had apologised to Mr Jackson on behalf of everyone involved in the film.

"I completely did not mean to offend anyone," Tillman added.

"We wanted one individual in the shop saying something funny and we wanted everyone to disagree with that person."

Jesse Jackson wants the jokes cut out

Mr Jackson, who ran for election to be the Democrats' presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988, said the apology was a "step in the right direction".

But he said he also wanted the jokes withdrawn from the video and DVD versions of the film, as well as edits made for TV.

"The apology is an admission and a recognition that they knew they were wrong," he said, accusing the film-makers of "trying to turn tragedy into comedy".

He said he had spoken to Martin Luther King's widow, Coretta Scott King, and son, Martin Luther King III, as well as Rosa Parks' family, and said they were "highly insulted" by the jokes.

Another film-maker, director Malcolm Lee - the cousin of Spike - said the controversy was "a little silly".

"There are a lot of other movies that do a lot more damage to the black community," he said.

No UK release date has yet been confirmed for the film, which also stars Eve and Sean Patrick Thomas.