As even occasional viewers know, the axiom “almost anything goes” defines the Comedy Central cable network. After all, it is home to Jon Stewart’s mock news report “The Daily Show,” the raunchy cartoon “South Park,” the bizarre situation comedy “The Sarah Silverman Show,” (all of which I’ve been known to watch – for research purposes only, of course), and much more.

Many of those shows occasionally slip in humor poking fun at Jews (often barbs delivered by Jews who actually know what they’re talking about). This week, the network simultaneously took one step forward and one step backwards when answering the legitimate concerns of Jews and others about a new video game on its website.

The game, originally called “I.S.R.A.E.L. Attack,” was renamed “Drawn Together: The Movie: The Game.” Also eliminated from its program is its once incredibly offensive beginning. Until a few days ago, the lead character would declare, “You lied to me, Jew Producer.” Then the Intelligent Smart Robot Animation Eraser Lady (I.S.R.A.E.L.) was sent to murder children along with general mayhem.

Funny?

One is hard pressed to see how any one with any sensitivity would be buckled over in laughter. And why is that only Jews were the target? What, no time to write offensive language about African-Americans, Asian Americans Catholics, Muslims or others?

I’m usually the first to tell fellow Jews to relax and enjoy the joke. But there are limits. And this is one of those times.

Leading the charge against this move by Comedy Central was the media monitoring watchdog Honest Reporting. By week’s start, it had brought more than 2,700 people into its Facebook group called “Comedy Central – I.S.R.A.E.L. Attack game is offensive. Remove it.”

Still, despite the negative publicity, the game still reportedly maintains offensive material relating to Israel killing children. As of Tuesday, I attempted to tap into the game’s new version on the network’s website. That brought up this message: “We’re experiencing some technical difficulties.”

By week’s end one hopes that despite its new title, the game has been expunged from Comedy Central’s archives. If that’s not done, the network’s powers should add mental difficulties to the list of self-inflicted woes.

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