PANEL CANCELS SITCOM SHOWING; NETWORK, GUILD ISSUES SCUTTLE `PFEIFFER' SCREENING.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Facing objections from the UPN television network and concerns from the Writers Guild, the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission canceled a screening and public hearing Friday for the controversial situation comedy ``The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer.''

Joe Hicks, executive director of the Human Relations Commission, said what was intended as an informal, civil discussion about the television show was being seen mistakenly by some as part of an effort of government censorship.

That backlash caused Hicks to decide to cancel Friday's screening of the program's pilot episode, which had been scheduled before a crowd of civil rights activists at the office of the Writers Guild of America in West Los Angeles.

``It just became untenable,'' Hicks said. ``For one, we were facing legal objections to airing a show that UPN had not decided whether to broadcast.''

UPN representatives did not return calls for comment.

The television comedy, set at the time of the Civil War, has drawn protests from African-American leaders who believe it makes light of slavery.

Concerned that the program was racially divisive, the Los Angeles City Council recently asked the Human Relations Commission to screen the show and make a recommendation about whether it was appropriate for television.

Hicks said the screening was to include the controversial pilot episode, which originally included a scene of two hooded men who had been hanged in England. When African-American activists complained that the scene appeared to depict the lynching of blacks while other characters joked nearby, the scene was edited out of the pilot.

However, the activists continued their protests and the pilot was held back by UPN.

Hicks said he was planning to show the edited version of the pilot at the public hearing, but UPN executives argued that he legally could not show the episode to the public before it was broadcast.

``That did not meet with their approval,'' Hicks said. ``There did appear to be clear legal implications in what we could do.''

In addition, Hicks said some members of the Writers Guild were concerned about allowing one of its screening rooms to be used for a public hearing that some believed might be part of a government effort to censor the show.

Hicks said that concern was voiced despite the Human Relations Commission's neutral stance on the issue and that the screening was being co-sponsored by the nongovernmental Days of Dialogue Project.

``It is a guild of writers who make their living in television and film, and for it to be construed as part of censorship, it was a very difficult thing for them,'' Hicks said.

Cheryl Rhoden of the Writers Guild said the group had agreed to allow its facility to be used for an informal discussion.

``If it is formal, then there is a government process over television and intrusion into free-speech issues,'' Rhoden said. She said the decision to cancel the screening was Hicks' - not the guild's.

Brotherhood Crusade Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr., a leading critic of the show, said he was disappointed the city buckled under to pressure to block the screening. He disputed UPN's claim that it is a legal issue.

``This is a human rights issue. I don't think the Human Relations Commission should be taking its direction from UPN. That saddens me that they would be influenced by them,'' said Bakewell, who led a recent demonstration with 300 people in Hollywood protesting the show.

The cancellation also disappointed City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who had proposed the screening as part of a public dialogue over a television show he denounced as ``distasteful'' and ``racially divisive.''

Ridley-Thomas' proposal for the council to get involved in the debate was denounced by some as an attack on free speech.

Addressing those who opposed the screening, Ridley-Thomas said: ``It calls into question their commitment to the First Amendment and free speech.''

He vowed not to let the situation drop.

``This issue will be discussed,'' Ridley-Thomas said, vowing to address the topic again to the City Council.

Hicks acknowledged that the Human Relations Commission owes the council a report on the television show and said some kind of response will be drafted.

Still, Ridley-Thomas said his goal of keeping the show off the network may be accomplished by dismal ratings.

``The object is to get it off the air. There are several ways to do that,'' he said.

Hicks also said the debate over whether the show is racially divisive may be moot.

``Frankly, it's such a bad show that the public is voting with its channel selectors,'' Hicks said.