I mean, one was viewed as being supportive of an ongoing terrorist campaign, a touchy subject in both Ireland and the UK, that no TV channel wanted to get involved with, and the other was viewed as a dumb cringe-inducing stereotype.

Imagine the tables were turned and an Irish or British show airing in 2001 had an episode where they appear to be supportive of al-qaeda carrying out 9/11, and another episode where they depict Americans as being fat, uneducated, pickup-driving hillbillies with tacky bleached blonde hair.

I suspect US networks wouldn't show the first episode, but they'd show the other one, even knowing it'd elicit an eye roll and a "Christ, is that really what they think we're like?" from the audience.