Saginaw Grant, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, says he had no control over his role in an MTV show in which Indian culture was portrayed in a stereotypical light.

Grant oversaw the cast of The Dudesons in America as they sought to become the "the toughest of the tough, the bravest of the brave" through a series of "Indian" antics. The episode, titled "Cowboys and Findians," was pulled by MTV after complaints from Indian activists.

“When I met with the producers, we discussed several issues and concerns. Many situations were written out or re-worded," Grant told Indian Country Today. "However, as many actors and those in the industry know, including those who have spoken out against me, we can make suggestions and ask for changes as much as we want, however, the creative control is often out of our hands. We often have to hope for the best.”

Grant said the protests might hurt Indian actors and Indian storylines in Hollywood. "I fear that this backlash will be cause for the MTV network and other similar networks to think twice about working with us, or in the horrible alternative, hire other ethnic groups to play our part – meaning we have taken 10 steps forward as Natives in film and television and 12 steps backwards," he told ICT.

Get the Story:
A Native perspective on ‘Cowboys and Findians’ (Indian Country Today 9/7)

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Page Six: MTV pulls 'Cowboys and Findians' episode after protest (07/21)
Opinion: Open season on Indians with MTV Cowboys and Findians (7/19)