Defamer
When NBC's censors approved the following lyrics to air on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, sung by a new character called the "homophobic country-western singer," they couldn't possibly have anticipated any kind of outrage from Christian groups who think that television is nothing but a Godless, flickering hellbox that beams the will of Mephistopheles directly into America's living rooms: "Oh I love you Jesus/But only as a friend./ You touched my heart but I hope/ That's where the touchin' ends. You're always lookin' over me/ When I need a higher power./ But you better look at somethin' else/ When I'm in the shower." But before the singing cowboy's final note had stopped ringing, an organization called Life Decision International was already cc'ing NBC executives on a press release decrying the show's musical reference to an unacceptably pervy Jesus:
"We wonder if O'Brien's description of the character as a 'complete idiot' is based on the man's 'homophobic' beliefs or if it is because of the inference that Jesus could be sexually interested in seeing the man naked," Scott said. "I don't know if the man is a complete idiot, but I do suspect that the writer of the segment is a complete bigot." [...]
Scott has written a letter to Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment, objecting to the airing of this material. "I notice the song was not about a Rabbi. I notice the song was not about Buddha. I notice the song was not about Muhammad. If it had been about any of these, the network would surely have disallowed the airing of such garbage," Scott said in the letter. "But since the song was about Jesus Christ, nothing was done." Scott's letter was copied to Mr. Robert C. Wright, chairman & CEO of NBC Universal, which owns NBC Entertainment, as well as Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman & CEO of General Electric, which owns NBC Universal.
While it's too late to do anything about the song that's already aired, the wording of the statement makes it seems like the offended LDI could be placated if the show would dedicate some time to blaspheming some other religions. In the interest of fostering an ecumenical spirit of equal-opportunity offense, Reilly should suggest that Conan's next "new characters" sketch introduce the Rabbi Who Loves Water Sports and Handsy Buddha, just so that the touchy Christians don't think they're being unfairly picked on.
- Like CBS, The NBC Television Network Blatantly Mocks Christianity [Life Decisions International via Good As You]
Comments
Jesus can check me out in the shower anytime he wants. I love hot, hairy Jewish boys.
Me too jew-jew!
Ah Christains, the most persecuted people on Earth. I am sure my aunt will sign (and forward to me) the inevitable petition against this godlessness.
The Christian Right is like the laugh track on I Love Lucy. They exist to remind us when things are funny.
Rather telltale that the press release puts homophobia in quotes, as though the word doesn't really exist.
I would just love to do down dog with a handsy buddha!
Gives a whole new meaning to "turn the other cheek".
Funny, no one wigged out when South Park had its "Cartman creates a Christian boy band" episode, which was 10X more sacreligious.
Sometimes I think I'm the only Christian with a sense of humor.
Faith Plus One!
C'mon, if Conan had some real balls, he'd swap out "Jesus" with "Muhammed". Give me a pissed off Jesus freak with a fax machine anyday.
There was an old SNL sketch where a preacher on a "700 Club" style show kept describing how great sex with a woman was and his co-host continually tried to turn his stories into allegories about love for Jesus. The preacher got so offended by that idea that he punched the guy out.
Was there a stink raised about that?
Whatever. This whole thing stinks of a Studio 60 plant.
(Am I truly that jaded?)
well it's nice to see Conan has given Ted Haggard a job. and not the kind of "job" Haggard has to pay for.
Brilliant. Jew-jew, thank you for making me laugh until my dog thought I had finally lost it.
Remember those Jesus Helps Kids With Sports figurines? I think now it's time to unveil the long-awaited locker room edition!
Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are good Christian folk doing watching television in the first place? Next thing you know, you'll be telling me they even have their own tv shows. Jesus didn't have an agent, goddammit!
Oh, fuck. Broke character there, sorry.
I figured anybody could see this coming.
Surprisingly Jesus didn't - and He had to buy me a shot at the Spotlight as a result.
I think there's a great market for religious-figure porn... Except the Mohammed character would have to be filmed first-person, through his eyes, so as not to create an image of the prophet.
I mean, you wouldn't want to offend horny followers.
Eteraz has in the past done a Muslim comic, with blank masks for faces. Far be it from me to suggest somebody run with this idea...
Conan did a bit a few years ago with those Jesus sports figurines and people got offended (even though the damned things are real). So he replaced them with figurines of John Lithgow -- Lithgow walking on water, raising the dead, etc.
And duh Jesus is hot and horny. What do you think gets nuns through the night?
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