Anti-Catholic Jokes on TV

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AmandaPS

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Do letter writing to stations and programs really work?

It seems to me that comedians, talk show hosts, etc, make anti-Catholic jokes, and the audience just laughs it up. What’s got me upset is having Jay Leno on in the background in the other room. And I’m paraphrasing here: “It seems that the abuse scandal at Abu Garaib prison is so sexual in nature that they’re thinking of transfering the commander to another parish.” I hear him making jokes about a lot of things from politics to popular culture so it could be he’s being an equal opertunity insulter; I don’t know.

It may not seem like much, but it was really upsetting.
 
That’s what comedians do. There’s a line that might be crossed and I don’t see that in Jay Leno’s remarks. I actually laughed at it.

I was at a comedy club in Chicago a couple of weeks ago and the comedian started on the Catholic Church, the jokes were funny but then he crossed the line with a sexual abuse joke that was much more vulgar and tasteless than Leno’s. To my surprise, the audience booed AT the comedian - not the content. He changed topics.

If you believe Leno crossed the line, by all means write to your local operator and to NBC. I don’t think you believe he crossed the line though and I don’t believe he did.
 
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AmandaPS:
Do letter writing to stations and programs really work?

It seems to me that comedians, talk show hosts, etc, make anti-Catholic jokes, and the audience just laughs it up. What’s got me upset is having Jay Leno on in the background in the other room. And I’m paraphrasing here: “It seems that the abuse scandal at Abu Garaib prison is so sexual in nature that they’re thinking of transfering the commander to another parish.” I hear him making jokes about a lot of things from politics to popular culture so it could be he’s being an equal opertunity insulter; I don’t know.

It may not seem like much, but it was really upsetting.
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It is upsetting but don’t shoot the messenger. A few of our bishops and priests made a mess. Leno is only refering to that mess; he did not make it. We have to live with it until it is cleaned up. Pick up your cross and carry on!
 
Amanda you are correct there is a very strong anti-Catholic sub-current out there. One thing many successful comedians do is poke fun at our institutions, both civil and social. The Catholic Church is a favorite target today, especially with comics raised in the Catholic faith. Among the many reasons for this is self-deprecating humor. I have no problem with that. I can relate to the ‘nun stories’ and the cultural stuff. However, I would be very upset if our creed was attached, even when the attacker had a smile on his/her face. I often hear Jewish comedians put on an accent and poke fun at there culture, again never the faith.

What I don’t appreciate is ignorance. I get upset when a non-member of a group belittles, puts down or ridicules a member of another group. When they try to get a laugh by making Catholic look less than modern (as if modernity was the ideal), or use another tired stereotype.
 
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AmandaPS:
Do letter writing to stations and programs really work?
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If you’ve ever heard Teresa Tomeo talk she’s really into media issues and really encourages people to write and/or call local radio and television stations and complain about stuff like this.

Leno’s comments may sting a bit but they are not entirely unwarranted. It’s sort of a comedian’s way of saying “this happened and it shouldn’t have”. There’s a lot worse out there, ever check out the Catholic League’s website? They do a great job of putting a light on anit-Catholicism in the media.
 
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AmandaPS:
Do letter writing to stations and programs really work?
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One of my other hangouts is the bicycling.com forum. There have been several instances there where tasteless morning DJ teams on some of the Clear Channel stations have been recommending (facetiously or otherwise) doing bad things to bicyclists on the roads. Quick letter/message-writing campaigns to the stations and Clear Channel have been very effective in obtaining apologies and disciplining some of the DJs. So have letters to the sponsors, copies to the stations.

I am ambivalent about how we should react to things like this. On the one hand, the natural response is to defend ourselves. On the other hand, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer–I have overcome the world,” and “He who wants to live godly in this world will suffer persecution.”

DaveBj
 
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Poisson:
There’s a lot worse out there, ever check out the Catholic League’s website? They do a great job of putting a light on anti-Catholicism in the media.
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Very true! We should all support the Catholic League. Sometimes there are letters we should write or emails to send, but the League is always on the job. Frequently, they let us know when and to whom to write. The League already has a lot of clout, (ask Mel Gibson), and the more we support it, the stronger it will be.

Besides, it is a central location to which infractions can be reported. Check the Website: www.catholicleague.org
You will be glad you did!!!
 
One response may be to laugh. Another is to think. The Army started cleaning up the prisoner mess when they first heard about it in November 2003. By January they had put an end to the practices in question. Since January we have had the unfolding of the story and the slower grind of prosecutions and disciplinary action.

Perhaps they learned from the bishops’ mistakes.
 
Funny thing is, I don’t hear Leno making jokes about “people of color” running down the street carrying a TV after a hurricane (a local radio guy got canned in the 70s for that one). Why is it that Catholics are acceptable targets?

I haven’t watched him since he made a really crass altar boy joke (“The House Transportation Committee is now considering a bill that would allow pilots to carry guns for protection. I’ve got a better idea, why not give guns to altar boys, give them a fighting chance.”). :mad:

And I’m not supposed to be offended because… ? :hmmm:
 
Why is it that the only acceptable group to bash is the Catholic Church?
 
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DaveBj:
There have been several instances there where tasteless morning DJ teams on some of the Clear Channel stations have been recommending (facetiously or otherwise) doing bad things to bicyclists on the roads.

DaveBj
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Why would people want to do bad things to bicyclist? That’s absurd.
 
One reason that we are the only acceptable target is because we hold to the truth no matter what the world says. Then, when the world’s plan comes crashing down, we simple nod our heads and take them back into the fold. We are targets because we are supposed to be targets. Remember being persicuted for Christ? Who says that persacution has to include pain or tourment? Why not mocking and verbal attacks instead?

As far as letter writing goes, it will work if you remember three things. First, get more than one person to write. The more the merrier, stregnth in numbers and all of that. Second, write to the sponsers of the shows, too. Some of them hate us too, but love our money. If they smell a boycott, they change sides fast. Finally, be prepared to be rediculed, mocked, taunted, and all of that. When you are ready to take a stand, the other side will try to scare you off if they can.

And, always pray for the people that you see doing this and the network folks. That is the essence of being a Christian
 
I don’t know if any of you are familiar with Philip Jenkins’ book titled Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice. Jenkins isn’t even Catholic, yet he wrote an entire book about how here in America, anti-Catholicism is not only accepted – but almost embraced. It’s worth checking out.

I don’t think it’s funny at all what Leno had to say. Yes, there have been some awful cases of abuse within the Church, but it’s nothing to laugh about. If we allow these types of jokes to persist, how far do we let them go before they ‘cross the line’? In my opinion – you’re doing the right thing by wanting to write them. We need to try to nip it in the bud before it gets even more out of hand than it is already.
 
Tyler Smedley:
Why is it that the only acceptable group to bash is the Catholic Church?
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The USA is a protestant dominated nation, that’s why.

Besides, leftwingwackoism preaches tolerance to everyone except to those who dare to disagree with their dogmas. With the Church standing firm against abortion, gay unions, etc, the LWW’s hate the Church so no wonder there’s anti-catholicism.
 
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BobCatholic:
Besides, leftwingwackoism preaches tolerance to everyone except to those who dare to disagree with their dogmas. With the Church standing firm against abortion, gay unions, etc, the LWW’s hate the Church so no wonder there’s anti-catholicism.
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Wish the LWW’s would wear their letters on their jacket or shirt as a logo, then I could avoid them. 😃
In the meantime I’ll wear my VRWC badge. 👍

Kotton
 
I’m going to agree with some of the early posters. Comedy is often commentary. Jay Leno didn’t create the mess, he’s commenting on it. When we (as a group) do bad things, we have to take our lumps (comedy- and media-wise) on it. I actually laughed when I read it. And with a new “sex” scandal in the public eye, the commentary seems appropriate, or at least not over the line.
 
One Sunday in his homily the priest at my parish spoke on this issue. His point was that the only kind of discrimination in society that is acceptable is anti-Catholicism. The worst of it is that alot of people in hollywood are Catholic but do not practice it in order to be accepted. John Voight is one example of an practicing Catholic in hollywood but he is the execption. Even Cathoic Actors seem to distance their faith from their work.
 
Ach - it happens all over the world in more and more outlets these days. It’s not a recent thing either to be honest. I don’t know if many will have heard of the Monty Python films, but one of the sketches in this film says (and i quote): “Cold is just God’s way of telling us to burn more Catholics”. Granted the film is based in a time when England was moving from Catholicism as its main religion, but i still get a tad annoyed every time i hear it.

Even worse in the UK is the infernal lack of tolerance to the Catholic church shown by both the media and politicians alike! Last week, head of the Catholic Church in Scotland (Cardinal Keith O’Brien) spoke out against Catholic politicians who support abortions and said “they should not expect to remain full members of the church and should not receive communion”. A perfectly acceptable and expected response? You’d like to think so, but no! Several politicians (some not even of the Faith) spoke out claiming Cardinal O’Briens’ comments were nothing but “inflammatory language” and that he had “no business interfering with party policies” (not that abortion is as big a political and moral issue in the UK as it is over the pond). As well as these politicians, the BBC (the biggest news broadcaster and provider in this place) also attacked the cardinal for perhaps trying to involve the church in matters which were outwith the control of the church. A politician choosing his party may be outwith the Church’s control, but the question must be posed - why are these politicians choosing Catholicism if their morals do not agree with Catholic and even Biblical morals? Now THAT is something the church should be acting on and more power to the Cardinal in my opinion.

Another example was the recent murder of a young Polish girl in Glasgow: Her body was found buried beneath the floorboards of a Catholic Church (St Patricks) in Glasgow. A man was convicted of the murder, yet all the media focus for days here was on the behaviour and actions of the Priest (Father Nugent). He had previously had a sexual relationship with the victim and also lied to the police when asked if he had any knowledge about the trap door in replying “no”. He was dismissed and the Church issued a formal apology, but yet, still, the Catholic Church are being crucified (no pun intended) for the action of this individual.

Wow - i don’t normally go all out and type a lot - yay! 😃
 
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