class_A

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...io/4152433.stm

No doubt all those who have complained in advance will still watch the full broadcast so they can then write in to complain immediately afterwards. Please could these people find something more productive to do if they wish to help society.

Jerome

They should match up the pre and post complainers and anyone who complained before and after is sent a short note along the lines of "Are you ******* stupid or what you ******* ****?", but with the correct spelling.

Either that or kill them.

Neil Smalley

I actually think the protesters have a point. If the show depicted Mohammed or Budda in the same way, then it would never be shown and would be called racist.

Compare this with the way that Skih play was handled a few weeks ago.

Just food for thought on this non discriminatory PC culture we live in....

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

The problem is many people are judging before they see it.

If they don't like swearing (which I'm sure there will be a caution in the TV guides and before the show). Then simply don't watch it. Since when do people who can be offending HAVE to watch shows like this? And since when did they have the right in denying other people who may want to watch it and judge for themselves?

Aparrently it's "award winning" Not sure what for (golden ******* globe or a fecking oscar ). So may well be worth watching.

But it does give the Sun (and other gutter press) a good idea of how much of the population they literally control with what they print

Nicci

I had the unfortunate experience of watching the show (the one that will be shown on Saturday), it was filmed on 11 Dec.

I went to see it as it was my friends birthday choice.

I had no idea what to expect, guessed there would be singing and something to do with Jerry.

There was a huge amount of swearing and the Jesus issue, but I didn't find the religion thing offensive.
The first half was ok, sort of like the Jerry show. The second half was dire and is set in hell.

People can just choose not to watch the show if they think it may bother them.

For 15000 to complain before the show is aired when you know they haven't even seen the play is ridiculous, as they don't know exactly what they are complaining about.

gregjd

I've seen it too..took a load of customers from work. Largely agree with Nicci's review... Customers loved it though..Good job as I only thought it was "a bit blue" when I booked it!

It gets on my goat that people can call for something they haven't seen to be banned...smacks of George Bush and bible-belt America IMHO. Fair play on the Beeb for exercising their rights to push the envelope and show stuff like this. I seem to remember as a kid they used to show much more controversial stuff on a weekly basis..Play For Today (Scum, Brimstone & Treacle etc) and so on. My Old Man always let me watch this stuff (I was only 8 or 9 at the time) and I didn't turn out too bad!

Just another example of Daily Mail reading, Small Minded, Middle Englanders if you ask me. They should be made to watch a Jerry Springer/Life Of Brian/Hardcore **** triple bill IMHO!

Lum

I hadn't heard of this and wasn't planning to watch any telly on saturday.
I may watch this now.
Congrats to the BBC on their free marketing.

Nevetas

I've seen it, and I love it. Infact I'm going to see it again!

SJ_Skyline

15,000 complaints......

59,985,000 other people couldn't care less.....


go figure!

Manda_po

Can those of you who have seen it give me a brief explanation of the contentious religious issue please?

Nicci

Manda, because Jesus thinks he may be gay and he wears a nappy as he likes to dress as a baby.

Manda_po

Cheers.

gsm1

I believe he also swears a lot.

Neil Smalley

My point exactly, if it was Mohammand/Budda/Guru Nanak instead, then no way would the program be shown.

class_A

In TV/radio, I believe the complaints departments use a rough formula to work out how many were offended vs. how many take the time to actually write in and complain; 1 letter = 100 offended people sticks in my mind for some reason but I may be way off.

As you say, I think that ratio may be considerably lower in this case

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Even at 100:1, that's still only 0.25% of the population. I say 'screen it', there's always the 'off' switch.

unclebuck

Just saw one of these right wing christian nuts whining and moaning about this.

He said that because Christians were peace loving people they were being taken advantage of. Peace Loving People!!!! LMAO - what about Bush and Blair then?!?

I wouldn't have been interested before, but now I will deffo be watching. LOL

UB

Chins

Have to say your right their Neil.


I'm a happy clappy and dont mind people having a laugh about God and religion, but the BBC feel safe on this one. Lets see them show the play that attracted all the attention over Christmas - they wont as they have not got the b****. Good to see license money been spent looking at Yank crap

TV has loads of offence stuff, but this is the first program where Christians have been made aware of in advance. Everyone has a right to complain. If a show about Princess Di was aired in a very bad light you'd get a few complaints in advance. Where people have an affection for people this will always happen.

Christians regard Jesus as their father - as such seeing him in this light causes offence. People might struggle to comprehend this, but whilst the Springer show doesnt bother me, some of my friends from Church feel insulted. The BBC is also seen within Christian circles to be pretty anti Christian, this show has probably kicked people over the edge.




Jonathan

Happy and Clappy
Thick skinned after wasting 6 years in the military perfecting the art of verbal battles and abuse (also became proficient at cleaning and not needing to have a brain) - shows in my posts.

Suresh

Saw it on stage at the end of 2003 and it cracked me up. Don't remember any content that might be specifically offensive to Christians though. Mind you I'm not that Christian and not that sensitive, so what would I know. Plenty of content that would be offensive to the public in general in fact. The 50% of the population that are offended by the C*** word should better not tune-in

"Dip me in Choc-o-late and feed me to the les-bee-ians"

Suresh

Manda_po

I think the BBC should screen it, and I also think the theatre should have run the one that was objected to a couple of weeks back. In fact, IIRC the official reason it was pulled was for health and safety issues due to the protesters and a London theatre is considering putting it on.

class_A

Doesn't sound any worse than Father Ted!

gsm1

That's just what I heard from a phone-in show on BBC London with this guy called Jon Gaunt. Not saying either way.

What I will say is that I'm sure everyone of you on this thread will be offended by something. Censorship comes into play everyday of our lives. You may not notice it but it's there.

Leslie

I think that Neil Smalley has a perfectly valid point. There are deeply religious Christians who are bound to be offended at the content and they have a right to express those views.

I personally find it disappointing that this so called entertainment has to rely on swearing and obscene language to drag in the crowds. Just like so many modern comedians who are unable to make us laugh with clever humour any more, and feel they have to outdo each other with bad language and lavatory jokes.

The earlier real comedians, the likes of Kenneth Horne, Ted Ray, Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies etc were able to knock us on the floor with their humour which did not use the seriously childish unpleasant attempts at humour but just very clever script writers and their own consummate skills. Even Max Miller was funny without having to go that close to the bone.

The Jerry Springer show basically mimics the lowest form of entertainment by finding losers who are prepared to sell their souls for the money. This so called opera now goes to the very limits in nastiness and religious contention and that can only be for publicity reasons and to get people to watch a pretty sorry spectacle. Not exactly artistic in the full sense of the word, and promises to be a load of rubbish IMHO.

UB, I am prepared to bet that the majority of the millions who were dead against the attack and destruction of Iraq were God fearing Christians.

Les

Nicci

I wont be watching it again, but many of my friends will because of the fuss it has created.

I think BBC2 is going to have high viewing figures tonight, most purely viewing out of curiosity.

Lum

Well I got in late, missed the start, and what little I saw seemed ****, literally, some bloke singing about ****ting his pants.

I imagine other parts are better, but I didn't like the style of music or anything and cant be bothered watching any further.

johnfelstead

people who get wound up about a show like that must be incredibly insecure about their own beliefs and the ability of their fellow humans to use their own imagination and intelect.

Very pleased the BBC didnt cave into presure and showed this, we really are buggered when we get to the stage where religious fanatics dictate what we can see.

That was an entertaining and amusing couple of hours, certainly diferent to what i normally get to watch and made me realise i should go to theatre more often and get more diverse entertainment, even if that means watching some second rate shows along the way.

imlach

Quite right. At worst, it has ignited a debate that surely Christians would love as it gives them airtime to present their views. After all, religion is hardly a populist newsworthy item in this day & age (well, traditional christian religion that is).

Any other opera on BBC2 would have attracted <1m viewers at best. The publicity seems to be a 'win-win' for everyone - the BBC, the Christians, the aethiests, etc.

Don't believe the BBC charter has to stick to Christian beliefs???

john banks

Totally agree John. I have to admit I loved every minute of it

An ex happy clappy Christian, now an atheist and so relieved it isn't true!

Leslie

johnfelstead,

How can you possibly say that those who complained about rubbish like this being shown are insecure in their beliefs. Surely people who are prepared to say what they honestly think in this case are in fact extremely strong in what they feel to be decent behaviour.

You too are entitled to believe what you wish and I would uphold your right to do that. I think that those who think differently to you are also entitled to be respected for their views and they certainly don't deserve to be denigrated for it.

Criticise the facts if you like, but why the people?

Les

johnfelstead

Leslie,

I will critisise anyone who tries to stop people exercising their civil liberties. By all means exercise your right to express the view that you dont like this kind of production, but in doing this you do not have the right to force that view on others and restrict what others can do or see, which was the aim of these groups complaining.

You can not cherry pick freedom of expresion outside the law of the land. If there are laws being broken then they should be upheld, otherwise broadcasters have a duty to exercise their artistic and culteral freedoms within the law and we have a duty to ensure that right continues to be exercised.

With regards to people being insecure about their beliefs, in my experience the people who shout the most about religion are the ones who dont feel secure in the concept that everyone has free will, one of the most fundemental but often ignored concepts of the bible and what a great deal of its teachings are based around. The religeous people who cherry pick sections of their sacred books and use that to try and control other peoples lives around their own beliefs will receive the contempt from me they deserve, be they christian, islamic or liberarchian.

John