Jerry Springer play re-ignites arts vs religious s

[jagjit_waheguru]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Pyare jio, the much acclaimed Jerry Springer west end play has re-ignited the Arts vs Religious sentiments debate. In press and on Channel 4 news today, specific attention was given to this. Channel 4 also showed scenes from the Birmingham protests and specifically used them in the context of the news reporting.

The Jerry Springer play has apparently won numerous awards. However it is intentionally controversial. It contains over 270 swear words, plus shows Jesus as a homosexual, and shows him wearing a nappy. I have not seen the play, but these were just points mentioned by the commentators.

The mediawatch spokesperson called the play blasphemous. She specifically said if the play was against Islam, or Hinduism, there would be mass protests. The Church has made a statement, but it is very weak. However media is questioning why when all other religions get upset, why are Christians so weak? It will be very interesting to see what The Mail says tomorrow.

I feel this is an ideal time for Sikhs to join the debate on the side of religious sensitivities, and encourage Christians to be far more vocal against the onslaught of religious mockery in the name of art. Plus it is an ideal opportunity for us to encourage debate on whether the aspiration of freedom of speech should allow plays, depicting individuals like Jesus, shown wearing nappies in the name of mass entertainment.

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[Mahavir]

Sangat Jio,

I think Vaheguru is looking out for us.

Although this Jerry Springer-Opera abuses religious figures, and blasphemes God, it might end up helping our cause. The Arts world was all over the Behzti fallout because they had the violence “hook” to defend the play. I don’t support the violent protest either, but I was still dismayed at the fever pitch response it evoked from the freedom-of-speech thumpers.

The artsy fartsies are going to use the Christian protest, and couple it with the Bezhti protest to warn Britons of the impeding theocracy and march of religious bullies. I suggest we don’t give them too much care. But, the Christian protest is going to give legitimacy to the Sikh voice. Even though many whites will still condemn the Behzti violence, they might have second thoughts about deriding and ridiculing the Sikh viewpoint on the play. It will make them think “Hey, even us whites (Christians) can get angry, so maybe we shouldn’t be so hard on the Sikhs”.

Even though nobody in the arts world is going to speak against the Jerry Springer Opera show, many ordinary, and even non-religious, whites are going to realize that freedom expression should have some responsibilities towards the public, which includes the religious.

If anything, the Christian protest will help soften, and hopefully restore, our public image.

**my suggestion to Sikh leaders: don’t get too involved in the Christian protest, maybe a small statement, but not too much. We don’t want Sikhs to be the symbol of anit-freedom in Britain.

[Khalsa4ever]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Last time I checked, that loser spent all his time trying to figure out women from transvestites. Ignore him. People like that are everywhere, but most have the sense to laugh at everything he is, says, or does.

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

[>Bikramjit Singh<]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Last time I checked, that loser spent all his time trying to figure out women from transvestites. Ignore him. People like that are everywhere, but most have the sense to laugh at everything he is, says, or does.

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Veerji I don't think Jerry Springer wrote or had anything to do with the opera. It's based on his show that's all. The best slant that Sikhs should take is that they are not against freedom of speech but PUBLIC MONEY is being used to give this show wider coverage. This was also the case with Behzti because the people staging that play received PUBLIC MONEY from the local council. This is one of the similarities between the two issues. Why should my taxes be used to fund a play that abuses and mocks my religion?

GurFateh

Bikramjit

[Khalsa4ever]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Last time I checked, that loser spent all his time trying to figure out women from transvestites. Ignore him. People like that are everywhere, but most have the sense to laugh at everything he is, says, or does.

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Veerji I don't think Jerry Springer wrote or had anything to do with the opera. It's based on his show that's all. The best slant that Sikhs should take is that they are not against freedom of speech but PUBLIC MONEY is being used to give this show wider coverage. This was also the case with Behzti because the people staging that play received PUBLIC MONEY from the local council. This is one of the similarities between the two issues. Why should my taxes be

used to fund a play that abuses and mocks my religion?

GurFateh

Bikramjit

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

good point! :T:

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

[H4RPAL]

Society should have the duty not to favour one way of life over another, it should be left to citizens to make the choice of their own lifestyles, and thus society should only invoolve itself in such matters where there is conflict in such views. On both of these instances, the use of public money to fund such arts propogates the freedom of speech, artistic lifestyle over the religious, more sensitive lifestyle. We should be playing this angle- that we are losing freedom of choice, as the state is propogating certain beliefs at the expense of others. We have tried various approaches in this issue to turn the tide against us, but all have seemingly failed. This could help us with the opening we need.

What do you all think? :T:

[Guest rsingh]

its all ready got 40,000 complaints yet it hasnt been shown. this is in coontrast with another program the BBC censored a few weeks back, when womens groups compalined and the edited whol story line to please them.

highest number of complaints against bbc had been 15000 odd, this is outstanding.

Protesters oppose planned BBC broadcast of Jerry Springer opera

Christian protesters set fire to their television licenses outside the BBC's London offices on Friday as outrage spread over the public broadcaster's plans to air a profanity-laden musical. In the award-winning London show Jerry Springer--The Opera, viewers can watch a diaper fetishist confess all to his true love, catch a tap dance routine by the Ku Klux Klan, and see Jesus and the devil locked in a swearing match. Michael Reid, a pastor and self-styled bishop who organized the peaceful demonstration ahead of the airing on Saturday evening, called the musical "filth." "The use of foul language together with mocking Jesus Christ and portraying him wearing a nappy with sequins is highly offensive to Christians, and we felt that it was totally wrong," he told Reuters. He said the British Broadcasting Corporation, which is funded by license fees from the public, would not risk upsetting minority faiths in Britain like Islam or Buddhism. "Because we are Christians, they think we are fair game for any insults," he added after dozens of people burned licenses.

The spat, which has made front-page news in the British ta

bloid press, comes less than a month after hundreds of angry Sikh protesters stormed a theater in Birmingham and forced it to scrap a play depicting sexual abuse in a Sikh temple. U.S. actor David Soul, who stars in the musical, went on air to defend the BBC's decision, which has prompted over 30,000 complaints from the public even before it has been shown. "Believe me, this show would never have gotten to where it is today if it was simply about blasphemy and bad language," he told BBC radio. "I'm a Christian, and I certainly don't see it as blasphemy at all," said Soul, famous for his role in the Starsky and Hutch police series.

The musical, written by British composer Richard Thomas and comedian Stewart Lee, is based on Springer's brash American talk show whose lurid topics ranged from "Honey, I'm a Call Girl" to "Bring on the Bisexuals." Religious leaders fear the hundreds of swear words the Springer show contains would cause offense when broadcast. Ofcom, the independent regulator of television and radio in Britain, said it had received 7,000 complaints so far. The next highest total was in 1995, when 1,600 people contacted Ofcom's predecessor to complain about the airing of the controversial movie The Last Temptation of Christ. "The level of protest is unprecedented," John Beyer, director of viewers' lobby group Mediawatch, told Reuters. "An awful lot of people who pay their license fee wonder if this should be put on."

British viewers pay around 120 pounds ($225) a year for their color television licenses. A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation had no plans to take the show off the air, despite receiving approximately 30,000 e-mails, calls, and letters, the vast majority of which were critical. "People say to us, 'Why can't you treat us like adults, it's our choice, why don't you let us choose what we see and hear?'" said BBC director general Mark Thompson. "We get attacked from both sides on this. The key thing for us is our commitment to

the watershed, which is a commitment that programs shown before 9 o'clock will be suitable for children to watch in a family context," he told the BBC. From the archives of The Advocate

11/26/03: Springer fever

Trust a team of gay men to dazzle London with a stylish little romp called Jerry Springer--The Opera.

By Michael Giltz

http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?id=14.../08/05-01/10/05

BBC boss defends Springer opera

BBC director general Mark Thompson has defended the corporation's decision to screen Jerry Springer - The Opera.

The BBC has received more than 40,000 complaints - mostly about swearing levels and the show's religious themes.

Mr Thompson, himself a practising Christian, said he believed there was nothing blasphemous in the production, to be aired on BBC Two on Saturday.

The Christian People's Alliance Party is demanding the controller of BBC 2 be suspended over the decision to show it.

Party leader Alan Craig said he wanted an investigation into why channel chief Roly Keating had "deliberately breached the BBC's own charter guidelines on taste and decency".

He added: "I've seen it and it's deeply offensive, not only to Christians but to Muslims and other people of faith.

"It deliberately mocks, vilifies and derides Jesus Christ."

Mr Thompson said the show, which has also prompted a record 5,500 complaints to television watchdogs, was going out after the watershed with "very, very clear" warnings about strong language.

Mr Thompson said the corporation usually got more complaints when it edited out obscenities than it did when it let expletives go out uncut.

"This will enable people who haven't been able to see it on stage to see it," the director general said, adding that a programme would be shown beforehand to put the show into context.

"People say to us 'why can't you treat us like adults, it's our choice, why don't you let us choose what we see and hear?'" he said.

There is nothing in this which I believe to be blasphemous

Mark Thompson

BBC director general

"We get attacked from both sides on this - the key thing for us is our commitment to the watershed, which is a commitment that programmes shown before nine o'clock will be suitable for children to watch in a family context."

David Soul, star of the West End hit, has also spoken in favour of the BBC's decision to broadcast the show.

"It wouldn't have got where it is if it was about blasphemy and language," the former Starsky and Hutch actor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

But he added that the its detractors had a right to air their views.

TV clean-up campaign group Mediawatch-UK has attacked the show because of the high level of swearing and its religious content.

A number of small demonstrations were held outside the BBC's Television Centre in Shepherd's Bush, west London, on Friday, with another protest outside the corporation's offices in the Mailbox centre in Birmingham.

One protester in London, Frank Saunders, a security manager from Brentwood, Essex, said: "It's the last straw. A lot of people in this country feel the same. The standards of broadcastin

g have slipped far too low. People don't agree, they're just tolerating it."

A reported total of 8,000 obscenities was reached by adding every swear word sung by each member of the 27-strong chorus.

Soul, who plays the TV talk show host in the musical, said he was "very proud" to be associated with it.

"There is some shock value, but it's the interplay of the characters that brings the humour," he said.

'Differing tastes'

The BBC has said the show is "boundary-breaking" and admitted it will not appeal to some tastes.

But warnings about the language will be given before it is broadcast at 2200 GMT.

The National Secular Society has also defended the BBC's right to screen it, urging the BBC not to give in to "religious bullies".

Vice president Terry Sanderson said: "This organised attack is the latest of a series of attempts by religious interests to control what we can see or say in this country."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/t...dio/4154071.stm

[sikhlionz]

overall i think as a community we need to be reducing media attention on us but we should still be allying ourselves with our christian counterparts in taking a stand against gratuitous religious offence. While i don't think we should take to the streets or do silly crank calls to bbc directors like they are i do think we should send in complaints to ofcom and the bbc supporting our christian counterparts in their view that our licence fee is being thrown on stupid blasphemous programmes that do nothing but cause offence. After watching the programme- it was the biggest waste of time since i was last forced by the family to sit through a bollywood flick. Only watched it to complain afterwards :wub: You don't need to cause offence to be funny... if causing offence in the name of comedy is ok then will BBC 2 be bringing back Bernard Manning? Your choice- complain or brace yourselves for similar programmes doing nindia of us lot.

Ofcom:

Tel: 0845 456 3000

contact@ofcom.org.uk

BBC:

Ring: 08700 100 222

E-mail: info@bbc.co.uk

The programme: Jerry Springer: The Opera

Time: Saturday 8/1/05 BBC2 9PM-12AM

Some of the offence caused: Jesus is described as "the hypocrite son of the fascist on high" (referring to God). Mary is described as having been "raped by God". Jesus admits he's a "bit Gay", wears a nappy and enjoys soiling himself. Crosses being burned by KKK actors.

[Guest rsingh]

well there taking it to court it was on News.

its quite shocking......

The show was reported to contain a total of 8,000 obscenities - a total reached by adding every swear word sung by each member of the 27-strong chorus

The Conservatives also joined the attack on the screening, with deputy leader Michael Ancram saying the BBC had a duty to exercise caution.

But a BBC spokesperson said the number was less than 300 and was arrived at "even using the broadest definition of an offensive word".

Director general Mark Thompson, himself a practising Christian, said he believed there was nothing blasphemous in the production and was going out after the watershed with "very, very clear" warnings about strong language.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/t...dio/4159217.stm