BBC's musical Jesus sows discord

[rooboy]

Plans to broadcast a London musical that features a nappy-wearing Jesus who admits he is "a bit gay" have sparked a record 5500 complaints to the BBC.

The national broadcaster nevertheless vowed to go ahead with its plan to show Jerry Springer: the Opera, based on the controversial US talk show starring David Soul of Starsky and Hutch fame, and which is still playing to packed houses in London's West End.

"It is a serious work," a BBC spokeswoman said. "People who can't get to London to see it at the theatre can now see it in their own home. It will transmit well after the 9 o'clock watershed and carry appropriate warnings."

The opera contains a total of 3168 references to the word f--- and 297 to c---. The expletive-laden songs include Pregnant by a Transsexual and Here Come the Hookers.

British media regulator Ofcom said it had received 5500 complaints about the plan to broadcast the show, which is due to be screened today as the centrepiece of Jerry Springer Night on BBC2.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/01/07/1104832306538.html?oneclick=true

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. See also some discussion in the UK forum

here.

The swear word count is arrived at by multiplying the number of people in the chorus (27) by their words - pity, I was looking forward to seeing how they could fill and entire opera with swear words.

[daleo]

7. So in reality about 120 or so f___'s and a dozen c___'s. n/t

About on par with an episode of South Park.

[tx_dem41]

2. WTF? 3168 references to the word f___?!?!? n/t

[da_chimperor]

3. I'm watching that tomorrow night, and I don't know what to expect

I heard earlier today on the BBC that the number of complains was more like 15,000. In any case, I think I'll enjoy it.

edit: I got the day wrong.

[eric144]

4. controversy

means money for sicko minds. The problem is, like any other commodity, it has to be dirtier than the last piece of filth.

[da_chimperor]

6. So why do you say that it's a piece of filth?

Don't you think that you could make a better judgment after actually having WATCHED it?

[Jesus H. Christ]

8. It's sicko minds that believe in censorship.

As for the show, I'll bet it's pretty good.

[tx_dem41]

16. But...admit it....you haven't seen it, right?

And when did anybody mention anything about censorship?

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. The story is about censorship

because there are now 30,000 complaints, wanting it to be cancelled because of the swearing and/or 'blasphemy'.

It has been very popular ("still playing to packed houses in London's West End", and that's after nearly 2 years), and: "The show - which is based on the Jerry Springer US talkshow - has picked up a plethora of awards since its debut, including best musical at the Olivier Awards, the Critics' Circle Awards and the Evening Standard Awards." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4023091.stm)

So to say "I'll bet it's pretty good" seems quite reasonable.

[tx_dem41]

18. Doh...you're right...apologies to JHC

Shame on me for commenting without reading the whole story. Sigh.

[livinginphotographs]

5. That's awesome.

Too bad I won't be able to see it.

Can't people recognize tongue-in-cheek?

[jukes]

9. look, he turned down the magdalena...

GAY!

[eric144]

10. silly, sad and tame

"Don't you think that you could make a better judgment after actually having WATCHED it?"

You're kidding. Nappy wearing gay Jesus just sounds like the last piece of twisted petit bourgeois money making drivel. What was it - the Virgin Mary wrapped in barbed wire having sex with a copy of microsoft office xp deluxe edition. Religion in Britain is DEAD, it isn't controversial at all except as a cultural throwback

Why can't the English upper middle classes take the piss out of the environment - how about a play where DDT is sprayed across the the Alaskan Tundra and all the polar bears die like Vietnamese peasants .

The dead bodies could have oil poured over them, set alight and causes massive global warming. All the eskimos (sorry aboriginal snow loving people) would have to flee for their lives and be run over by George Bush or John Kerry and his nice wife in an SUV.


Every person who phoned the BBC to complain ought to have their TV given to poor people in America.


"tongue-in-cheek"

You're kidding, just like Jerry Springer who says his show is like a circus where the people play the animals. Not nice.

I wouldn't ban it, that would just feed the ego of the retard who wrote it.

[da_chimperor]

11. So do you have a point? My guess is no.

You've never seen the show, and rambling on does not make up for that. Enjoy your stay.

[eric144]

12. what

"The opera contains a total of 3168 references to the word f--- and 297 to c---. The expletive-laden songs include Pregnant by a Transsexual and Here Come the Hookers."

You mean I can't deduce anything about it from the above ? Twelve year olds of all ages will be laughing their asses off, that's for certain.

It's just plain infantilism to take a non censorship political stance on garbage like this. Every bit as dumb as the Christians who phoned the BBC.

I also don't have a TV.

[MsTryska]

15. I get your point....

sensationalism for sensationalism itself.


i think this is some sort of Art is Dead comment.

[Jesus H. Christ]

13. Somehow I suspect this guy...

spends a lot of time watching Jerry Springer.

I'm guessing he doesn't understand satire.

[da_chimperor]

14. I'm thinking the same

I, for one, am really looking forward to watching it. The reviews of it have been from good to excellent. http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/reviews/jerryspringer03cambridge.htm