To quote Monty Python's Graham Chapman: "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"Bryan Schott, news director of KCPW radio, certainly didn't when the station aired a satire on "Fair Game" with host Faith Salie, a show produced by Public Radio International.
The satire was based on the Huckaburger, created by a New Hampshire chef as a low-budget publicity stunt for its namesake. But "Fair Game" took the concept a step farther:
[Man's voice] Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharist? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ--boring holy wafers no more.
Take one Eucharist. Preferably post transubstantiation.
Deep-fry in fat, not vegetable oil, ladies, until crispy. Serve piping hot.
Mike likes to top his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles. But his wife Janet and the boys like theirs with heavy gravy, m-m-m, and cream puffs. It goes great with red wine.
[Salie's voice]: Now that is just ridiculous. Everyone knows evangelicals don’t believe in transubstantiation.
Before you could say, "Transubstantiation!" the New York-based Catholic League was calling on its members to bombard KCPW with emails and calls.
"It's not humor when you trash Jesus," says CL President Bill Donohue, "This is the kind of thing you would expect from Howard Stern. But this was a publicly funded radio station."
Schott took the skit as more of a swipe at Southern eating habits than the Catholic Church. "Frankly, I laughed my butt off when I heard it."
Salie's initial response to the offended parties was: "I am proudly a Christian and specifically a Catholic. I'm a big fan of transubstantiation--it's a miracle. My name is Faith and I am proud to carry it."
She explained that she respects and cherishes religious differences and has found "a great unifier and tool both to bridge and embrace such differences is humor." Adding that part of the show's purpose "is to harness the power of humor to shed light on the human experience."
Schott, however, said PRI is expected to issue a formal statement.
3 Comments:
All reminiscent of the medieval crime of "host desecrecration." The christians of that era concluded, logically enough, that if the Jews had Jesus crucified, what's to stop them from taking another swipe at the big J in the form of a transubstantiated host? To which Sam Harris, also logically enough, wondered: Isn't eating the transubstantiated host also apt to be somewhat painful? Deep frying couldn't be much worse. And it would have to improve the taste.
Anyone happen to notice that Fair Game is a nationally syndicated radio show? How the hell did KCPW get the rap?
The person who was offended and called the Catholic League lives in Salt Lake.
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