Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Professional prig Bill Donohue has found his excuse for feigned outrage this week and it's an ESPN anchor making off-color jokes about religion at a roast:
Jacobson, reportedly intoxicated, was speaking Jan. 11 at an event in Atlantic City, N.J., to honor ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic when she unleashed a tirade, saying, "F--- Notre Dame," "F--- Touchdown Jesus" and finally "F--- Jesus."
First of all, this happened at a roast. Roasts exist almost for no other reason than to provide a forum for inappropriate humor. That's the whole point of a roast, by longstanding tradition. It's a place where people tell the rudest, crudest, most inappropriate jokes and no one gets mad. That's why I love them. That's why everyone who loves them loves them. There ain't no political correctness at a roast.
This reminds me of being on a radio show the morning after Pee Wee Herman was arrested for masturbating in a porno theater in Florida. I was there promoting a benefit show we were doing at the comedy club and it just so happened that Pee Wee had been arrested the night before. I hadn't heard anything about it, so the DJ was reading me the article on the air.
And my first reaction was, "What did they think was going on in there? It's a porno theater, for god's sake. It's a designated deviant zone." Well that's what roasts are too. Roasts are places where it is appropriate to be inappropriate, where it is expected and routine that you say things that are shocking and offensive.
And there is a simple solution to those who take offense at such things: don't go. Of course, Donohue didn't go to this one, but that doesn't prevent him from using it as a platform for his self-righteous whining. That, after all, is his only job.
Comments
Jacobsen has already been beaten into submission by Donohue, the "Christian Anti-Defamation Commission", the "Christian Defense Coalition", the Always Fearful Americans, and sundry other eager opportunists:
Note that she apologized to ND, but not to Jesus. Clearly much more groveling is in order.
If G*d wanted women to be sportscasters, he woulda said so in his book!
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | January 26, 2008 11:21 AM
At one of the Randi conventions Penn & Teller talked about a rivalry they had had with The Amazing Jonathon on who could top the other with practical jokes involving crude and cruder blasphemy. Finally, at a private all-comedian "roast" being held for Jonathon in Vegas, Penn & Teller outdid themselves and pretty much nailed the friendly competition with their entrance. I won't describe it in detail, the way they did, but it involved an elaborate float with Teller dressed as Jesus on the cross arriving for the "Second Coming."
The room of professional stand-ups loved it, it got a huge laugh and applause from everyone - with the exception of a group of professional "Christian Comedians" who sat in stony silence. They tried to make a stink about it with the organization afterwards. They were "offended." Ya think?
Penn and Teller's reaction was it was Roast, it was private, it was funny, it was for their friend, it involved peers in the industry -- and that all adds up to a huge Fuck You, Christian Weenies, and your Fake God too. Or something to that effect.
I mean c'mon -- it was Penn & Teller. In Vegas.
Posted by: Sastra | January 26, 2008 12:08 PM
Back in my stand up days I recall a really boring week on the road with another comic named Charlie Weiner (seriously). We decided to have a competition to see who could come up with the most disgusting joke to do on stage. He won. Easily. And I'm not even going to repeat the joke here.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | January 26, 2008 12:24 PM
Sorry Ed, you are now automatically obliged to do so. Teasing will not be tolerated.
Posted by: Gretchen | January 26, 2008 12:40 PM
"A guy walks into a talent agent, and says - "Have I got an act for you!"
Posted by: Sastra | January 26, 2008 1:16 PM
/agent = agency
Posted by: Sastra | January 26, 2008 1:17 PM
I happen to like the idea of a guy walking into a talent agent. This are so many possiblities. How small is the guy? How big is the talent agent? What body part of the talent agent did the guy walk into? This could get very filthy.
Posted by: Janine | January 26, 2008 1:35 PM
The Catholic League (AKA Bill Donohue) needs to worry less about someone at a roast attended by adults, saying "Fuck Jesus", and worrying more about Catholic priests fucking underaged kids, and then being moved to another parish.
Posted by: soboco | January 26, 2008 4:19 PM
Sometimes I think Trey Parker's and Matt Stone's wacky ideas need to be made reality. I'm thinking specifically of the real meaning of Easter show they did recently.
SPOILERS:
Why is the Pope's hat so tall? Why, because it was designed to go on a bunny rabbit. Donohue was protrayed as a power hungry murderer (who knows how far from the truth that is) who basically told the Pope to fuck off when he wanted the Vatican guards to lock up Stan, Kyle, and Jesus. Loads of fun.
Posted by: Shawn Smith | January 26, 2008 7:06 PM
re: Shawn Smith
Jesus: ..and that's why I made the head of my church a rabbit.
Bill: Kill him.
Pope: Now, Bill. I don't think it's very Christian to kill Jesus.
Bill: He goes against the Church. Kill him!
(Best dialogue in South Park yet, in my opinion)
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | January 28, 2008 4:37 AM
To paraphrase Kathy Griffin, talking about the Catholic League's attack on her for her "Suck it, Jesus" Emmy acceptance speech - "then I found out 'the Catholic League' is like one guy with a fax machine."
Why does Donohue, who is an embarassment not only to every Catholic in the country, but everyone of Irish descent, get so much press?
Posted by: CPT_Doom | January 28, 2008 3:37 PM
Why does Donohue, who is an embarassment not only to every Catholic in the country, but everyone of Irish descent, get so much press?
Because he's loud and has managed to take a page out of the left's victim book.
Posted by: soboco | January 28, 2008 3:45 PM