CRUDE COMEDIAN ON “CONAN”

Bill Donohue comments on last night’s episode of “Conan”:

We never heard of comedian Emily Galati, and that may explain why she crossed the line last night on “Conan”—she is getting desperate. Her solo performance, fortunately, had no interaction with the host.

Galati’s monologue centered on birth control and Christians. “I’m not that into Jesus if you haven’t been able to tell,” she said. We noticed. We also noticed her crude commentary: “Can’t make fun of Jesus, he’s coming back. Yeah, Jesus promises a second coming. Yeah, every guy does.”

Galati ought to know such commentary may be seen as offensive to many practicing Christians, and this is especially true when it happens during Holy Week. Even someone “not that into Jesus” should be able to connect the dots.

Contact Galati’s publicity/booking company, The College Agency: info@thecollegeagency.com




BIGOTRY EXPLODES AT COMEDY CENTRAL

Bill Donohue comments on what is going on at Comedy Central:

On five occasions in the past three days, five different shows on Comedy Central went on a tear bashing Catholicism

  • A clip is shown of a priest greeting children, shaking their heads. Tosh implies that the priest is overcompensating, as if to say, “look at me not fondling these children!” (“Tosh.0,” 3/15)
  • Comedian Pete Holmes says “my girlfriend from Christian college” offered to perform oral sex on him (he used an obscenity), “but I turned it down for the Lord. You owe me, Jesus.” (“Not Safe with Nikki Glazer,” 3/15)
  • Comedian Bret Ernst recalls how his grandma demanded that he clean his room, stating that “I’m Roman Catholic, so my grandmother had those crazy saint statutes—she bitch-slapped Saint Peter on the floor.” (“This Is Not Happening,” 3/15)
  • Chris Hardwick asks Lauren Lapkus and John Early what Instagram filter the pope will use. Lapkus says, “Whatever best shows off that body of Christ.” Early says, “The filter that obscures all the child abuse.” (“@Midnight with Chris Hardwick,” 3/16)
  • Trevor Noah says St. Patrick’s Day “is supposed to be a religious holiday,” but Jesus didn’t authorize a drunken fest. But because blacks don’t participate, “you can have six million drunk white people screaming on the streets.” (“Daily Show,” 3/17)

Noah’s comment may not be over the line, but the others are; his remark is noted because he wouldn’t dare make a crack about the violence that accompanies the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn every September. Indeed, Comedy Central almost never finds it comedic to obscenely bash other demographic groups the way it does Catholics. Point of fact: In the course of a year, the network doesn’t trash the protected classes as much as it does Catholics in just three days. There is something really sick going on there.

Contact Carl Folta, executive VP, Viacom Communications: Carl.Folta@viacom.com




NEW YORK TIMES LIES AGAIN

Bill Donohue comments on a story in today’s New York Times:

The New York Times is not only covering up for gay activists gone mad, it is lying to its readers. I say lying because we corrected the record in January, notifying its public editor, Maggie Sullivan, about it.

In January, reporter James Barron recounted the events that led up to gay protests of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “The controversy began in December 1989 when thousands demonstrated outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral over statements made by Cardinal John J. O’Connor on abortion, homosexuality and AIDS.”

Here is what Marc Santora and William Neuman wrote today: “The controversy began in December 1989. With New York City in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, thousands demonstrated outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral to protest statements by Cardinal John J. O’Connor of the New York Archdiocese on abortion, homosexuality and AIDS.”

Both versions are incorrect: The protesters invaded the Cathedral. Here is what I wrote on January 11, the day the original piece was printed:

“The Times editorial of December 12, 1989 describes how demonstrators ‘stormed St. Patrick’s Cathedral.’ It notes that ‘They entered the cathedral and repeatedly interrupted the service. They lay down in the aisles, chained themselves to pews and sought to shout down Cardinal O’Connor as he said mass. One protester is reported to have disrupted even the administering of communion with an act of desecration that deeply offended worshippers.’

“The act of desecration was spitting the Eucharist on the floor. No wonder Mayor Ed Koch, who was there, said he was shocked by the ‘fascist tactics’ of the protesters.”

Contact NYT public editor, Maggie Sullivan: public@nytimes.com and ask her to correct the record once and for all.




“THE REAL O’NEALS” FALTERS

Bill Donohue comments on why “The Real O’Neals” is faltering:

ABC is in a jam and they know it. Even they must admit that last night’s episode of “The Real O’Neals” was just plain stupid. The ratings show it: once again, it trailed the competition on CBS and NBC. After all, only the intellectually challenged would find it entertaining to see a gay pride flag in the vice-principal’s office of a Catholic school.

The show is in trouble. A story posted by E! Online says the jury is out whether “The Real O’Neals” will be renewed next season: no decision has been made. But things don’t look good. The other family shows on ABC, “The Goldbergs,” “Modern Family,” “Black-ish,” and “Fresh Off the Boat” have been renewed; the latter made its debut this year. More important, “The Voice” on NBC is killing “The Real O’Neals,” and CBS has announced that “NCIS” has been renewed for two more seasons.

The biggest problem facing ABC is the hit that Disney-ABC is taking to its reputation for airing a show based on the life of a bigot, Dan Savage. The man is an unrepentant anti-Catholic, which is why the Catholic League blasted Disney-ABC in the New York Times for embracing him.

Savage has been told by the corporate boys to shut his mouth. Just last week he lashed out at Hillary Clinton for citing Nancy Reagan’s effort to bring the AIDS crisis to the attention of the American people. As usual, he resorted to an obscenity. But he has said nothing about the Catholic League’s statements about him. How revealing.

Savage is not the only person associated with the show who has a troubled past. Martha Plimpton, who plays the mother, is now touting her two real-life abortions. Indeed, she said a few days ago that her abortions “made it possible for me to live out my dream and do what I really wanted to do with my life.” Too bad her babies weren’t given the same chance.

Contact Ben Sherwood at Disney-ABC: ben.sherwood@abc.com




MORAL PANIC GRIPS PENNSYLVANIA

Bill Donohue comments on what is going on in Pennsylvania:

Moral panic is the term used by sociologists to describe what happens when social problems become highly exaggerated, often by the media. Setting off the alarms, without due cause, not only distorts the truth about existing conditions, it triggers an overreaction. This is what a moral panic does, and it is going on right now in Pennsylvania. But it is not reporters who are arousing unnecessary fears, it is lawmakers and activists. Worse, they are acting like bigots.

Consider the following. Alleged cases of sexual abuse at a Catholic high school in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown were referred by the local D.A.’s office to the state Attorney General’s office. Let’s stop right there. How often is the state AG’s office asked to accept cases involving one high school, and how often does it comply? How common is it for the plaintiffs’ lawyer to come from out-of-state to handle the case, especially when it is known that the Church-suing millionaire attorney has a tainted record?

It gets worse. How often does such a lawsuit extend to a grand jury investigation of the entire organization, involving persons wholly unconnected to the original case? How common is it that such a probe would extend back to World War II? Most important, why is it that no other organization in the state has been subjected to such an investigation, especially when the problem is raging elsewhere? To be exact, why is there no probe of sexual misconduct by public school teachers, rabbis, ministers, et al.?

Bad as this is, nothing tops the response of lawmakers. Leading the way is Rep. Mark Rozzi, a moral panic practitioner par excellence. “We are talking about an epidemic here in the state of Pennsylvania,” he says. Not only is this irresponsible hyperbole, he, and his allies, are phonies: They do not want to go to the heart of the “epidemic”—they only want dioceses to be investigated! The public schools, they say, should get a pass.

Stay tuned. We will have much more to say about this issue, and we won’t limit ourselves to news releases.




BIGOTRY ERUPTS AT COLORADO STATE UNIV.

Bill Donohue has written an open letter to the Dean of Students at Colorado State University regarding recent outbursts of bigotry exhibited by some on the student senate. To read it, click here.




EDUCATING LARRY WILMORE

Bill Donohue comments on “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” that aired last night:

I know of no one who has ever watched the Larry Wilmore show, but I guess someone is watching. We know of him because it is our job to monitor anti-Catholicism.

Last night Wilmore lashed out at pedophile priests. Please note, Mr. Wilmore: The offending priests were almost all homosexuals.

It is our hope that the next time Wilmore has a need to express his bigotry that he will correct the record. We strive for accuracy at the Catholic League, and it would be good if Wilmore’s writers did the same.

Contact Carl Folta, executive VP, Viacom Communications: Carl.Folta@viacom.com




PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKER’S GRANDSTANDING

Bill Donohue comments on a proposal by Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Rozzi:

Pennsylvania lawmaker Mark Rozzi’s colleagues ought to call him out immediately for his demagoguery: he wants to use the taxpayer’s money to investigate every diocese in the state for possible sexual abuse crimes. He does not want to target any other institution—just the Catholic Church. If he were seriously concerned about the issue of sexual abuse, he would call for an investigation of all public and private institutions. His real interest, however, is sticking it to the Catholic Church, not protecting minors.

Rep. Rozzi’s grandstanding is inspired by a grand jury’s revelation that the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown improperly dealt with past cases of priestly sexual abuse. Not surprisingly, this expedition started because of alleged abuse at a Catholic high school in that diocese. This alone merited a sweeping look at abuse dating back to World War II.

Anyone who knows anything about the subject of the sexual abuse of minors knows that there is not a single demographic group, or institution, that has not had a lousy record of dealing with this problem. Swimming coaches, camp counselors, Boy Scouts, psychologists, public school teachers, rabbis, ministers, Hollywood producers—all have a sordid past. So why is it that only the Catholic Church is fingered?

To take just one example, when it comes to teachers raping students, Pennsylvania has the second worst record in the nation. Terry Abbott is chairman of the Houston-based Drive West Communications, and his organization tracks this issue nationwide. In 2014, he concluded that “It’s an enormous problem all across the country, and Pennsylvania’s at the top of it. This isn’t a list you want to lead.” Indeed, a review by the Tribune-Review, a Pittsburgh daily, found that between 2004 and 2014, disciplinary actions against teachers more than quadrupled, and that 50 to 60 percent involved sexual misconduct.

The cherry picking, and the rank hypocrisy, must end. We are contacting all lawmakers in the Keystone state.

Contact: Rep. Rozzi: mrozzi@pahouse.net




“THE REAL O’NEALS” WILL DIE

Bill Donohue comments on last night’s episode of “The Real O’Neals”:

“The Real O’Neals,” based on the life of a foul-mouthed, raging anti-Catholic bigot, Dan Savage, is blackening up Disney’s Snow White image and tarnishing the reputation of its ABC network as well. Now the corporate boys and girls have a new problem: the show’s ratings.

Last night, during “The Real O’Neals” time slot, its competitors on CBS and NBC kicked butt:

  • “The Voice” (NBC) drew an audience of 13.53 million
  • “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS) drew 8.48 million
  • “The Real O’Neals” (ABC) drew 3.99 million

Independent of the offensive fare, the ratings spell big trouble.

Last night’s episode was replete with the kinds of jokes that we would expect from the show’s immature writers. Here’s a sample line from mom O’Neal: “Remember grandma’s picture book full of tortured and bleeding saints that used to give you nightmares?”

Following a commercial break, Kenny, the confused homosexual teenager, is seen standing by a toilet spraying cologne in front of a statue of Our Blessed Mother. He then informs us that “Confession is confidential so even if I kill someone he [the priest] can’t tell you.”

The theme was Lent and that, of course, yielded discourse on the horrors of being “judgmental” (bashing Catholics, I guess, is not being “judgmental”). Another keeper was the mom saying, “Well, who is to say Satan wasn’t Irish?” Indeed, viewers were treated to a St. Patrick’s Day Parade float featuring Satan.

This show is pure rot, from beginning to end. Look for an early death.




MEDIA IGNORE U.N. SEXUAL ABUSE

UnitedNationsBill Donohue comments on a new United Nations report on sexual abuse:

CNN Wire, Fox News Network, AP, and the Voice of America were among the only big media outlets that covered the new U.N. report on sexual abuse committed by U.N. peacekeepers; the report was released a few days ago. Where were the broadcast network nightly news shows, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and all the others?

There were 99 allegations made last year, up from 80 in 2014. One in three incidents of sexual molestation involved children. That this is going on despite the U.N.’s zero tolerance policy makes this story all the more disturbing. One reason why this problem is getting worse is the U.N.’s legal inability to do anything about it: for valid reasons, it has no authority to prosecute these peacekeepers. Moreover, the home country of the offenders often does nothing about it.

There is another story here that needs to be told. When the U.N. goes after the Catholic Church about this problem, it never fails to lecture the Holy See on the Church’s teachings on sexuality. The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child is especially given to berating the Church to change its teachings.

There are two problems with this stance: (a) it smacks of religious bigotry and (b) it is totally nonsensical. Muslim-run nations, for instance, are never told to junk their traditional teachings on sexuality. Just as important, condoms and abortion do absolutely nothing to solve the crime of sexual abuse.

The media give high profile to wayward priests—just one miscreant clergyman garners big coverage—but when the U.N. peacekeepers abuse women and children, they yawn. There is no “Spotlight” on those predators, and there never will be.