I'm Catholic and I'm upset

[Muscletang]

"South Park" Parked by Complaints

Did Comedy Central grant the Catholic League its Christmas wish?

Following the Dec. 7 season finale of South Park, titled "Bloody Mary," the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights slammed the network for its irreverent portrayal of church icons and sought to block the episode from being rebroadcast.


It appears the group may have met with success. A repeat of the finale was scheduled to air Wednesday night, but was pulled from the Comedy Central lineup without explanation.


In the episode, a statue of the Virgin Mary is believed to be bleeding from its rear end, inspiring faithful parishioners to flock from miles around to be healed by the miraculous blood.


Eventually, Pope Benedict XVI is called in to investigate, whereupon he determines that the statue is actually menstruating and thus is nothing special.


"A chick bleeding out her vagina is no miracle," the pope declares in the episode. "Chicks bleed out their vaginas all the time."


Somewhat predictably, the Catholic League was incensed by the satirical portrayal of the Virgin Mary and the pope and by the fact that the episode aired on the day before the Catholic Church celebrated its Feast of the Immaculate Conception.


The conservative group demanded an apology from Viacom, Comedy Central's parent company, to Roman Catholics everywhere and "a pledge that this episode be permanently retired and not be made available on DVD."


The Catholic League also sought a personal condemnation from Viacom board member Joseph A. Califano Jr., who the group noted is a "practicing Catholic."


Califano was only too happy to oblige. After viewing the episode, he released a statement calling the episode an "appalling and disgusting portrayal of the Virgin Mary."


"It is particularly troubling to me as a Roman Catholic that the segment has run on the eve and day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day for Roman Catholics," Califano said.


Califano also pledged to have Viacom president and CEO Tom Freston review the episode.


Comedy Central did not respond to a request for comment on why "Bloody Mary" was yanked from the schedule.


Screencaps of the episode were no longer available on Comedy Central's press site or on comedycentral.com's South Park section.


The Catholic League previously tangled with Comedy Central in 2002 over a South Park episode titled "Red Hot Catholic Love," but failed to produce any results.

[stoned_pimp420]

Please don't get pissed off at me or anything but just let the T.V. stations have their fun and I'm rather sure they will leave you alone while you have yours.

Just my thoughts!!!

[jswillmon]

If everyone that south park made fun of got all pissed off and took it seriously there would be no episodes on the air. They have taken shots at homosexuals, African-Americans, the Jewish, and many other groups that were 3 times as offensive as that episode. It's all in good fun, they take it too far and make fun of everybody, that's why it is soo funny.
South park = the funniest show ever

[Partizan]

I bet if it was about some eastern religion it would have been acceptable by the catholics. Relax it's a show, they make fun of everyone and it's funny. They've made fun of other religions and noone went insane and demanded apologizes from all involved.

[Moppie]

HAHA!


The church can go bleed on itself.
I want more South Park!

[vinnym86]

my bit: if you don't like it, flip the channel...
...buncha prudes.

[GForce957]

Im Catholic and im not upset. Well i guess im upset that i missed this episode. Hiyo!

[AlmostStock]

While I didn't actually see the episode, the plot doesn't seem all that offensive... or funny.

[uranium235powered]

sometimes I think that people bitch too much.

[SiGNAL748]

I'm Catholic and I could really give a shit; the TV rips against every race and religion out there. I mean seriously, it's gonna hit us Catholics sooner or later; might as well be now.

(Side Note: I think the new pope looks like the emperor from star wars.)

[2strokebloke]

It's a just TV show. A really stupid show at that. Besides I didn't hear the Catholic Church speaking up when they made fun of just about everything else in the history of the show.

[KustmAce]

jesuth chritht

[/mr. slave]

[turtlecrxsi]

Originally Posted by SiGNAL748

I'm Catholic and I could really give a shit; the TV rips against every race and religion out there. I mean seriously, it's gonna hit us Catholics sooner or later; might as well be now.

(Side Note: I think the new pope looks like the emperor from star wars.)

[Shortbus]

I can't fathom the insecurity one must have to feel threatened by a cartoon.

[-Josh-]

Originally Posted by Shortbus@AF

I can't fathom the insecurity one must have to feel threatened by a cartoon.

X1000