Skip to content

Catholic League: Penn and Teller Must Go

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

CBS/Showtime needs to send Penn & Teller a message and let them know that they have crossed the line for the last time.

Highlights

By
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
8/18/2009 (1 decade ago)

Published in U.S.

NEW YORK, NY (Catholic League) - Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on an ad he wrote for today's edition of Variety:

"Today's ad in Variety (see the text below) is a direct response to the latest hate speech by Penn & Teller against Catholics.

"Both Penn Jillette, and Showtime (owned by CBS), are flagging the attack on the Vatican that is featured in its season finale, August 27.

"Given the history of Penn & Teller's vicious record of Catholic bashing, we have no reason to doubt that this episode will be particularly vile.

"In the ad, we cited previous examples of their malicious assaults, especially on Mother Teresa.

"CBS management has spoken to the Catholic-bashing duo before, but to no effect. Though we are not calling for CBS/Showtime to cancel the upcoming episode, we are saying that the time has come to pull the plug on their show; their contract should not be renewed.

"Those who agree should contact Matthew Blank, the Chairman and CEO of Showtime.

Contact: Matthew.Blank@Showtime.net

THIS IS THE FINAL STRAW:SHOWTIME SHOULD NOT RENEW PENN & TELLER

On August 27, Showtime, owned by CBS, will feature a vicious assault on Catholics. In the season finale of Penn & Teller's show, they "take on the secretive inner world of The Vatican, the holy city of Catholicism and home of the Pope." How do we know it will defame Catholics? Because on the show's website, it says so: There is a Showtime Advisory for "Graphic Language, Adult Content."

If Showtime posted that warning about a show on Islam, Muslims would brace for the worst (and so might CBS). But Muslims need not worry: it's not all religions that Showtime likes to trash -- just Catholicism. Indeed, Showtime is currently working on a show, "Revelation," that promises to be at least somewhat respectful of Protestantism.

What will the upcoming show be like? On his Twitter page, Penn Jillette brags how he rips a Catholic encyclical on sexuality: "I'm dressed as Darth with a condom c--k light saber." He even boasts that the show is "hardcore," admitting that "we attack the Vatican." From trashing The Last Supper to mocking Catholic prayers, anti-Catholic bigots who feed on this kind of stuff will have a stomach full.

This is not the first time Showtime has featured a vile Penn & Teller show. In 2005, Mother Teresa was called "Mother F---ing Teresa," and her order of nuns were branded "f---ing c--ts." The year after, Jillette said on his CBS radio show that Mother Teresa "got her [sexual] kicks watching people suffer and die."

Just recently, Jillette took after me again in his usual foul way. That doesn't matter, but what matters greatly is his pathological obsession with bashing Catholics and their religion. There is no legitimate place for this kind of frontal assault on any demographic group.

CBS/Showtime needs to send Penn & Teller a message and let them know that they have crossed the line for the last time. This should be their final season. We know that they've been told before to drop the Catholic bashing, and yet they persist. By doing so, Penn & Teller have effectively stuck their middle finger right in the eye of CBS.

Contact Showtime Chairman and CEO Matthew Blank: Matthew.Blank@Showtime.net

---


'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'


Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.