Aftermath
(A British blog post title, no less.) Here's an update (from the BBC) on the Jerry Springer opera broadcast:
More than 1.7 million viewers watched Jerry Springer - The Opera on BBC Two on Saturday, despite the objections of protesters.
At least 45,000 people had contacted the BBC to complain about swearing and religious themes in the opera.
Most opera broadcasts attract an audience of about 1 million viewers, a corporation spokesperson said.
In comparison Billy Connelly on BBC One attracted 4.3 million while Ultimate Force on ITV1 drew 5.2 million.
The BBC said on Sunday that it had received 317 calls since the broadcast, more than half of which had been supportive.
Figures showed 28% appreciated the show, 16% were happy it was broadcast, 33% thought it was offensive and 23% though it should not have been broadcast....
Early indications suggested Jerry Springer - the Opera was watched by twice the number of 16-34 year-olds than normally expected for opera, added the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, a UK-wide prayer group, confirmed on Sunday that his organisation would mount a private prosecution against the BBC.
He said: "We will probably bring a private prosecution against them for the common law offence of blasphemy.
"Having seen the thing, if this is not blasphemy, nothing is. There will be nothing sacred if we cannot successfully prosecute the BBC."
Hundreds of Christian protesters rallied outside BBC buildings on Saturday before and during the broadcast.
The show was reported to contain a total of 8,000 obscenities - a total reached by adding every swear word sung by each member of the 27-strong chorus.
The Conservatives also joined the attack on the screening, with deputy leader Michael Ancram saying the BBC had a duty to exercise caution.
But a BBC spokesperson said the number was less than 300 and was arrived at "even using the broadest definition of an offensive word".
Director general Mark Thompson, himself a practising Christian, said he believed there was nothing blasphemous in the production and was going out after the watershed with "very, very clear" warnings about strong language....
Either the BBC or the protesting organizations (whoops, I mean organisations) apparently missed the point. If you accept the premise that blasphemy is a punishable offense (whoops, I mean offence), then there are other parts of the opera that need to be examined:
There are two acts, one in this world, the other in the next....
The second act takes place in hospital and Hell. Jerry was shot along with most of the KKK and is faced with a procession of the guests from the show whose lives have been ruined. The Devil (David Bedella) asks Jerry to play the show from Hell. He's bored living in Hell and wants to use Jerry's show to secure a second chance. The participants are Satan, Jesus (Wills Morgan) Adam (Marcus Cunningham) and Eve (Alison Jiear) and God (Benjamin Lake) and the angels.
All these figures from the Bible cleverly fall into the Jerry Springer show format. Eve comes to complain to Jesus that she has been harshly treated for taking one measly apple. Adam says it wasn't his fault. Satan reprimands Jesus for whining about his crucifixion. "Get Over It", he says. Mary, mother of Jesus (Valda Aviks) complains about her son leaving her to grow old alone. The usual spat between Springer's guests breaks out and we are privileged to have the mock wisdom of Jerry's Final Thought....
Who will be able to forget the two word singing competition between Jesus and the Devil, Satan repeatedly singing "Fuck", Jesus countering with "Talk (to the stigmata)" Or God's country lament, "It Ain't Easy Being Me"....
Now I'm one who believes that it could be possible to stage a non-blasphemous version of a talk show appearance by Jesus, Satan, and Mary...but this ain't it.
Incidentally, here's part of what the BBC had to say about the blasphemy law on 18 October 2004:
Q: What is the blasphemy law?
...[T]he present law of blasphemy is based on decisions made by nineteenth century courts. In an 1838 case it was restricted to protect the "tenets and beliefs of the Church of England".
Q: What actually constitutes blasphemous libel?
This is a more obscure. Some academics say the crime has been expressed so many ways it is hard to say exactly what behaviour would be considered blasphemous.
During a private prosecution in 1977, the trial judge said blasphemous libel was committed if a publication about God, Christ, the Christian religion or the Bible used words which were scurrilous, abusive or offensive, which vilified Christianity and might lead to a breach of the peace.
Q: How often is it used?
The last man to be sent to prison for blasphemy was John William Gott. In 1922 he was sentenced to nine months' hard labour for comparing Jesus with a circus clown. In Scotland, there has not been a public prosecution since 1843.
In 1977 moral campaigner Mary Whitehouse brought a private prosecution against the Gay News for publishing a poem, The Love That Dares To Speak Its Name, depicting a centurion's love for Christ.
Some British Muslims unsuccessfully called for author Salman Rushdie to be tried under the law after the publication of his controversial novel, The Satanic Verses. But the law only recognises blasphemy against the Church of England.
Q: Who wants to scrap it?
There has been criticism that the law was out of date for years.
As far back as 1949, in a speech on freedom under the law, Lord Denning said: "The offence of blasphemy is now a dead letter".
Some, such as the British Humanist Association, say a blasphemy law is a threat to free speech. Others say the fact that it only protects the Church of England is unacceptable in a multi-faith society....
A House of Lords select committee suggested any prosecution for blasphemy was likely to fail or be overturned on appeal because British law now includes the European Convention on Human Rights Act....
Comments