The Playgoer: J#s*s C%r@st S#pr$tr

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Friday, April 25, 2008

J#s*s C%r@st S#pr$tr

Yet another sign of how marginalized and ostracized theatre culture is with "America":

Carly Smithson might be the first “American Idol” contestant to be voted off the show for blasphemy.

Online chat boards devoted to “American Idol” have been abuzz since Ms. Smithson performed the title song from “Jesus Christ Superstar” — the 1970 rock opera, which many Christians consider offensive — on Tuesday’s episode. Ms. Smithson received the fewest votes of the six remaining contestants following her Tuesday performance. Her elimination was announced on Wednesday night’s episode. The week’s performances were drawn from the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote “Jesus Christ Superstar” with Tim Rice.

Since its debut, and particularly following the release of the 1973 film version, “Jesus Christ Superstar” has been railed against by some Christians for its portrayal of Jesus as confused and at times unwilling to accept his role, and because it hints that he had a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene.

And here I was, assuming this was a cheezy popular show!

Andrew Lloyd Webber controversial? "Blasphemous"?

Jesus. Jesus Fucking Christ.

2 comments:

Playgoer said...

By the way, didn't someone sing "JC Superstar" on the "You're the One that I Want" show last year? (I believe it was the female winner, even.)

Hypocrisy? Or just further proof of how unwatched that show really was.

Anonymous said...

I would venture that it was proof of the latter.

Of course, now we have an answer to the questions that Judas poses in JC Superstar:

Every time I look at you I don't understand
Why you let the things you did get so out of hand?
You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned.
Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land?
If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation.
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.


I mean, really, Christ would probably have been the first one voted out of the house/off the island/off stage etc. Or can you imagine what Fox News would say about him?