Kathy Griffin's Slander of Jesus During the Emmy Awards Raised Protests from Christians

Standup comedian Kathy Griffin did not make any friends among Christians when she had allowed herself a disrespectful remark about Jesus during her speech at the 2007 Primeline Emmy Awards. As she received the Emmy for her reality show My Life on the D-List, Griffin stated that while a lot of people receiving the award thanked Jesus for it, she wanted the audience to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus in her case. Holding up her Emmy, Griffin proceeded to make an offensive remark I refuse to repeat here (proudly quoted on her website) and concluded the speech stating that the award is her god now.

Naturally, the speech did not sit well with Christians. Catholic League, the US's largest Catholic civil rights organization, voiced its protest, calling on the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to denounce the offensive comment. The Miracle Theater, a Christian troupe in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, launched a "Million Voices for Christ" petition, planning to collect one million signatures to stand up for Christ and defend Christianity from mockery and slander, which has become common these days. As Russ Hollingsworth, The Miracle Theater general manager, put it, "It seems like Christianity is the only religion that it's acceptable to persecute."

The petition states: The name of Jesus Christ should not be mocked, nor should those who love Him be slandered for their beliefs. It is time for people of faith around the country to stand firm against religious slander, bias, and bigotry of all types including Christianity.

The Miracle Theater had begun by spending $90,440 to purchase a full-page ad in USA Today that voiced their protest against Griffin's offensive speech. The ad proclaimed, "Christian Entertainers Say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" and generated wide response. Seeing that people wanted to speak up on the matter, The Miracle Theater had launched the petition campaign. Those wishing to join and sign the petition can do so online, at the theater's website www.MiracleTheater.com, or by phone, calling 1-800-768-1170.

No apology came from Griffin. On the contrary, the remark is featured on her website, as I've already mentioned above, with hope expressed that it "will go down as one of the best quotes in Emmy history." Judging by the statement issued through her publicist, Ms. Griffin considers her statements a joke, and herself a Catholic. "Am I the only Catholic left with a sense of humor?" she wonders.