Bill Donohue: Proving Penn and Teller's point...

"Hey, the Catholic Church has been making its point for two thousand years, testifying by means of encyclicals, Vatican decrees and other papal bull! All we'll do tonight is a measly 30-minute cross-examination. Shouldn't GOD be able to defend himself?" --Penn and Teller

Bill Donohue apparently does not think so.

Protesting an episode of Bullshit! about how the Vatican, up to the present day, has bullied, intimidated and silenced all those who with inside knowledge of legal proceedings could have spoken out against priestly pedophilia (including victims) by promising God's eternal punishment, professional victim Bill Donohue tries to, like the object of his sublime adoration, Pope Ratzinger the Naughty, bully, intimidate, and silence critics of the Vatican. This time it's Penn and Teller.

It actually is the darkest of their shows, I think. But then again, I'm a recovering Catholic. (Thanks for the PhD, assholes!)

Here's the threat by Mr. Stinky Incense Jihad (no relation) himself, which arrived in my mailbox this afternoon:

August 31, 2009

MASS MAILING OF PENN & TELLER SHOW

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the latest developments regarding the Catholic League response to Penn & Teller’s incredible episode on Showtime last Thursday:

I was happy to finger CBS this morning on “Fox and Friends” as the ultimate culprit: Penn & Teller’s Nazi-like assault on Catholicism that took place on August 27 will go down in history as one of the most vile, obscene programs ever aired in any nation. That CBS, which owns Showtime, allows this to go on is positively unbelievable.

We are now getting copies made for a mass mailing later this week. We will send a copy of this episode to 414 bishops, and to hundreds of influential Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Orthodox Christian, Muslim and Mormon religious leaders across the United States. We will also send a copy to hundreds of activists and members of the media. Then we will feature what Penn & Teller have done in the next edition of Catalyst, our monthly journal; that will reach a huge audience. Moreover, I am already scheduled to do several radio shows on what happened.

We want everyone to know about what CBS considers fair game. There is no way to undo the damage already done, but CBS/Showtime can still drop Penn & Teller. The ball is in their court.

Contact CBS rep Nancy Tellem at nancy.tellem@tvc.cbs.com

Well, first, you need to notice that Bill has decided that the Vatican's reprehensible behavior should go unchallenged. It's a rhetorical move for when your client is completely reprehensible. Kill the messenger. And the messenger's parent company.

I would like to point out the massive violation of copyright law that Bill Donohue is planning and has already admitted to in this press release, which he could just as well have titled "Exhibit A." The NFL and Major League Baseball would crucify Bill (heheh) if he made and distributed copies of their shows. I see no reason why CBS/Showtime/P&T shouldn't do the same.

Of course, why should CBS listen to Donohue? He can't be trusted to call off his jihad on CBS EVEN IF CBS DOES WHAT HE WANTS! Seriously. Take, for instance, how Donohue treated a gallery that CANCELED AN ART EXHIBIT because of Donohue:

“While we are delighted with the outcome, we are not pleased with the comments of the gallery’s creative director, Matt Semler. For him to say that our objection to this outrageous display constitutes hate speech and is the equivalent of a fatwa shows how deliriously irresponsible this man is.

“Because we did not like the way the Roger Smith Hotel handled the decision to drop the display, we have no intention of contacting the 500 organizations that we alerted to this assault on Christian sensibilities to inform them that the exhibition has been cancelled.”

And why did the gallery cancel? What did Donohue not call off? I'll let the artistic director of the gallery (which was in a hotel) explain:

"In this situation, the hotel couldn't continue to be supportive because of a fear for their own safety," said Semler.

Please write to the CBS rep Contact Nancy Tellem at nancy.tellem@tvc.cbs.com, and let CBS know that they have nothing to gain by cooperating with Donohue. Here's the letter I sent, and I encourage you to send something similar:

Dear Ms. Tellem,

I wanted to write in support of Penn and Teller and to praise CBS and Showtime for their willingness to air controversial material that enriches public discourse.

I know that CBS will feel pressure from many areas to discipline Penn and Teller for exercising their right to free speech, but I should let you know that, in the past, when sponsors of controversial art have complied with his request, he has refused to call off his boycotts.

In April of 2007, following a controversy about a chocolate crucifix that led to threats of violence against an art gallery that ultimately COMPLIED with the Catholic League's demands, Donohue published the following statement:

“Because we did not like the way the Roger Smith Hotel handled the decision to drop the display, we have no intention of contacting the 500 organizations that we alerted to this assault on Christian sensibilities to inform them that the exhibition has been cancelled.”

Clearly, CBS has nothing to gain by cooperating with Bill Donohue, and I encourage you to continue to uphold the principle of free speech.

HJ