January 10, 2005
ONLY FIVE HUNDRED? WELL, THAT’S OK, THEN
Springer controversy lifts BBC2 ratings (Stephen Brook, The Guardian, January 10th, 2005)
The controversy surrounding the televising of the expletive-laden Jerry Springer - the Opera attracted 1.8 million viewers to BBC2 on Saturday night.The programme drew 300,000 more viewers than normally watch BBC2 at 10pm on Saturday - 10.8% of the available audience, according to unofficial figures.
"We are pleased that a wider audience has been able to see this important piece of contemporary musical theatre," said the BBC. [...]
There were also protests outside BBC TV Centre in west London with Christian groups branding the show - which features a nappy-wearing Jesus who is "a bit gay" - blasphemous and sacrilegious.
The creative team behind the show argued that it was a satire of modern life and denounced reports in tabloid newspapers about 8,000 swear words as misleading, suggesting critics had multiplied the number of actual swear words - around 500 - by the number of chorus members.
It is heartening to see how the European artistic elites are taking care to blaspheme all faiths equally these days. We’d hate to think they were discriminating. Not to worry, though, we can all count on the market to rein this stuff in.
The only problem here is that the taxpayers were compelled to support this through the TV and Radio tax.
If a private entity wants to televise this crap, fine. After all, it had only 500 swear words, not 8000.
Posted by: Bart at January 10, 2005 6:44 AMHere speak people who haven't seen it. It's an absolute riot - fiercely intelligent, quite hilarious and gloriously offensive to anyone who wants to be offended.
Also, the market has decided it's a smash hit in the West End.
It'll never make it in the US because the reactionary element will hate it. Which is ironic given that it brutally satirises Jerry Springer - which the reactionary element also hates.
Posted by: Brit at January 10, 2005 10:27 AM