Thursday, June 19, 2014

Idolatry or blasphemy?

The New York Daily News reports today that the most overexposed woman on the planet today, Kim Kardashian, was the subject of an art collection being displayed in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. The problem? Mrs. Kanye West was being depicted as both the Virgin Mary-----and Jesus.

SAY WHAT?

Artist Hannah Kunkle told the Daily News that while she isn't religious by nature, she is "strangely fascinated" by Kardashian, who just won't go away because the press enables her continuing her 15 minutes of fame on a daily basis. It doesn't help, either, that Kanye has been cited here as a blasphemous sort, too, with the very nature of his recent concert tour, which he's in no hurry to resume, it seems, after getting married recently.

Pastors from two different New York City churches were critical of Ms. Kunkle's exhibition. Rev. Michael Perry of Our Lady of Refuge Church called the collection, according to the Daily News, "dumb & stupid". Rev. Reggie Stutzman, who is attempting to convert a Bronx strip club into a church, was more offended by the image of Kardashian dressed as Jesus, complete with a crown of thorns, and said it was inappropriate.

The images were photoshopped, and were showcased last week. It also included Kardashian presented as a Satanic priestess, three Hindu goddesses, three nuns, and Joan of Arc. Talk about over the top. As Rev. Stutzman observed rightfully, "There are other ways to depict that imagery without combining those images". So true.

It's art that belongs in a theatre bizarre, that's all I'll say.

Meanwhile, comedian-talk show host-part time actor Bill Maher may be getting himself in hot water with actor Liam Neeson (currently in "A Million Ways to Die in the West") and the Daily News.

Maher taped a rant for the animal rights activist group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) slamming Neeson for taking up the cause to save New York's carriage horses. In case you haven't followed the story, mayor Bill DeBlasio made a campaign promise last year to ban the horses, claiming safety hazards, among other things. Neeson stepped up to the plate and has been the public face of the fight to save the horses. What also gets Maher a pair of Weasel ears this week is the fact that he mocked the people of Boston for honoring the victims of the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, saying that "your city was not leveled by Godzilla".

Please. Give me a break.

In the past, Maher has also slammed us for "cowardice" on 9/11, and presents himself as the perfect model of political incorrectness. After all, his first talk show was titled, Politically Incorrect, but apparently he feels offended by the fact that the PC police would rather he censor his comedy routines. He did, after all, title one of his books, I'm Swiss, but he's anything but neutral. Wake up and join the 21st century, Bill. It seems that your current series, Real Time, isn't quite as relevant as it once was, so you're drumming up attention for all the wrong reasons. I knew PETA had their collective heads in the sand, but this is ridiculous.

2 comments:

magicdog said...

Anything Maher says is immediately to be regarded as the unhappy ranting of an uncontained douchbag.

If you really want to know about NYC style blasphemy, check out Mayor Deblasio's creepy family during their participation in the annual Mermaid Parade. Yikes!

hobbyfan said...

I've seen those pictures. Nothing special, by comparison to the hoohah over the Kardashian shrine of stupidity.