The new ABC primetime series Good Christian Belles, or GCB -- based on the book Good Christian Bitches -- has only been on the air one week, and it's already got certain groups and advertisers all bent out of shape. One Million Moms (that same far right-wing group that hated on Ellen DeGeneres several weeks back) has lashed out at the series for "mocking Christianity repeatedly" and being an "anti-Christian program [that] blasphemes God, Jesus Christ, God's Church, and the Bible." Yow!
Then, Parents Television Council President Tim Winter declared that he isn't happy with the show, because it is "singling out the Christian faith and [ABC] would never consider titling a series, for example, Good Muslim Belles or Good Jewish Belles." (Err ... well, what about All-American Muslim on TLC?)
Now, Kraft Philadelphia has decided to pull all of their advertisements from the show. Ay yi yi!
Kraft's reasoning: They've "received a few complaints from consumers and their opinions about our advertising are important to us." Oookay. Way to wreck the party, guys!
First of all, I can't imagine in a million years that ABC -- owned by squeaky clean DISNEY, FYI -- would do anything "Christian-bashing," as the One Million Whiners Moms put it. Second, the show is simply satirizing a particular religious/cultural community. Because there's some truth behind the raunchiness, and that's what makes it funny. See, ha ha, you're supposed to LAUGH! There have been a bazillion TV shows and films that have done the same exact thing. But maybe it's just because they haven't been called Good Christian Bitches Belles that they haven't been targeted.
Seriously, do these people tweaking out and getting all up in arms over a TV show have nothing better to focus their energies on? GCB seems like it's going to be entertainment that's good fun and sometimes a little dirty (in an amazing way). Everyone worried that it's bigger, more powerful, and more threatening than just that needs to chill out and lighten up!
Are you offended by GCB?
Image via ABC
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Comments 113
Seriously... The shows premise is that these women are NOT Christians because of their behavior. It is discussing how hypocritical they are and how un-Christian while attempting to be funny and you are upset because you think it's making a mockery of Christianity? Get a clue people.
" True Christians won't find this show offensive because this show is not about them." yes exactly! Thank you Liz!
I haven't heard of this show until now. Judging from the plot, I'm not sure I'd actually watch it because I cringe in sympathy while watching similar train-wreck dramas/reality shows.
But this is a show, a show that depends on viewers. If people wont watch, it wont get played. Anywhere (except already-made episodes by torrent download or online like megaupload). But if it gets 'boycotted' and advertisers pull out, then it'll move to subscription-based media like HBO or online streamsites like HULUplus and actually continue on as a show if the show is good enough to be picked up (and since it already has been picked up by ABC, it has a strong chance).
People seem to be confused. The name of the program is "GCB". It is based on a book called "Good Christian Bitches", but they can't say that and renamed the book it is based on as "Good Christian Belles". Which all makes sense. If the book was meant as a satire, than the program is a satire. I saw the program (which I was prepared not to like) and was pleasantly surprised. All of the ladies were funny, but Annie Potts was hysterical as the mother who finally got her daughter back and under her control. I think many women would be surprised that the humor does not come from the religion, but from the women. They don't use their religion as a prop even though they might be in church. Some of these conversations are the kinds that many women have in church weekly. (LOL)
First off, I found it incredibly offensive, starting with the hyped-up commercials that stop just shy of saying 'bitches' on air. Second, just because supposedly 'squeaky-clean' Disney owns ABC does not mean ABC itself is supposedly 'squeaky-clean'. Any network that allows the mass amount of swearing and questionable material during hours that my kids are awake [6am-8pm] is definitely NOT on my list of watchable, quality TV. It's appalling how far television has degraded since I was a kid in the 80s.
advertisers have a right to pull their ads don't they?
Muslims and Jewish women aren't as loud about how pious, awesome and great they and their religion are, therefore aren't great satire fodder. Anyone walking around with a superiority complex, no matter what it's about, will be made fun of by somone. So, if Christians would quietly worship, and not talk about it all the time, even trying to bring it into schools and government (and telling friends and family they are going to hell), then nobody would find them funny/irritating. I mean, who makes fun of Mennonites? Not many people, because they live very quietly.