h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'll just wait till it comes out on DVD...

To be honest if I read that as a show description in the Radio Times I think I would watch it for sure.

Why don't we all go up there and hand out print outs of his website. Especially the bits about poofs in the police force - should make things interesting.

I wish the Beeb would bring out the recording of the JSO that was broadcast on DVD.

Stephen Green compares JStO to Murder.

No, seriously, I'm not making this up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4190734.stm

How on Earth does he manage to make so little sense?

Grr. I did like the opera's writer's comments about other Christian groups, though!

I don't think Mr Green's faith is that strong, you know. Let me explain. Say a person came up and said 'Your partner's thick and ugly.' Now you may well be made cross, but if you know your partner is bright and very good-looking, you'd happily think the person was talking gibberish and dismiss their ravings. You probably wouldn't even bother to argue, and if you did argue, you'd be able to say 'actually, she/he's got an MSc and here's a photo'. If however you had your doubts about said partner's brains and beauty, you'd be touched in a sensitive place and wonder if they'd met your partner, where they right, were they going to humiliate you and your partner by telling everyone else, and you couldn't prove them wrong, well THEN you'd be more inclined to try and shut them up or tell them they are hateful or evil or whatever and get seriously wound up etc... So ipso facto Stephen Green doesn't have much faith in his god (which doesn't deserve a capital) and is terrified we'll all find out it's a crock of etc., but can't let go becaue he knows full well no-one else would have him.

A Christian strong in faith may well find JStO annoying, but would also 'know' it was silly nonsense and nothing to do with or reflecting on their own God. Indeed, they may well even find it amusing as they'd feel some stereotypes about religion needed a good kicking.

I have flu, so if I am incoherent and rambly, blame it on the wee viruses and all the tixylix and hot toddies. Again, if I am found to be talking unutterable rubbish, I claim immunity as I am not myself...

I know what you mean. As a Christian strong in faith who finds JStO amusing, I can even be presented as evidence for your hypothesis.

For anyone interested, Stewart Lee (who worked on JStO) has downloadable files on his website: http://www.stewartlee.co.uk/whatis2.html#2005
of the two 'Chain Reaction' programmes he took part in on Radio 4 earlier this year.

In the first, he's being interviewed by Johnny Vegas, and in the second, he's interviewing the comic-book writer Alan Moore. Both programmes are recommended as interesting and amusing listening.

Cheers, I was talking about Moore at the Edfest yesterday and Lee's interview with him was mentioned. I'll try and listen to it tomorrow.

"Springer tour saved by theatres"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4261796.stm

"A nationwide tour of the controversial musical Jerry Springer - The Opera will go ahead after 21 regional theatres struck a deal to save it from collapse."

"These theatres have come together and asked: 'What do we have to do to get this show on the road?' They have decided they will not be dictated to by a group like Christian Voice," he said.

"If the tour had not gone ahead, the result would be that investors and producers would become more and more risk averse. This is a freedom of speech issue."




az

I just heard on the locla news it's going to the opera house in York.
Not sure about any other venues.

Speak of the devil. (to coin a phrase )

http://www.jerryspringertheopera.com/

hmmm ticket prices seem to range from £11 to just under £30 at York.

I suppose ticket prices will vary from place to place.

I was woken up this morning by a very cross Christian Voice on Radio 4. He tried to whip up the listeners' outrage by detailing the 'blasphemous' points of the Opera. Alas he merely succeeded in making it sound deliciously naughty, witty and well worth seeing. At least, that was the consensus chez Agapanthus.

I happened across a god channel on Sky the other day doing a newspaper review and they were all very self-congratulatory about the JStO story being banned and how 'the power of prayer had averted the sinful and blasphamous messasge from being shipped around the country.'

I would love to see their newspaper review this week. What conclusions might they draw from this I wonder? God has a wicked sense of humour, perhaps?



Nah.

I do hope that God has a sense of humour. Excellent news that the tour is going ahead, and do people know that the DVD is out soon (14th October)?

Its just like God raising up the Moors as a rod with which to test the faithful and chastise the sinners all over again.

And from Christian Voice:

http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/Press/press007.html

An interesting comment at the saying 'they' Christian Voice are just about to start proceedings for blasphemy against Avalon and the BBC so the announcement is very timely.

Empty threats or has Green got a financial backer.

Will he also start threatening individual theatres and have the theatres worked out a plan of action when he does? They are slightly bigger than the charity he 'influenced' earlier this year.

I was so pleased when I saw that BBC news article this morning, and I thought the rest of you would be too.

How wonderful that these theatre groups are banding together to promote free speech and otherwise freedom to put on whatever play they want to without fear of people like Christian Voice affecting their choices.

I think it would have been terrible if the Springer Opera tour had been cancelled simply because of fundamentalist weirdos. Thank goodness the UK still feels so strongly about free speech that even when individuals have to fight for it, they will.


az