Dan Savage Was Last Straw—Catholic Group Demands Bill Maher’s HBO Show Gets Canceled

[babylonsister]

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/dan-savage-was-last-straw-catholic-group-demands-bill-mahers-hbo-show-gets-canceled/politics/2013/11/26/79313


Dan Savage Was Last Straw — Catholic Group Demands Bill Maher’s HBO Show Gets Canceled

by David Badash on November 26, 2013


Bill Maher is under fire after hosting LGBT activist, author, and comedian Dan Savage Friday night on his HBO show, “Real Time.” The Catholic League is a small but extremely wealthy and far-reaching self-appointed organization devoted to waging war on anyone who voices opposition to the Pope, the Vatican, or Catholicism itself — even if the opposition is critical of Roman Catholic pedophile priests.

On Monday, from his Park Avenue office in mid-town Manhattan, Catholic League president Bill Donohue issued a demand to HBO’s parent company, cable giant Time-Warner: “Cancel Bill Maher.”

“The board of directors at Time Warner cannot distance themselves from Bill Maher any longer,” Donohue bloviated. “On Friday night, Maher teed up Dan Savage, another anti-Catholic bigot. What happened was particularly vicious.”

“Maher commented on gay couples who adopt children, alleging that a Hawaiian bishop said these kids had a greater chance of committing suicide,” Donohue whined — not even addressing whether or not it was true. (Why is that, do you think?)

Here is how Savage responded: “That’s total bulls***. He’s confusing children of gay parents with children who are raped by Catholic priests. Sorry, I am just done being lectured about children and their safety by Catholic-f***ing bishops, priests, cardinals.” Shortly thereafter, Savage again remarked about “kiddie-f***ing Catholic priests.”

Donohue went on to note that the Catholic League (which is pretty much just Donohue and a tiny staff) is “sending to every member of Time Warner’s board of directors a copy of 54 anti-Catholic statements made by Bill Maher on TV (go to link to read the report).”

You should actually read the list. Aside from being humorous, that the jokes can actually be made by Maher and Donohue is unable to refute those that aren’t just jokes, but real accusations, it’s extremely embarrassing for Donohue to advertise it at all.

snip//

Of course, Time Warner will get inundated with emails from dutiful Catholics. And the response from the rest of America — including many lay Catholics who disagree with the Catholic Church’s abominable response to their pedophile priests problem and position on same-sex marriage and adoption — will merely be free advertising for HBO, Time Warner, and Bill Maher.

[JaneyVee]

1. Maher has to go for telling the truth but Limbaugh gets to stay for spreading lies?!

Fuck off.

[burnsei sensei]

2. What's the matter, Mr. D?

Here is how Savage responded: “That’s total bulls***. He’s confusing children of gay parents with children who are raped by Catholic priests.

In your heart of hearts, are you afraid that Mr. Savage might be right?
???

[JustAnotherGen]

3. It's not going to happen or work

I don't doubt that there ARE devout Roman Catholics who are fans - but I'd bet most of us devotees could give a shit less.

And where was Donohue when he (Maher) had the burqua fashion show a few years ago?

Maher is just as rough on those who follow Islam as he is R.C.s - hell - he pretty much makes fun of ALL of us who are spiritual and/or religious but Bill is Bill.

Donohue needs to relax and stop taking himself so seriously.

[burnsei sensei]

4. I have to confess right here that I'm a Catholic of deeply orthodox theological views,

and I find the "Catholic League" extremely repulsive in their ideology (because that's all they've got) and their actions.
Yes, it is possible to be orthodox and pro-choice and in favor of concretely expressed human dignity for gay people.
I seem to recall that God gave us free will.
And this is what the "Catholic League" has forgotten.

[yeoman6987]

5. Devout Catholic here

I disagree with that crazy organization.

[JNelson6563]

6. I can't imagine he's very fond of the new pope.

Maybe one of these days the pope will say something enlightened enough for Donohue to get so worked up he has a stroke and then loses his power of speech.

This guy is an embarrassment to Catholics everywhere.

Julie

[Bluenorthwest]

12. If Francis spoke out against Donohue, I'd be impressed.

But he won't. Because Francis agrees with him. They are two faces of the same message, each useful to the other. If it was not for Francis and the people of the RCC, Donohue would be seen as a crank like the people who write in to say Rachel Maddow caused hurricane Sandy by being gay on TV. If not for Bill, Francis would have to do his own gay baiting, like he did in Argentina for years, with such vigor that the President of Argentina likened his language to the Inquisition.
Francis could easily and freely speak his mind about the Catholic League. His silence is his statement.

[SidDithers]

23. I bet Donohue just loves the new Pope...

because he knows that official doctrine isn't going to change one whit, and Francis will be providing cover by presenting a kindler, gentler public face of the Church,

Sid

[JNelson6563]

24. Perhaps.

I guess we wait and see.

Julie

[Egalitarian Thug]

7. I saw that and LMAO. I thought Dan was spot on and pulled no punches.

They have no moral high ground regarding children at all. Priests should be required to wear a warning sign and never be alone with anyone underage.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. Both Savage and Maher survived Irish-Catholic upbringings.

( I know Maher's mom was Jewish but I'm pretty sure he went to Catholic schools; correct me if I'm wrong.)

They have as much "right" to opine re. the RC Church as Donohue.

( In fact *everyone* has that legal right; it's just that Maher and Savage have the ... ahem... "moral authority.&quot

[tularetom]

9. As far as I can tell the Catholic League consists of one Archie Bunker soundalike

who used to appear on various cable talking head shows and whine about how catholics are persecuted more than any other group in the history of mankind and the stories of priestly pervs were all made up just to discredit the catholic church.

I sort of quit watching TV so I haven't seen him lately but he was such a caricature he was actually funny.

[LuvNewcastle]

10. Fuck Donahue.

Savage is right. The Catholic Church doesn't have any moral high ground about raising children. They gave up what little ground they had when they covered up case after case of molestation by their clergy. Since the church condemns gay people raising children, it's quite logical that a gay man raising a child might be offended by their opinions and would point out the church's hypocrisy on that issue. Donahue can go molest himself.

[truebrit71]

11. The catholic church and it's apologists are in no position WHATSOEVER to demand ANYTHING...

..until such time as every single child-raping priest is arrested and prosecuted as well as ALL of the members in the hierarchy that enabled/covered up/paid off or was otherwise involved/knew of the crimes but did fuck all to prevent them from happening.

If the Vatican burned to the ground with every single child-buggering animal locked inside it STILL wouldn't be enough to absolve them of them crimes they have committed in the name of an all-powerful, all-seeing, compassionate "god" over the centuries against women, children, minorities and other religions.

Fuck Bill Donohue and his band of apologists.

Twice.

[Paladin]

13. The Catholic League gets way more attention than it deserves. (nt)

[arcane1]

14. Can it really be called a catholic "group" when it's only one guy?

[hatrack]

15. The Catholic League? Who, Donahue and his two temps?

Who gives a shit?

[bigdarryl]

16. So much for free speech

[pinboy3niner]

17. I'd give Maher a Special Dispensation. :) nt

[maxsolomon]

18. They don't ALL fuck children.

In fact, 99.99% of priests don't.

But the ones that do, hoo boy, they got the protection of the RCC for DECADES.

It's not the crime, it's the coverup. Well, in this case, it's the crime AND the coverup.

HBO doesn't give a crap what Donahoe says.

[waddirum]

37. don't be so sure...

... about that 99.99% estimate.

[maxsolomon]

40. I actually revised it

from 99%. i figure it's 1/10,000 priests, not 1/100.

but i don't really know how many priests there are.

[NuclearDem]

19. Oh, the Catholic League.

[Scurrilous]

20. The Catholic League...

...I heard they can hold their conventions in a phone booth.

[EC]

21. Donohue the blowheart...

the heck with him...he's never liked Maher to begin with and was likely just lying in wait.

[SidDithers]

22. DU rec...

but Pope Photo-Op drives a Renault and says the right things about income inequality!

Sid

[Hosnon]

25. This only supports Savage's point.

The Catholic League should be more outraged that priests are fucking kids than it is with people pointing that out.

[n2doc]

26. Nobody gives a F about Bill Donohue

Just another nutcase who gets press because they are all ways looking for an outraged right winger to prop up.

[William769]

27. Dan Savage was spot on.

If the Catholic church doesn't like to bad. They made their bed now they can sleep in it.

[Cali_Democrat]

36. +1

[polichick]

39. Absolutely! Funny how the church loves pedophiles but hates truthtellers.

[Dawson Leery]

28. Donahue's attitude is why the Protestant reformation occured.

[madrchsod]

29. the last paragraph sums it up...

everyone gets a piece of the pie.

[bluestate10]

30. Fuck the Catholic League. The group and the man who run it has been a proven

homophobic, backward group for years. If they don't want to hear Maher or his guest, I suggest that they shove their heads up their asses.

[Johonny]

31. If HBO is smart they'll immediately rebook the guest

because clearly they watched the show and will be glued to the next appearance just to condemn what he says again. That's how business works. No publicity is bad publicity. They don't care if you watch the show because you like it or because you HATE it. They just want to know you watched the thing and are generating buzz to get more people to watch. Hey everyone watch this guy, you are going to hate what he said. Great news for HBO.

[Cali_Democrat]

35. Knowing HBO and Bill Maher

They'll probably book him again. This kind of criticism will only embolden them.

[TeamPooka]

32. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

good luck with that.

[LadyHawkAZ]

33. *snort*

Haven't we already done this dance? Because I'm feeling the deja vu.

Bill Donahue is a through-and-through, solid-core asshat.

[Vashta Nerada]

34. So, what exactly did Dan Savage say that was wrong?

He was spot-on.

[Initech]

42. Nothing. Bill Donahue is a paid troll who can't stand a shred of criticism against his religion.

[spanone]

38. teacatholics

[Initech]

41. Too bad Maher is done for the season.

I'm sure he would tear down that asshole Donahue the same way he did Trump.