Saturday Night Live mocks Orthodoxy

[Orual]

Did anyone else see this sketch which was on Saturday Night Live last night?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/132875/saturday-night-live-kissing-family#s-p1-sr-i1

I found it disgusting and offensive on several levels.  It's obviously a mockery how some non-American cultures express affection more physically than most Americans are used to seeing, and it also mocks Orthodox Christian funeral customs.  I think it is shameful, and should not go without protest.

If Hulu doesn't work for you, the basic gist of the sketch is a man introducing his girlfriend to his family at a funeral.  The so-called joke is that everyone besides the girl is extremely physically affectionate, even with total strangers.  Part of it shows a man dressed as an Orthodox priest (Zach Galifianakis, who was raised Orthodox) tongue-kissing and making out with another man, and then being called "very religious" by another man (who also exchanges a long series of kisses with the "priest").  And the climax of the sketch is one man tongue-kissing a body in an open casket (which grabs him and kisses him back).

[Rosehip]

Fortunately or unfortunately, the video doesn't work here, but this is something I've been thinking about lately. Many of my non-Orthodox friends have told me over the past few years how ill at ease they feel with all the touching and kissing going on in the Orthodox Church. When I have explained the custom of Forgiveness Sunday, many of them have recoiled at the thought. They've said that not only do they dislike the idea of having to hug and kiss people from church, but that they find the idea of asking forgiveness of others once a year to be insincere. Oddly, I never once felt this way and was quite shocked to hear these opinions.

[alexp4uni]

Comments rescinded after sounding to inappropriate.

[Orthodox11]

I think it is shameful, and should not go without protest.

We're not Muslims. We can handle a little mockery. Our God is not in need of defence.

[Orual]

I think it is shameful, and should not go without protest.

We're not Muslims. We can handle a little mockery. Our God is not in need of defence.

I think it's our duty to call them to repentance.  It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

[samkim]

I think it is shameful, and should not go without protest.

We're not Muslims. We can handle a little mockery. Our God is not in need of defence.

I think it's our duty to call them to repentance.  It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

Let's take care of our own souls first.

[ozgeorge]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

[Anastasios]

I think it is shameful, and should not go without protest.

We're not Muslims. We can handle a little mockery. Our God is not in need of defence.

I think it's our duty to call them to repentance.  It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

Let's take care of our own souls first.

Certainly not when the person is Orthodox; we are supposed to admonish our brethren charitably (and in private in the first instance) with the eye towards procuring their repentance. Zach Galifianakis was raised Orthodox (not sure of his current affiliation though).  Therefore, he should be called to repentance, and we should not "take care of our own souls first."  We'll be doing that the rest of our lives.

[SolEX01]

Zach Galifianakis. Dimitri Martin, et al ...  I care about them as much as I care about Duke University, which is zero.   

[Iconodule]

Of all the things to protest in the world, I think the antics of a comedy show, widely acknowledged to be increasingly moribund, are pretty low on the list. Besides, the joke has more to do with the mores of mainstream US culture than Orthodox culture which most people don't encounter anyway.

[ozgeorge]

we should not "take care of our own souls first."  We'll be doing that the rest of our lives.

Which shouldn't leave us much time for anything else.

[Anastasios]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

[Anastasios]

we should not "take care of our own souls first."  We'll be doing that the rest of our lives.

Which shouldn't leave us much time for anything else.

We won't be doing our souls a favor if we neglect concern for our erring brethren.

[ozgeorge]

we should not "take care of our own souls first."  We'll be doing that the rest of our lives.

Which shouldn't leave us much time for anything else.

We won't be doing our souls a favor if we neglect concern for our erring brethren.

 

Off you go then.

[Anastasios]

Of all the things to protest in the world, I think the antics of a comedy show, widely acknowledged to be increasingly moribund, are pretty low on the list. Besides, the joke has more to do with the mores of mainstream US culture than Orthodox culture which most people don't encounter anyway.

I don't think we should protest the show. I think someone who knows Zach G. should reach out to him and admonish him privately to repent for his blasphemy. One can't expect a TV comedy show known for gutter humor will ever stop. One can hope that an individual raised as an Orthodox can be reasoned with and prayed for to repent.

[Anastasios]

we should not "take care of our own souls first."  We'll be doing that the rest of our lives.

Which shouldn't leave us much time for anything else.

We won't be doing our souls a favor if we neglect concern for our erring brethren.

 

Off you go then.

I already did my part--I prayed for him when I saw what happened. My hope is that someone who actually knows him and is Orthodox will privately admonish him and lead him to repentance.  I don't advocate protesting some stupid TV show.

[ozgeorge]

I think someone who knows Zach G. should reach out to him and admonish him privately to repent for his blasphemy.

Good advice. I just took it with another friend of mine. Thanks!

[Orual]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?  ). 

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

[Orthodox11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a4hozaPKo4

[Schultz]

I watch that and see SNL making fun of the uptight waspy northern european culture more than anything.    Ii was raised in a family that was very non-openly-affectionate.  I've gotten over it, but for those of us who were raised in dour Anglo-Saxon families where anything more than a pat on the back is seen as something that should be done in private, the affection shown by the Mediterraneans and Slavs (both Orthodox and Catholic), even ritualized affection as exhibited at Orthodox funerals and on Forgiveness Sunday, can seem a bit extreme.  As Americans, especially American males, have started to be more openly affectionate with one another, the old uptight ways are ripe for mockery.  

That's my two pfennigs, anyways.

[Rosehip]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a4hozaPKo4

Is that for REAL??

[Rosehip]

I watch that and see SNL making fun of the uptight waspy northern european culture more than anything.    Ii was raised in a family that was very non-openly-affectionate.  I've gotten over it, but for those of us who were raised in dour Anglo-Saxon families where anything more than a pat on the back is seen as something that should be done in private, the affection shown by the Mediterraneans and Slavs (both Orthodox and Catholic), even ritualized affection as exhibited at Orthodox funerals and on Forgiveness Sunday, can seem a bit extreme.  As Americans, especially American males, have started to be more openly affectionate with one another, the old uptight ways are ripe for mockery.  

That's my two pfennigs, anyways.

I agree, Shultz. I recently met some members of my family and was shocked to observe how emotion of any sort was avoided, indeed, any expression of emotion and/or feelings appeared to be treated with cold disdain. Unnerving.

[Orual]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a4hozaPKo4

I don't see them bending each other over and using their tongues.

And what really upset me was how the whole thing was played for laughs, like physical affection itself deserves mockery.  And the audience laughs at the priest when he walks into the room, before he's even done anything.

[ozgeorge]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

[Orual]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Cool.  Let's thank them by bringing them the good news.

[Mivac]

Saturday Night live has always been twisted.

Thankfully not everyone in the United States is that twisted.  Moving to Orthodox in that area was easy because the Baptist Church I came from was deeply into hugging and kissing cheeks.

[podkarpatska]

Remember the Church Lady and the Catholic school skits? Not the first time they ventured into such territory. Sometimes satire is an important teaching tool, most of the time it is pointless and juvenile. This goes into the pointless and juvenile category.

[ialmisry]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

There is no merit if it isn't false.

[augustin717]

Nah, come on. Nothing to be so offended about.
You haven't seen what treatment the clergy gets in Orthodox countries. And it's a lot funnier , as well.

[ozgeorge]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Cool.  Let's thank them by bringing them the good news.

You can try, But I think Christ advised against it:
"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Matthew 7:6
My own experience with people bears this out. If someone has a deranged idea in their head which causes them to hate you, nothing you say will make any difference. If they are going to trample on people (especially people who are already being trampled on), then all you can do is stay faithful to the truth yourself.

[arimethea]

The kissing family is a reoccurring bit on SNL, last night's episode was the first reference to them being Orthodox. Don't get me wrong, I find the sketch off putting every time they do it. I don't think there were mocking Orthodoxy but at the same time I question the Hollywood portrayal of Orthodoxy.

If anything I see this as a good argument for the use of traditional dress for our clergy. At no time did they say Orthodox or tell us that he is an Orthodox priest but we are all assuming that he is based on his garb. There is a reason they dressed him up the way they did and that is because it is stereotypical and some stereotypes are good.

[Orual]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Cool.  Let's thank them by bringing them the good news.

You can try, But I think Christ advised against it:
"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Matthew 7:6

I said bring them the good news, not lecture them about the perichoresis of the Trinity.

[Jetavan]

The kissing family is a reoccurring bit on SNL, last night's episode was the first reference to them being Orthodox. Don't get me wrong, I find the sketch off putting every time they do it. I don't think there were mocking Orthodoxy but at the same time I question the Hollywood portrayal of Orthodoxy.

If anything I see this as a good argument for the use of traditional dress for our clergy. At no time did they say Orthodox or tell us that he is an Orthodox priest but we are all assuming that he is based on his garb. There is a reason they dressed him up the way they did and that...

...most likely had something to do with the fact that the guest host (Zach Galifianakis) is Greek.

[LizaSymonenko]

Hey...why is anyone watching SNL during Lent, anyway!?!

 

[Alveus Lacuna]

It wasn't all that bad (or funny), and certainly not worth anybody's time to make a huge fuss over.  The more fuss that you make, the more exposure it gets, when in reality if you just ignored it, the skit would blur into oblivion with the thousands of others routines the show has done over several decades.

[Super Apostolic Bros.]

No way any Orthodox would have such a drab funeral 

Besides, such a lame skit is not gonna have anyone making widespread fun of the Orthodox.

[GabrieltheCelt]

Hey...why is anyone watching SNL during Lent, anyway!?!

 

LOL!  Good one, sister.  Not to put too fine a point on it, but who watches Saturday Night Lame period?! 

[FormerReformer]

It wasn't all that bad (or funny),

Besides, such a lame skit is not gonna have anyone making widespread fun of the Orthodox.

It probably would have been funnier if SNL hadn't done pretty much the same skit at least once a season.  Only the specific ethnic heritages change.

"Bellisimaaaa!"

Good sketch shows know when to quit.  Like Monty Python, SCTV, or Kids in the Hall.

Hey...why is anyone watching SNL during Lent, anyway!?!

 

Or at all, for that matter.    (Whoops, Gabriel beat me to it.)

[ozgeorge]

It's so rare to see Orthodoxy portrayed in popular culture, and having one of the rare appearances be something as foul and ghastly as this, is really disheartening to me.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

I also agree with George.  Yeah everyone thinks it's kind of cool when Orthodoxy gets a "shout out" in a movie, but at what expense? This is the flipside.

If they're going to reference Orthodoxy, they should at least be honest (thieving bishop?   ).

Portraying us as homoerotic necrophiliacs is, I would think, going a tiny bit too far, and maybe they need to know that.

Have you seen some of the false accusations and insults being hurled at my Patriarch on this forum? Orual, I think we should be thanking the good people of SNL who are the cause of blessing for us.
"“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Cool.  Let's thank them by bringing them the good news.

You can try, But I think Christ advised against it:
"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Matthew 7:6

I said bring them the good news, not lecture them about the perichoresis of the Trinity.

Is a lecture about the perichoresis of the Trinity holy, but the Good News unholy or profane?

[Tzimis]

I watched the show on Saturday. If you look closely at the video you will notice Zach was kissing on alternating cheeks "if that's any consolation" and not in the mouth like the other actors. I also have to admit that as I become older I find that open mouth kisses are very discussing. "All those germs" Yuk. The hair on my back and arms was standing up while watching the show cringing. I started watching SNL when Tina Fey, anther Greek decided the outcome of the presidential elections. Who says us Greeks aren't in control of the world any more. MUHUHUHUHU.

[bogdan]

And the audience laughs at the priest when he walks into the room, before he's even done anything.

Probably nervous laughter. I mean, an Orthodox priest can be a bizarre sight to see if you're not used to it, with the hat and everything.

I once heard an interview with Metropolitan Philip who said they look like space aliens, but I don't go that far.

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