Forgive Them Father For They Know Not What They Do

On the way back from lunch yesterday I’m listening to a short report on NPR about several red-state NBC affiliates refusing to air a new midseason replacement show called “The Book of Daniel” (which I’m just now recalling aired last night and thus I missed it, dammit), primarily because of its irreverent depiction of Jesus and the fact that the show’s lead, an Episcopalian minister named Daniel (played by Aidan Quinn) has an alcoholic wife, a gay son and a drug-dealing daughter.

What, no sibling serial killer on death row?

As my first marriage was officiated by Father Tom Vaughn, a friend of the family who was not only an off-the-path Episcopalian priest but also an accomplished jazz pianist who I’m sure was decently soused during the ceremony, “Daniel” sounds like a show right up my alley. But when you factor in the intrigue that’s created by calls for banishment from riled up religious groups I’m even more bound to tune it in.

I just don’t get why these watchdogs of the lord who so arrogantly insist they know what’s fit for public consumption don’t recognize that while they may succeed in getting a few stations to take the show off the air, the overall publicity from such demands generates more interest than if they’d kept their collective mouth closed and just not watched.

Instead of putting up they should just shut up. As it stands now, I pray they replay episode one and you can damn well bet I’ll be Tivo’ing next Friday’s show.

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Will

Will Campbell arrived in town via the maternity ward at Good Sam Hospital way back in OneNineSixFour and has never stopped calling Los Angeles home. Presently he lives in Silver Lake with his wife Susan, their cat Rocky, dogs Terra and Hazel, and a red-eared slider turtle named Mater. Blogging since 2001, Will's web endeavors extend back to 1995 with laonstage.com, a comprehensive theater site that was well received but ever-short on capital (or a business model). The pinnacle of his online success (which speaks volumes) arrived in 1997, when much to his surprise, a hobby site he'd built called VisuaL.A. was named "best website" in Los Angeles magazine's annual "Best of L.A." issue. He enjoys experiencing (and writing about) pretty much anything creative, explorational and/or adventurous, loves his ebike, is a better tennis player than he is horr golfer, and a lover of all creatures great and small -- emphasis on "all."