I never heard these guys (I'm sure they're just as unfunny as the Stern copyists from coast-to-coast), but isn't it strange that if the sketch premise was "sex in public places," ONLY when a Catholic church was involved was a stink raised (by the vile homphobe William Donohue)? Shouldn't Church members in NY be more concerned with Bishop Daily of Brooklyn, who took no action against an outspoken NAMBLA-activist priest?


Catholic pressure ousts Opie & Anthony after listeners' sex at St Pat's(Newsday)

Being a Don and Mike fan, I cant say that this upsets me in the least.

But I think you have to admit that broadcasting people having sex in a church - especially a famous one like St. Pat's - offends and irritates all kinds of people, not just Catholics.

And they really are just a couple of idiots.

Point: One day I got a ride home from work with a friend and heard a bit of the Opie and Anthony show, which was syndicated to a number of stations around the country, including one in Philadelphia. I found them to be unfunny, untalented, crude and stupid. This latest stunt just reinforces that view. Good riddance.

Counterpoint: The fact that this "Catholic League" group of anti-gay extremists was so outraged and horrified brings me no small amount of joy, and it makes me wish O and A would fight to stay on the air.

What were they thinking?

[quote]Originally posted by conor500:
you have to admit that broadcasting people having sex in a church... offends and irritates all kinds of people, not just Catholics.

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I know I'm in the extreme minority, but it doesn't offend me... and I go to Catholic services. Consensual sex done for "laughs" in a church is far preferable to child rape in the rectory. Or gay-bashing from the pulpit.

I did tell John Waters once that I thought the most transgressive scene in any of his films was Divine masturbating in church, and he agreed with me.

[ August 23, 2002: Message edited by: Bill W ]

This is coming from a recovering Catholic. It seems to me that the Church was most offended by ther fact that there was a woman involved in the sex act...and we all know how concerned the Church is when it comes to women. Pete

I know this is hardly the point, but I also don't get what was suppossed to be funny about this prank? I mean, it was on the radio. No one could see it. At least Howard Stern has his show on E! to replay his bits.

It's just stupid having sex in a public place (much less a church) and having it described over the air. Grow up Opie & Andy- What next? - why doesn't someone shit on a plate in Times Square and that can be covered on the radio too ?

As a Catholic, I was appalled when I heard about this. But you know, I wonder if Howard Stern would be fired if he did the same thing. These two DJs only got canned because they're not household names. Howard Stern probably would've gotten away with it.

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:


I know I'm in the extreme minority, but it doesn't offend me... and I go to Catholic services. Consensual sex done for "laughs" in a church is far preferable to child rape in the rectory. Or gay-bashing from the pulpit.

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Amen to that!!!

Actually I found all the things you described Bill W pretty disgusting.

I see that every time something happens that people in the Catholic Church (and outside but supportive of the Catholic Church) get upset, we are going to hear "Well what about what those priests/nuns/bishops/medieval popes/"fill in the blank" did?"

I forget the term for such faulty argumentation in logic but we can just call it "clouding the issue."

Disgusting, yes... equivalent to a crime against God and humanity, no. I remember one of Howard Stern's goons tried to sandbag the Dalai Lama with stoopid questions at a press conference a few years ago, and the DL just laughed them away! This seemed to me the ultimate enlightened response.

[quote]Originally posted by wrstlinfan:
Actually I found all the things you described Bill W pretty disgusting.

I see that every time something happens that people in the Catholic Church (and outside but supportive of the Catholic Church) get upset, we are going to hear "Well what about what those priests/nuns/bishops/medieval popes/"fill in the blank" did?"

I forget the term for such faulty argumentation in logic but we can just call it "clouding the issue."

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As long as the Catholic Church does nothing to prevent future cover-ups of abuse by utterly despicable types such as Cardinal Law in Boston, the "What about the priests/bishops/etc." question should continue to be asked, and rightly so. Until they truly clean up their act, the Catholic Church has no credibility on morality issues.

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:


As long as the Catholic Church does nothing to prevent future cover-ups of abuse by utterly despicable types such as Cardinal Law in Boston, the "What about the priests/bishops/etc." question should continue to be asked, and rightly so. Until they truly clean up their act, the Catholic Church has no credibility on morality issues.

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That's a silly argument, Joe. That's like saying that anyone who has ever lied, or ever sinned, or whatever, can never criticize someone else for doing the same. That may be what we say - let he who has not sinned throw the first stone - but that's pretty rare, in practice.

Yes, but it took numerous incidents of abuses and coverups before the story became front page news. The first time there was (consensual) sex in the Cathedral, it makes front page news right away. Come on, I think we agree which of the two crimes is worse.

I agree the whole thing was stupid. But it also seems like Opie and Anthony did not get in trouble for suggesting this inane stunt, but got in trouble because two people actually took them up on it.

[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: pat125 ]

[quote]Originally posted by conor500:
That's a silly argument, Joe. That's like saying that anyone who has ever lied, or ever sinned, or whatever, can never criticize someone else for doing the same. That may be what we say - let he who has not sinned throw the first stone - but that's pretty rare, in practice.

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But the Catholic Church does not consider itself as just "anyone." It sees itself as a moral authority trying to influence the world to follow its path.