Jerry Springer the Opera

I originally drafted this post on the 11th April 2006 after going to see Jerry Springer the Opera at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, but thought it best not to finish at that point so angry was I at what I saw as the hypocrisy and injustice of a number of people in the city, and further afield. I did not want to be rash in writing about this subject, saying things I would regret. So here it is, seasoned with salt, 4 months later, completed.



1. Jerry Springer the Opera, when filmed and aired by the BBC was the source of enough consternation to prompt Christian Voice ("The enemies of God are all having there say! It's time to hear the...") to release the names, mobile numbers and home addresses of a host of BBC employees (some more and others less) involved with the production of Jerry Springer the Opera. Many of those whose details were released received threatening phone calls and hate mail.

2. This week Jerry Springer the Opera was playing at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, with a scaled down touring cast and travelling set, it is their 9th of 20 venues. Initial ticket sales were low - perhaps a combination of the seasonal cycle of Cambridge's student population and the age of Jerry Springer the Opera as a show.

3. 16 senior evangelical church leaders from Cambridge jointly wrote and signed a letter to the Cambridge Evening News protesting at the showing of Jerry Springer the Opera and explaining part of the story of Jesus Christ. They were joined in their denounciatation on the opening night by a group of people protesting at the showing of the musical, handing out leaflets and holding placards.

4. At some time around the begining of the First Century, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified near Jerusalem in Palestine by the local Roman ruler, he died and, after three days, came to life again, after spending some time with those who had known him he physically went to be with his father, God to return when heaven and earth are renewed.

The main beef of Christian Voice, it seems, centres around a claim that Jerry Springer the Opera is offensive to Jesus Christ and to God, this too, aside from a very brief explanation of the Christian message, is the gist of the letter written by the Cambridge church leaders.

It is true that the Opera's most common word is "fuck", by a very large margine, it contains a portrayal of characters called both Jesus (who would readily be described as camp) and God (who remains unable to sort out the problems of the world beleagured by and squabbaling with a character called the Devil). Further to this the Jesus character is stylistically identified with a character appearing earlier in the Opera who is sexually aroused by dressing up like a baby, and if I remember correctly, shitting himself.

On the surface heinously offensive, but taking the Opera at this surface level is a severe mistake and to misunderstand it so throroughly as to render any assumptions made about it from this level wholey untrustworthy.

Essentially this piece is about post-modernity and being Jerry Springer, in fact at the very end of the Opera Jerry Springer has to adjudicate a conversation between God and the Devil and then summarise the verdict in his "Thought for the Day" - those with eyes to see will perceive that this is in fact a comment on ethics in a post-modern society and indeed could be seen to highlight the ridiculous therein. Within this the mimetic nature of post-modernity is explored, ie the way in which post-modern media driven culture borrows, borrows and borrows again images and themes changing their meaning and nature in different settings.

Nothing within the Opera can be taken as it stands if it is to be understood, and probably nothing either as it sits down or jumps around, it is a completely self-referencing and ironic piece. Even in the surface level of offence intentionally given it is making a point, or a number of points, about what is and is not considered offensive in our current society.

I ask what would Jesus find more offensive Jerry Springer the Opera, as it stands post-modern and ironically self-referential making comment on society in a way indeginous to that society indeed asking searching questions of that society, or a group of Christians who look merely at ther surface of a thing and without better trying to understand it, without taking the time to get to know the people behind it or even searching within the church to find those who might understand it, condemn it using Jesus' very name, threatening people with judgement on Jesus' return and declaring God offended by it and the people behind it, who he created.

For me the answer is obvious, and the hypocrisy of the stance of Christian Voice and the letter written by the 16 church leaders is something to be justly angry about. But I do not think the hypocrisy ends at this point, nor indeed the offense to Jesus.

I have lived in Cambridge for almost 5 years, 4 as a student and 1 as a member of the working population. In those years the only thing I have seen the church of the city do on the streets of Cambridge centre has been this. Buddhists regularly gather outside Monsoon to share their teaching, Hare Krishnas too walk up and down King's Parade talk to people about a different way of life - one more fulfilling. At some of the heights of the trouble our country continues to see the Islamic Society of the University had some people take to the streets to talk to people, reassuring them about Islamic culture and Muslims who form a part of our society. What do onlookers see of Christians, what do they hear of Jesus, that he is Lord? Do they hear the good news, or the gospel that Paul says but the uttering of will see the Spirit move? No, they hear that Jesus is offended, that something so petty as Jerry Springer the Opera could make him upset.

Jesus is offended, by Jerry Springer the Opera, Jesus is offended. JESUS IS OFFENDED?

While war and murder are endemic on this earth of ours, while the developed world suffers cultural bulimia with its heart disease and diet fads and food mountains, getting rich on selling arms and buying diamonds from the two-thirds world, while that very world starves, people so hopeless in thier poverty, created and reinforced by a thing we call the global economy. 30,000 children die every day of starvation. This, God help us, is just the tip of the iceberg of oppresion and evil in our broken, broken world in every part of our global society hurting people pile up longing, waiting, praying, groaning - for they cannot find the words - for something to free them.

Jesus is offended, really fucking offended. Jerry Springer the Opera? Where's the gospel, where's the Prince of Peace, where's the fiery prophet of first century Judaism, the Son of God, he died and rose and reigns at the right hand of God, a Just and Mighty God. Jesus Christ! People do need to know what He's offended by and about, and they need to know now. And I tell you: it is not by Jerry Springer the Opera.