Catholic League Angered By Larry David Peeing On Jesus

**UPDATE**

HBO has sent us the following response:

"Anyone who follows Curb Your Enthusiasm knows that the show is full of parody and satire. Larry David makes fun of everyone, most especially himself. The humor is always playful and certainly never malicious. "

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On Sunday's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' Larry David was taking a "new pill" that caused him to urinate with excessive force. This caused a lot of splash back, some of which ended up on a Jesus painting hanging on the bathroom wall of his pious assistant, who later sees Jesus "crying" and assumes a miracle has taken place.

Catholics are not amused. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, said in a statement:

Mention Larry David in a word association game and "Seinfeld" rolls off the lips. That show, which David created, wrote and produced, was brilliant. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is not. Indeed, last night's episode demonstrates that David's best years are behind him. He ought to quit while he's ahead.

At one point in the show, David goes to the bathroom in a Catholic home and splatters urine on a picture of Jesus; he doesn't clean it off. Then a Catholic woman goes to the bathroom, sees the picture and concludes that Jesus is crying. She then summons her equally stupid mother and the two of them fall to their knees in prayer. When David and Jerry Seinfeld (playing himself) are asked if they ever experienced a miracle, David answers, "every erection is a miracle." That's what passes for creativity these days.

Was Larry David always this crude? Would he think it comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother? This might be fun to watch, but since HBO only likes to dump on Catholics (it was just a couple of weeks ago that Sarah Silverman insulted Catholics on "Real Time with Bill Maher"), and David is Jewish, we'll never know.

WATCH the splash back incident:

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Comments

[huckflynn]

It was a picture of Jesus. The story title is purposely insulting to Christians. Congrats to cowards who never insult any religion except the one they know is safe to attack. How about it? Step up an poke fun at Islam. You won't because you have no guts or class.

[Abraxas79]

I fail to see the humour in having someone piss on what many considered the revered son of God. Will he defecate on it next episode ? What will do for an encore ?

[richdibo]

The religious get more points for being persecuted. They seek it. If its not there, they will invent it.

[SouthpawSass]

Donohue watches Curb?

[SouthpawSass]

Quite honestly, I don't know of anyone who keeps a picture of Jesus in the bathroom.

[snoopjohnny]

I've never been very entertained by these comedic story lines involving tension and stress centering on neurotic behavior, anguish over issues of etiquette, appearances, parking spots, etc. But I do think David is a talented and prolific writer. Am I offended by the idea of a Jew (or anyone) inadvertently defiling a Christian image or object? Hardly. It's likely this attention-getting device was a calculated "event", as part of an overarching marketing plan for the season. Of course, at any given time there are far more horrible things happening on TV, not to mention the atrocities (and wonderful experiences) of real life. Just outside the door there's a whole world you NEVER see on Seinfeld, "Curb Your Enthusiasm", or anywhere on TV......

[VirginiaJeff]

HBO says "Larry David makes fun of everyone."

I must have missed the episode where he p'd on a painting of the Prophet Mohammed.

[JohnFromCensornati]

Have you ever seen a painting of Mo? I didn't think so. You don't know what you're talking about.

[Goliadkin]

Copy that.

[SouthpawSass]

I like Larry David's humor most of the time - he does tend to be a "penile"... but he's still funny. Perhaps he ran out of ideas or just doesn't work with any Christians who could have told him it was a bit over the line. I don't know what Larry David was thinking.

Would it have been more funny had he used the Star of David? He specifically chose the one thing to pi.ss Christians off. Why?

Besides, Urine just isn't funny.

[nerofiddled]

Apparently you did miss the episode where a Muslim woman (played by Moon Unit Zappa) has decidedly unspiritual motives for wearing a burka. And peeing on Mohammed just isn't as funny as peeing on Jesus. Sorry.

[FabulousAt52]

two of my posts went to pending and then ... you got it.... disappeared!

Thanks Puffho.

[jtr115]

So Donohue thinks "HBO only likes to dump on Catholics"? If Donohue had watched more than one episode of Curb, he'd know that Larry David is "dumped on" in virtually every episode. If Donohue thinks he can write a better comedy, he should do so. Otherwise, he should mind his own business.

[VirginiaJeff]

Except there's that freedom-of-speech thing. Annoying, isn't it?

[JohnFromCensornati]

Yes. Apparently, it's very annoying to those who believe in ZombieMessiahs.

[avicenna]

Whether or not this skit is funny or crass is a moot point as it depends on the perspective of the observer. However, respect for the belief or feelings of other people was definitely not an objective of David's peeing pontification. It certainly wasn't his most sophisticated or mature slice of humor - and it can be debated as to whether it was funny at all. I'm not Catholic, but I can see how this kind of school yard antics from a relatively well-regarded entertainer can be hurtful to those who regard symbols of their faith and values as a reflection of themselves.

[VirginiaJeff]

Faved

[JohnFromCensornati]

Respect for supernatural beliefs is not respect that has been earned. It's respect for childhood fantasy.

[SouthpawSass]

C'mon John... I'm not religious, but diminishing the beliefs of others just isn't right. We can't pick and choose for others what their belief systems are or what they can or cannot be hurt by... It's respect for others that matters.

Now for your pennance, you're to go out amongst the people and hug a Christian - and not one of those half hugs - it should be a full bi-armed bear hug. You'll feel better about yourself and give someone a reason to be glad they're alive.

[SouthpawSass]

Very well put avicenna...

[mypov123]

Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of my favorite shows, it's hilarious. But when I watched this episode I knew this particular scene would cause controversy.

[eyepatch]

The painting that is suppose to be
Jesus of Nazareth is in fact NOT what
Jesus looked like....

Being from Galilee Jesus would have
been had semetic features much like
the people of that region looked today

Also Jesus was a laborer until he was
30 years old and would have had a muscular
build!.....

So the clip of him peeing on what is suppose
to be Jesus is in poor taste!!!!!!!

Larry is neurotic and annoying!
is there any wonder why I do not watch the show????

[JohnFromCensornati]

JC's dad was invisible. How do you know what he would look like?

[RobinL]

Why do Christians assume that Jesus didn't, or doesn't, have a sense of humor?

[kwinter]

I've read their book ... there's definitely no humor in it!

[zermatt]

If Larry David had a strong inclination to urinate here and there, wouldn't it have been "braver" to have done it to the other contemporary messiah? That's to say, Barack Obama. And then maybe Ashton Kutcher could have marveled at how even Obama's image was empathizing tearily with all 629 trillion Americans without health insurance.

[tfred]

Of course he had a sense of humour. Look at all the leper jokes!!!

[Cogs]

I think Larry David was making fun of miracles. The ladies were prepared to travel across the country in a motorhome and share the "tear" with the faithful. People flock to see their favorite christian images on tree trunks and viaduct walls. Bill Donohue is part of the problem.

[laaambchop]

I think you're right

[irishmaryoh]

Donahue is part of the problem? Depends on what you see as the problem. Donahue is standing up to this man desecrating something all Christians see as a sacred image because of what a picture of Jesus represents. The same way pictures of MLK Jr. represents someone held in high regard to African Americans. What if David had pissed on a picture of the Statue of Liberty or the US Flag? What if he pissed on a picture of Chief Geronomo or Sitting Bull? Would the Americans and Native Americans have a right to be outraged? Would YOU think that would be funny?

"Making fun of miracles"?? Wheather you believe in miracles or not isn't the point. Larry David's sense of humor shows no regard for the majority of Americans who claim to be Christians. (Look it up)

[SouthpawSass]

If he was indeed making fun of miracles, why use urine? He could have written the skit any way, could have written any form of liquid that wasn't bodily waste, but urine was the best he could come up with?

All that's required is him apologizing. No more, no less.