Comedy Central to air animated show about Jesus

[DeToxRox]

Considering how badly they folded with the South Park/Mohammed debacle, I don't give this much of a shot. Then again, no one seems to care much about Jesus' depiction on SP so who knows?

From executive producers Henrik Basin, Brian Boyle ("American Dad"), Jonathan Sjoberg and Andreas Ohman, "JC" is, to quote a Comedy Central press release, "A half-hour animated show about JC (Jesus Christ) wanting to escape his father's enormous shadow and to live life in NYC as a regular guy. A lot has changed in 2000 years and he is the ultimate fish out of water. Meanwhile his all-powerful yet apathetic father would rather be playing video games than listening to JC recount his life in the city. JC is a playful take on religion and society with a sprinkle of dumb."

All together now: "So Comedy Central won't let 'South Park' show Muhammad in one episode, but a whole series making Jesus jokes is acceptable?!?"

Is the outrage out of our system yet? Probably not, but that outrage can be carried out elsewhere. "JC" is one of 13 Comedy Central projects only at the script phase of development, meaning that the chances of your ever hearing about it again are only moderate.

Also only at the script stage are a series version of the feature film "Waiting," the suggestively titled "Intercourse with Whitney Cummings" and "A**holes," the space station comedy "Mars," the animated all-star animated project "Supermax" (featuring Robert Hanssen, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, Ted Kaczinski, Omar Abdel-Rahman, Richard Reid, John Walker-Lind as characters), and a script about minor league baseball umpires from the Broken Lizard comedy troop.

Comedy Central also listed nine projects that have been ordered to pilot. They include "Jon Benjamin Has a Van," "Rich Dicks" co-starring Nick Kroll, "Patrice Oneal's Guide to White People," the stoner-centric "Highdeas," the heavy metal docu-reality show "Steel Panther," the slightly self-explanatory "United Bill Burr/Kevin Hart Pilot" and "This Show Will Get You High" with the Upright Citizens Brigade."

"The focus throughout our development process is to find performers, writers, directors and producers that project a strong, unique comedic voice, and then help them actualize their vision in the most unfiltered manner possible," states Kent Alterman, Comedy Central's head of original programming and development. "With the current development slate, I think it’s safe to say we’re doing our part to end global hunger and foster world peace."

As part of its broad swath of announcements, Comedy Central also announced and confirmed a slew of premieres.


Those premieres include:

*** As we reported weeks ago, "Futurama" will begin its resurrected series run on June 24.

*** "Big Lake," formerly the Jon Heder comedy until Jon Heder exited, will premiere in August, still featuring co-stars Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell.

*** "Nick Swardson's Pretend Time," featuring comic Nick Swardson, will premiere in August.

*** The workplace comedy "Workaholics," from the sketch group Mail Order Comedy, will premiere in February 2011.

*** On the unscripted front, the JB Smoove-hosted "Russell Simmons Presents: Stand-Up at the El Rey" premieres on Sunday, July 11, while "The Onion Sports Network" will premiere in January 2011.

[Solecismic]

We already know Comedy Central lacks courage in this area. So this seems more like bullying than being edgy and making a point about religious intolerance.

I'll pass on this one.

[JediKooter]

I guess when people start to hand out death threats like they are candy if you show any depiction of Jesus, then I guess at that time you can compare the two.