Still smarting from their ignominious retreat on the Lucas Cranach poster, the guardians of public morals at the London Transit Authority have banned yet another poster for being "offensive." This time it's an ad for a new play called "Fat Jesus."
The play is a loose re-telling of the story of a man who is turned down for the part of Christ in a stage performance of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Super Star" because he was overweight. The man then decides to stage a mock crucifixion of himself as a part art project and part protest. The poster promoting the play, which is due to open February 26, shows an overweight man wearing pink boxer shorts tied to a cross.
Transit officials, who apparently have learned nothing from their recent climb down in the matter of the Cranach poster, stepped in to "save" the sensitivities of fragile subway passengers claiming that the poster might be "offensive" to some of the more than one million riders who travel on the tube daily.
A Transit spokesman explained the decision saying:
"Millions of people travel on the London Underground each day and they have no choice but to view whatever adverts are posted there...."We have to take account of every passenger and endeavour not to cause offence in the advertising we display."
Advertising not deemed offensive by Transit officials.
Gavin Davis, the writer of the play, defended the poster pointing out that it was not blasphemous. It should be remembered that the play is not about Jesus, it is about a man turned down to play the part of Jesus in a musical and how he reacted to his rejection.
The "politically correct" decision by the Transit Authority officials fails to take into consideration the fact that someone can find something to be offended by in almost any situation provided they are willing to work hard enough.
More non-offensive posters.
