Who Can Take a Joke? Life of Brian, Four Lions, and Religious “Humour Scandals”
Why did Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) unleash a storm of protest and accusations of blasphemy on its release, what Giselinde Kuipers calls a “humour scandal,’’ while Chris Morris’s satire about British Jihadi terrorists, Four Lions (2010), barely raised an eyebrow? A focus on a media represent...
| Published in: | Relegere |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
University of Otago, Department of Theology and Religion
[2014]
|
| In: |
Relegere
|
| Further subjects: | B
Free Speech
B Islamism B Blasphemy B Satire B Islamophobia B Humour scandals |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Why did Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) unleash a storm of protest and accusations of blasphemy on its release, what Giselinde Kuipers calls a “humour scandal,’’ while Chris Morris’s satire about British Jihadi terrorists, Four Lions (2010), barely raised an eyebrow? A focus on a media representation of Muslims that did not cause an outcry—even though one was eagerly anticipated—and on one of Christianity that did offers a fresh perspective on the ongoing de- bate on blasphemy and free speech, Islamism and islamophobia. This article’s contention is that both films offer similar, liberal humanist messages and an inclusive brand of humour, and that their receptions complicate the idea of Muslim extremists versus the liberal west, show- ing us that such an imaginary is itself a religious one. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1179-7231 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Relegere
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.11157/rsrr4-2-575 |