Bobblehead Pope Video Yanked

D.C. Subway Agency Drops Promotional Ad After Catholic Objection To "Misdressed" Pontiff

(CBS/AP)  The transportation agency for the nation's capital has pulled a promotional video from YouTube after the Archdiocese of Washington complained about the star: a Pope Benedict XVI bobblehead doll.

The video aimed to encourage people to take Metro to next week's papal Mass at Nationals Park. But Archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Gibbs said many people would not have been comfortable with it.

"Our concern is that this was a bad bobblehead," Gibbs told the Washington Post. "You had unauthorized merchandise, and you had a misdressed pope."

The video shows the bobblehead riding a Metro train and buying a special one-day pass. Metro's media relations director, Lisa Farbstein, dreamed up the video and says no offense was intended.

[extremophil]

I though the real pope WAS a bobblehead.

[tomanyt]

Pope Benedict XVI is a bobblehead doll. What else are these idiots going to complain about?

[piercetheval]

...meanwhile in India the Durga has been born...Aum Doom Duragay Yeah Namaha!

[piercetheval]

Which bobblehead Pope are they talking about? The one that had the Templars burned at the stake or the one that set up the brothel near the Vatican?

[twohares]

The pope isn''t a bobblehead. It''s just that big heavy jewel-and-gold-encrusted HAT that makes his head bobble so much. Maybe if some of that papal wealth were to be spent on the starving masses then "hey-soos" wouldn''t have to make so many fish and loaves of bread!

[drivelphobe]

Catholicism, Islam? Sounds about the same. No bobble heads or cartoons?

[iskra100]

I am Catholic. This is such a clever ad! I am sorry that the Archdiocese couldn''t see the humor and see how wonderful this was to let people know how easy it would be to get to where the Pope is going to be.

[sgtrds]

They need to lighten up a bit. I remember when JPII came to the US once people were selling Pope Soap on a Rope and a lawn sprinkler that looked like him called Let Us Spray. I thought they were great!

[demslie]

I am Catholic. This is such a clever ad! I am sorry that the Archdiocese couldn''''''''t see the humor and see how wonderful this was to let people know how easy it would be to get to where the Pope is going to be.

Posted by iskra100

I''''m with you. There are too many uptight folks running the Catholic church right now. These same folks are wondering why there are fewer and fewer young people at weekly mass.

Posted by dragonwagon5

Isn''t it amazing that these Democrat Atheists would complain about the Catholic Church when an insult to Islam will get your head chopped off. But, like so many situational ethics of Angry Democrats, Muslims hate Bush so Democrats say nothing about their partners who commit Genocide. And by the way, there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America. 1st graders are taught alternative sexual lifestyles by Democrats who ban religion as a controversial subject.

[ajaxtheleast]

BOBBLEHEAD POPE VIDEO "YANKED".

BOBBLEHEAD POPE GETS NEXT IN LINE.

[kaviz]

demslie, I think your school bell is ringing. Moron.

[piercetheval]

...I''m waitin'' for the Christ on a Cross yimmie-diddle myself.

[alexma50085]

They should have stuck with Buddy Christ.

[bobnjersey]

["You had unauthorized merchandise, and you had a misdressed pope." ]

unauthorized merchandise? does the vatican have intellectual property rights on all that is considered religously relevent now?

does burning on the cross and quartering belong to them too?

[mjm117]

And by the way, there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America. 1st graders are taught alternative sexual lifestyles by Democrats who ban religion as a controversial subject.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by demslie at 10:30 AM : Apr 09, 2008


Wow. Show your true colors why don''t you? How bout leaving schools to teach education and churches to lead the blind masses?

[jonnibegood7]

The bobblehead is obviously a politician bobblehead dressed like a Cardinal who happens to look like His Holiness. As a Catholic, I am pleased that DC Metro is promoting the Papal Mass. I refuse to look for a reason to be offended.

[shoppingnut-2009]

I''m Catholic and overall I like the ad, but the one thing that sorta offends me is the way the guy with the news papers speaks to the pope bobblehead. I think if he spoke in a normal manner it wouldn''t be so objectionable. I feel the way he currently speaks makes fun of the way the pope would speak at mass.

[bobnjersey]

[And by the way, there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America. 1st graders are taught alternative sexual lifestyles by Democrats who ban religion as a controversial subject.]
[Posted by demslie at 10:30 AM : Apr 09, 2008]

if you want religion taught to your kids in school you should go to a religious school. that ''******* piece of paper'' that most know as the constitution still guarantees freedom of religion ... and there''s proof of that everywhere.

of course, to ''so called'' christians ... anything that isn''t like them is a threat. seems to be a theme in most religions.

[gwno1]

When the Muslims were offended by a cartoon they rioted. Catholicswere offended by a bobblehead and they just complained which got the ad pulled. Which is better

[yongamerica]

Good grief, The bobblehead Pope is a great idea. He is a real life bobblehead. But I want a bobblehead Jesus. Where do you get these?

[yongamerica]

Good grief, The bobblehead Pope is a great idea. He is a real life bobblehead. But I want a bobblehead Jesus. Where do you get these?

[eamundok]

Hey, I remember the Pope on Rope soap... wish I had one.

Ratzinger is moving the Catholic church back 40 years anyway. He appears to be undoing all the good accomplished by his predecessor. But I digress...

I like the bobble-head.. Can you buy them somewhere? The previous poster was correct in that the man on the subway appeared to be mocking the canting of the Mass - which wasn''t necessary for humor in good taste. Otherwise, what is the problem? Everyone is waiting to be offended? What about the Pope Mobile? Certainly that Paul VI (?) wasn''t offended by all of those jokes.

I have the greatest respect for the office of the Pope, just as I respect the Dali Lama or any other global religious leader who speaks to peace and harmony amongst all peoples.

But where is it written that God does not have a sense of humor? According to Christianity we were created in God''s likeness - Humor should not be confused with belittling or mocking, but I believe most of us would agree that, in general, humor is good for the soul.

Those who espouse political correctness and "tolerance" are in actuality responsible for the increase in sensorship and the quashing of true freedom of speech.

[tomanyt]

[And by the way, there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America. 1st graders are taught alternative sexual lifestyles by Democrats who ban religion as a controversial subject.]
[Posted by demslie at 10:30 AM : Apr 09, 2008]
What are you talking about?????

[parrot123-2009]

Isn''''t it amazing that these Democrat Atheists would complain about the Catholic Church when an insult to Islam will get your head chopped off. But, like so many situational ethics of Angry Democrats, Muslims hate Bush so Democrats say nothing about their partners who commit Genocide. And by the way, there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America. 1st graders are taught alternative sexual lifestyles by Democrats who ban religion as a controversial subject.
Posted by demslie at 10:30 AM : Apr 09, 2008


You just made yourself irrelevant. Cheers!

[osoczm]

"there are "fewer and fewer people at weekly mass" because Democrats have outlawed religion in America."

Or maybe it''s the fact that people are sick of this pedophile cult. Bush''s days are over my friend. Nobody wants the religious right anywhere near the seat of power. When the Church starts paying taxes, then they should get involved in politics.

[bobnjersey]

[When the Muslims were offended by a cartoon they rioted. Catholicswere offended by a bobblehead and they just complained which got the ad pulled. Which is better]
[Posted by GWno1 at 11:38 AM : Apr 09, 2008]

neither ... you''re all a bunch of whinning cry babies who can''t handle your idols being parodied by others.

[kevboom]

"Democrats have outlawed religion in America"

Wrong again. Democrats have fought for the separation of church and state in America to protect the right to worship as one chooses and not to be forced into worshiping as certain narrow-minded bigots and heads of state would choose for them. Lest we all end up in a blasphemous Texas compound raping 13 year-old girls in the name of the Lord Polygamy. Republicans, as usual, mistake any legislation that protects the rights of the masses instead of their own little world as a personal offense. Deal with it.

[uthink2]

missing the point guys... This is public money being used to mock the successor of St. Peter.

[idnnsg]

"... the successor of St. Peter."

A significant number of people disagree with that assertion!

[honestabe8]

the successor to saint peter? perhaps it would be less painful if you thought of it mocking the head of a pedophile hiding church

[sevenveils]

Considering the Catholic Church has shunned all references to the fact the foundations of the Catholic Church is Judaism, coupled with the churches complete lack of a backbone to stand up for the injustices of not only the Jews during the holocaust. Plus the churches hundreds of years of history protecting pedophiles. Plus the fact that the Catholic church is the largest landowner in the world and is the richest corporation in the world, but does little with its wealth or clout to actually practice the very basic lessons it preaches.

One would conclude that this pope and his church mocks the very foundations and teachings of Christianity.

[irliberal]

I find it disturbing that people are making light of this, it''s a very serious issue and not because of a misdressed bobblehead.

The pope is a seriously evil and nasty man heading up a seriously corrupt and evil church. The only serious press we should be seeing about him is those protesting his reign.

[gwno1]

I hope the pope prays for your soul IRlib

[stn_sage]

C''MON! What''s so terrible about this commercial!?
It doesn''t make fun of the pope, and it''s a cute little bobblehead figure!
Geez, I would think a kindly, spiritual leader would see the innocence and simplicity embodied in the doll. And, if not flattered by it, at least find it amusing!
Shame on you, Pope Benedict!

[shanev137]

Dumb commercial.

[robertg222]

No wonder no one cares about the church. They need to get a sense of humor. But at least the catholics aren''t as bad as Muslims. Muslims would have blown something up.

[sgtrds]

Good grief, The bobblehead Pope is a great idea. He is a real life bobblehead. But I want a bobblehead Jesus. Where do you get these?

Posted by yongamerica at 11:42 AM : Apr 09, 2008

I don''t know, but there''s a place in Santa Monica that sells Jesus bandaids.

[ristan-2009]

I would say most of the ad is more strange than silly, and more irreverent than offensive. However, parodying the sung prayers of the Catholic liturgy (in the beginning of the ad) does fall into the offensive category. A comparably offensive parody (or any parody for that matter) of Jewish or Muslim prayer would _never_ be allowed to see the light of day in any TV ad. And for that glaring bit of insensitivity, it wouuld seem that the only true bobblehead in this story is DC metro''s "media relations director" Lisa Farbstein.

[rafalweb]

If I give the Archdiocese a 20 dollar bill, will they finally go out and buy themselves a sense of humor?

[irliberal]

I hope the pope prays for your soul IRlib

Posted by GWno1 at 02:46 PM :

Honey, if I go to Hell for not worshipping the pope then I''m going to have a lot of company and I''ll be just fine with that. You pathetic dogmatic cow.

[ann3332]

one comment its stupid

[knndykills]

Religion=Stupid Time to eliminate all religions in this country. Also eliminate the conservatives who want to shove it down our throats

[tomanyt]

The saddest part of this story is that the ad agency actually pulled the commercial.

[inventagod]

The Cathoholic Church is a joke.

[irliberal]

Actually, it''s a tragic, evil organization. Ask any altar boy.

[taylor2124]

The Catholic Church is Club Med compared to Islam.
Islam: killing and raping and oppressing for a thousand years.
www.thereligionofpeace.com

[veteran72]

I liked the "Popes in the Pizza" bit by Father Guido Sarducci better, although a young Pope Hitler Youth
bobble head stomping some Jewish shop keepers would have been acceptable,.....and historically accurate...
the Nazi Scumbag....

[voltaire333]

In a different time and place, the Archdiocese would have demanded the execution of all those responsible. However, censorship is the only thing it can get away with today, thank god.

[voltaire333]

If I give the Archdiocese a 20 dollar bill, will they finally go out and buy themselves a sense of humor?
Posted by rafalweb at 04:09 PM : Apr 09, 2008

The Pope will do anything for a buck.

[caliengineer]

breaking news: HQ of Catholicism, Inc. (ticker: CAI) strikes blow at knock-off merchandise. Only official merchandisers can market pope products.

Distracting attention from their true goal of securing profits, the archdicese said, "They dressed the pope wrong." Lucy Ferr, the famed spinmeister who repackaged paganism to invent the catholic (latin for universal) church.

The price of CAI shot up more than 10 points on the news. This is the biggest jump since the Vatican secured exclusive rights to market religion in Argentina in exchange for providing firearms to the internationally embargoed nation.