Pamela Anderson as Virgin Mary: Catholics Outraged

November 14, 2011

Pamela Anderson as the Virgin Mary? Well, it is A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS, Dec. 1 on CTV and Dec. 10 on Comedy

– New Canadian special features guests, including Michael Bublé, Pamela Anderson, Ted Lange, Faizon Love, Jon Lovitz, Scott Thompson and members of the Peters family –
– Holiday production caps off threesome of Peters specials airing on Comedy –

To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/tUL79L

“It’s a Russell Peters Christmas” (with apologies to “Deck the Halls”)

It’s… a Rus-sell Pe-ters Christ-mas / Tell all your friends, or they’ll be mad
Once a year, you can not miss this / If you do you’ll get a hurt real bad
We are wea-ring, gay ap-parell / Yes we all have is-sues with our dad
Hol-iday is time for pure bliss / We can guarantee that you’ll be glad
It’s…. a Rus-sell Pe-ters Christ-mas / It’s the most fun, that you can get
If you dis-agree, then you can kiss this / When the song is over, we’re not done yet
Now, it’s time to get down to busi-ness / Russell’s flying in on his private jet
Watch it now in high def-ini-tion / Before the nerds post it on the in-ter-net
Welcome to my Christmas special / Set your PVR for Christmas glee
It’s kinda corny and sentimental / And it’s starring meeeeeeeeeeee!
Russell’s the best gift you’ll get for free

Toronto, ON (November 14, 2011) – What happens when a comedy heavyweight, his brethren of Canadian and international showbiz friends, and a requisite frozen pond surrounded by lit-up Christmas trees collide? One heck of a Christmas special, that’s what! Anchoring its holiday lineup, CTV presents the world premiere of the original Canadian production A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS in the hottest timeslot of the week, Thursday, Dec. 1 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV and CTV Mobile. The special is also the centrepiece of the holiday schedule on The Comedy Network, premiering there on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Helping Peters make merriment in A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS are Michael Bublé, Pamela Anderson, Ted Lange, Faizon Love, Jon Lovitz, Goapele, Scott Thompson and his own mother and baby daughter.

Inspired by the variety shows of yesteryear, Peters puts his own irreverent twist on the Christmas special, making it unlike anything viewers have seen before. Along with the obligatory carolers, winter wonderland setting, and cheesy glad tidings, A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS features legendary comedians, lingerie models, Pamela Anderson as the Virgin Mary, and the bartender from THE LOVE BOAT. With a mix of Russell Peters stand-up; hilarious sketch featuring guest stars and Peters’ own mother, Maureen and baby daughter, Crystianna; stop-motion animation reminiscent of a Rankin/Bass classic (set in Bramalea, no less); and show-stopping musical performances including the incomparable Michale Bublé, it’s a holiday special like no other.

Following the CTV debut and leading up to the Comedy premiere of the holiday special, the Peters antics continue with two other specials, RUSSELL PETERS: RED, WHITE AND BROWN (Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT) and the Canadian television debut of RUSSELL PETERS: THE GREEN CARD TOUR, LIVE FROM THE O2 ARENA (Dec. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on Comedy.

A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS is produced by Round 2 It Entertainment and CPI Pictures in association with Insight Productions and Bell Media. Russell Peters and Clayton Peters are Executive Producers/Producers. Insight Productions’ John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby are Executive Producers. Shannon Farr is Supervising Producer and Henry Sarwer-Foner is Director. For Bell Media, Corrie Coe is the Senior Vice-President, Independent Production; Sarah Fowlie is the Director, Independent Production; and Jake Labow is Production Executive.

About CTV
CTV, Canada’s Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at ctv.ca.

About The Comedy Network
Canada's first and favourite specialty comedy service, The Comedy Network airs comedy of all kinds, 24-hours-a-day, across multiple platforms, including a revolutionary broadband service at thecomedynetwork.ca. Launched in October 1997, The Comedy Network broadcasts, uncut and uncensored, an eclectic mix of scripted, stand-up, sketch, improv, and animated comedy – as well as topical comedy talk shows, game shows and classic situation comedies. The Comedy Network is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company, and is available in nearly six million households across the country.

Dear Sir/Madame

To the horror of Canada's 12,000,000 Catholics the CTV has chosen to air on Dec. 1st, 2011, "A Russell Peter's Christmas Special."

In the program the Virgin Mary will be played by Pamela Anderson, a porn actress who appeared in various sex tapes with famous rock stars.

As a member of the Roman Catholic Church and a citizen of Canada I implore the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and telecommunications Canada) and the CBSC (Canadian Broadcasters Standards Council) to ban the airing of the upcoming program in Canada.

Allow me to point out two recent cases where the CBSC intervened recently which clearly set precedent for such a ban.

In January, 2011, the CBSC banned the song Money for Nothing by Dire Straights as it was too offensive for Canadian audiences because it contained the word "f*****". In the context of the song it is not really used in a derogatory way, nor is the word clearly audible, however CSBC felt a ban was in order after receiving only one complaint from a listener in St. John's Newfoundland.

In December, 2010, The CBSC banned the Canadian evangelical minister Charles McVety after an industry watchdog ruled that statements he had made about homosexuals violated its broadcasting codes.

CTV described the special as "an irreverent twist on the Christmas special making it unlike anything viewers have seen before." This leaves little doubt to Peters' intention to use actress' immoral notoriety to heighten the irreverence/offensiveness of the program.
http://www.bellmediapr.ca/ctv/releas...4484&yyyy=2011

How would Jewish Canadians feel if Pamela Anderson were to make an "irreverent" film about Auschwitz? Would African Americans not be offended by an "irreverent" film about Rosa Parks? Are Catholics any different?

The following is from section 8 of the Motion Picture Code of 1930 on religion.
1. No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith.
2. Ministers of religion in their character as ministers of religion should not be used as comic characters or as villains.
3. Ceremonies of any definite religion should be carefully and respectfully handled.

The program that CTV plans to air this December 1st is hardly the type of program that would instill harmony in our multicultural society, rather it will foster religious hatred. If this is not an occasion were intervention is required I have to wonder what is.

I sincerely hope that the CRTC and the CSBC will take measures to ensure this program will not air on Canadian television.

Aiden Carter