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WHEN THE NEWS arrived on Tuesday that a number of Irish entertainers had been invited to an audience with the Pope, my initial thoughts moved to the iconic image of another Irish entertainer. One who took a rather more defiant approach to a different Pope, on Saturday Night Live back in 1992, when she tore up his likeness on live TV.
How far we have travelled, from a time when our artists had the courage to stand up to Rome rather than become a part of the fawning attitude that surrounds this papacy.
The theatre of the Vatican — the costumes, the rarefied and secretive world of the upper echelons of the Catholic Church, the overwhelming art and architecture — tends to make celebrities and public figures obsequious. From Leonardo DiCaprio to George Clooney, they all line up to bow at the altar of Catholic dominion. When Katy Perry and Ivanka Trump had audiences, they even wore black veils out of respect.
This Friday, Tommy Tiernan, Ardal O’Hanlon and Patrick Kielty will join many other figures from the world of comedy, such as Chris Rock and Jimmy Fallon, for a special audience with the Pope that a Vatican spokesman says will “aim to establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists.”
It seems grossly offensive, at best, that an organisation which presided over and aided in the cover up of systemic child abuse could have the audacity to suggest it is now time for some laughs.
Why would a comedian want to establish a ‘link’ with an organisation which they have traditionally satirised? Comedy has always played a hugely significant role in holding power to account, of giving voice to the anguish of the nation.
But beyond this, it seems baffling that a group of Irish comedians would want to lend succour and validation to an organisation which is overtly, and sometimes proudly, misogynistic and homophobic. Would we give them a free pass if they attended an event hosted by a private company which didn’t allow female employees or didn’t authenticate same sex employees who happened to be married?
I doubt it very much. But we are happy to give the Church a pass because we continue to willingly give them a special status, where the same rules don’t seem to apply.
Sinéad O’Connor refused to bow at the altar of papal infallibility, after her bold and timely intervention on American television in the early nineties. She paid for her actions, getting blacklisted for a period afterwards.
“I wasn’t sorry, I didn’t regret it. It was the proudest thing I’ve ever done as an artist,” explained O’Connor in the documentary film Nothing Compares.” They [critics] killed me, but I didn’t die. They tried to bury me, but they didn’t realise I was a seed.”
O’Connor isn’t the only Irish entertainer to make a stand.
In 2018, during the current Pope’s official visit to Ireland, the singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke was invited to perform in the Phoenix Park event in front of Francis. On RTÉ’s Liveline programme, he discussed the moral dilemma he faced.
“I’m not a religious person, no disrespect to anyone else’s beliefs. But, you know, I feel the Catholic Church is responsible for so much suffering in this country.”
Ultimately, O’Rourke declined the invitation and took a courageous and important stand.
The presence of the three Irish comedians at the Apostolic Palace this Friday of course doesn’t equate to their support of the Catholic Church or its practices. They may sincerely feel that having an opportunity to meet with the Pope could lead to constructive progress on social issues. They may use the meeting to express concerns or criticisms. Or they may be committed Catholics and this will be the Best Day Out Ever.
These are valid and understandable positions.
However, what I do know is this: These three men are public figures in Ireland and are very popular. They have an opportunity to make a clear stand in the face of an invitation to an event which could be described as comedy washing. For the Pope to be photographed in the company of the kings and queens of comedy, such as Whoopi Goldberg and Stephen Colbert, helps suppress the damage done by this organisation. It validates its practices and helps the Catholic Church present itself as pardoned, forgiven, clean.
This jars violently with the history of clerical abuse. Do we all just put on a smile and agree that all is okay now? Or do we require our public figures to take a moral stance and demand that more atonement and reparations are required before we start adding a laugh track?
Comedians should never get too close to power. This is why the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC is such an uncomfortable affair under a Democratic administration. It makes viewers queasy to see comedians sucking up to Obama or Biden, because the role of comedy is to hold power to account, not to become its lapdog.
“An audience with the Pope” is what will happen on Friday, an expression of astonishing arrogance. It suggests that whoever is in his infallible presence is the lucky one. But in this case, the Pope is the lucky one. Because once again, the Church has found a way to drive its own narrative and convince the rest of us that what they are doing is a “step in the right direction.”
People will say Francis is the least misogynistic and least homophobic Pope in history. This is to celebrate the smallest of victories, the barest concessions imaginable. This is the least he can do, when the road ahead is so long.
The bizarre theatre that takes place every time a celebrity rocks up to the Vatican for an audience with the Pope demands to be satirised. The fawning over the ancient traditions, the arrival of the Big Man in his white cassock, the obligatory photograph.
But who will satirise it all when the comedians are too distracted by the show?
Simon Tierney is a journalist and writer.
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Reminds me of the scene in only fools and horses when Albert was being questioned about being overseas in the war. He was actually stationed in a parts depot on the isle of white. The barrister says to him, the isle of white? hardly overseas? He replies, you wanna try and walk it pal!
Did nobody think to show him a map?
@Social Guy: or the sole of their boot.
Another example of petty unionism. Oul Lizzie knew the score.
My god I was wondering for a min what was point of showing, a maybe not great moment for Trimble, in a kinda minor matter considering all things that had to be discussed over those tense years. Actually thought no need for that sort of stuff anymore… then I woke up and realised it’s all about Bertie the ‘hero’ .. One could think a Presidential campaign is ongoing. wonder will it be Bertie adds pop’n up.
I for one do acknowledge his role in the GFA as I do many others and don’t omit them either.
Bertie was a player in the details of the GFA, but after its conception was won by others.
Is Bertie beating the British ongoing to be the campaign narrative.
@Troll Hunter: Don’t panic. We’ll be given the chance to judge him at the ballot if he runs for president. We were afforded this opportunity for Martin McGuinness. He received just 13.7% of the vote.
@honey badger: did northern Ireland have a vote in that 13.7?
@Pork Hunt: Different jurisdiction, porkie, of course not. It did highlight how his appeal wasn’t shared as universally as the shinner hagiographers insisted. ;)
@honey badger: Morning Badger. I truly at first thought it was actually a low blow at Trimble..
Is there any chance for once to have some sort of an actual conversation ? I know you hate SF/IRa an all that.. Many do, and for many reasons. It doesn’t surprise me, I can understand many of the reasons they have. I can understand soldier Jack hating them and all things Irish, when someone wants to kill you, it’s understandable that eventually you will get to hate and want to kill them in return. Will you tell us why you hate them so much ? Are you British, A soldier a Unionist etc? Don’t tell me if you dont want to .. but if you were I’d actually understand it and while never agree, respect it.
@Troll Hunter: This isn’t a therapy session, my friend. As I told you above, you’ll have a chance to judge Ahern if he runs for president. We all will. Don’t panic. Stay on topic. :)
@honey badger: That came out all wrong, but intention was pure.. but never mind, a momentary lapse in judgment, in thinking you’d put your money where your mouth is.
@Troll Hunter: Your lapse was addressing yourself as “us” and the attendant arrogance of expecting a reply to a question that’s predicated on the assumption that I must be British, a soldier, or a Unionist to hold McGuinness in contempt. No wonder you still seem shocked that McGuinness wasn’t carried by cheering crowds to Aras…
@honey badger: I wasn’t assuming you were, I was saying that I understand those views coming from them.. as i said on other Ian Paisley article to the ex British para..
@honey badger: You’re a worse bigot now, than Paisley was then, before he accepting both histories, shaking hands like a man and moving on with goals of truly moving on…
Think about that for a minute ..
@honey badger: comments are getting split for some reason and some pieces missing.. tedious enough to comment .. let alone without it getting mixed up.. so good day sir..
@Troll Hunter: Nope. Your implication assumes that only british/soldiers/ unionists have an understandably dim view of McGuinness/SF. I suppose it’s easier to digest than 86% of the electorate rejecting old Marty/SF. I won’t even mention how 93% of the electorate rejected Liadh Ni Riada/SF in 2019 – you’ve enough to contens with ;)
@honey badger: old Marty did a lot better than your buddy Alan Shatter! Now there’s a truly vile despicable man!
@joe moody: Shatter was elected several times, served as minister for justice. Marty came down here, told lies on tv, didn’t get elected, and returned to his role as joint chief administrator of British rule of northern Ireland. Good old Marty! A true son of Roisin!
It gets more bizarre by the day.
And now we have the WILD ATLANTIC WAY fantastic island we live in
We live on an island, everywhere else is overseas! But instead of it being noted , it turns in to another excuse for them to block what the people voted for.
So build a bridge? Surely everyone would support that and then barmy reasoning would be er, less barmy
@Thesaltyurchin: In one of the few things that Bojo actually followed through on when he was PM he commissioned a study which itself cost £1m into the feasibility of a bridge between NI and Scotland. The final cost came in at £400bn or something in that region. It would have to be closed for about 150 days a year due to the weather and the construction would have to navigate a WW1/WW2 munitions dump. It would also take decades to complete and would connect the middle of nowhere in NI to the middle of nowhere in Scotland. In other words it will never ever happen.
@John Moore: These proud people would get it done.
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