Stand-Up Comedians – Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 3

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Five months ago comedian Kathy Griffin, star of her own reality show, “My Life on the D-List,” won an Emmy. Standing before the crowd to accept the award she said,

"A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus," an exultant Griffin said, holding up her statuette. "Suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now."

Of course there were the petulant cable TV reporters who took her to task for her remarks.

Of course the Al Sharptons of the evangelical world were quick to rush in and cry foul.

But nothing came of it. Not a thing. Why? Comedians rule post-Christian America.

Had Kathy made her remarks about, God forbid, the prophet Allah, her show would have been immediately cancelled, the organizers of the Emmy’s would have issued an apology, and her life would have been relegated to the K list somewhere.

But none of that happened. Why? In post-Christian America comedians can get away with anything.

Why do comedians have the ear of the religious “outsiders” in our country?

1. Unlike leaders in church world, they’ve earned the trust of people with their lack of hypocrisy. They live exactly how they say they live.

2. This may be obvious, but they make people laugh.

3. Unlike the majority of pastors, they make their points quick and to the point.

4. They are self-effacing. The biggest target for their jokes is always placed squarely on their own backs.

5. They know how to tell a story.

One of my preaching mentors is not coincidently a comedian named Dane Cook. He’s a nominal Catholic who is living about as far from God right now as you can get (based on his comments alone).

I listen to everything Dane Cook puts out. I study his timing and go to school on the way he tells stories. I’ve learned more about communicating to a post-Christian audience from Dane Cook than from any pastor I’ve ever heard. I don't listen to him to help shape my message. That's set in stone and unchangeable. I listen to him for help shaping the method of delivering the message.

Listen to the way Dane attacks atheism in the following clip. The greatest pastor in America could have stood before this exact crowd and delivered an attack on atheism and the crowd would have rolled their eyes and yawned.

But not this night.

Not with Dane Cook.

For better or worse, comedians rule post-Christian America.



Read other posts in this series:
Christianity’s Greatest Critics – Part 1
South Park – Part 2
Stand-Up Comedians – Part 3
Late Night Talk Show Hosts – Part 4
Social Change Agents – Part 5