So there’s this awards show called the Creative Arts Emmys. It has categories like “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation,” “Outstanding Costumes for a Variety/Music Program,” and “Outstanding Special Class Program” where they nominate other awards shows. Think of them as the Junior Emmys. I believe the show is held in a high school gymnasium’s empty swimming pool, or something close to that. They generally didn’t get a lot of publicity, until E! came around and had hours and hours of time available to devote to otherwise passed-over content. Hence the Creative Arts Emmys are now shown on TV a week after they actually take place. I have no idea why. Comedian Kathy Griffin won an award for “Outstanding Reality Program” for her show, “My Life on the D-List.” I haven’t seen the show and couldn’t give a flip about Kathy Griffin, but she gave an acceptance speech that really riled some people.

“‘Mel Gibson. Michael Richards. Isaiah Washington. Imus. Jerry Lewis. Every time a celebrity offends a segment of the population, he pays a price, in one way or another,’ said [Catholic League president Bill] Donohue in a Monday statement. ‘The question now is whether Kathy Griffin will pay a similar price for her outburst. And as we have learned, her verbal assault was calculated.’

“‘I guess hell froze over,’ Griffin told a receptive audience as she accepted her Emmy statuette. ‘A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this. He had nothing to do with this… suck it Jesus, this award is my God now.’

Donohue described Griffin’s remarks as a ‘kind of vulgar in-your-face brand of hate speech’ coming from a self-described ‘complete militant atheist,’ and pleaded with The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ chairman and CEO Dick Askin to help in condemning what she said.

“‘Kathy Griffin’s offensive remarks will not be part of the E! telecast on Saturday night,’ the Academy said in a Monday statement, according to The AP.

[From Reality TV World]

It’s pretty clear to me that Kathy Griffin wasn’t mocking Christianity, she was just mocking how important awards are to Hollywood, by joking (in a cutting manner… but hey, humor beyond formulaic jokes can be cutting) that her award is now her God. It doesn’t seem that she was mocking Jesus; she was mocking herself by acting like an award mattered more than anything else in the world. She could also be mocking the way so many celebrities suddenly thank God when they get an award, but never acknowledge religion at any other time. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I really don’t think this was that offensive. Think of all the Jesus/nun/pope joke toys out there.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Kathy performing at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida three weeks ago. Header image of Kathy at the 59th Annual Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards this past Saturday. Images thanks to PR Photos.