Not only that, but members of one potential offended party in particular are liable to set fires, break things, and threaten large-scale attacks against the home country of the "offending" party. "Andrew Lloyd-Webber says political correctness is stifling creativity," by Anita Singh for the Telegraph, September 8:
Andrew Lloyd-Webber has bemoaned the rise of political correctness in the arts, claiming some of his greatest musicals would never be written today for fear of offending minorities.
Together with Tim Rice, Lord Lloyd-Webber began his theatre career with two shows that drew on Christian tradition - Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Now theatreland's most successful composer, who is currently planning a new BBC talent search to find a Dorothy for a West End production of The Wizard of Oz, has spoken of his fears that political correctness is stifling creativity.
In an interview looking back on his triumphs, Lord Lloyd-Webber said: "I'm lucky to have had such a successful career. I'm actually lucky enough to have always done as I want.
"I look back at when I was younger and ask myself would I have written an opera with Tim Rice? So many people nowadays are obsessed with things offending people. Today people say you can't do this because it will offend that community, and then you can't say this because the Muslims will be offended by it and we'll end up being talked out of it. Talked out of ideas. Whereas when I was 20 I didn't think about those things - you could just do it."
Rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar was controversial in its day. Its 1971 Broadway debut was met with protests by Christian groups who believed it was blasphemous and Jewish organisations who alleged it was anti-Semitic....
But no death fatwas were issued, and nobody was assassinated.
It looks like he 'gets' it.
Maybe he and Mr Bean (who also 'gets' it) can team up.
And here's an idea for a sensational chamber opera, at least as powerful as Richard Strauss's take on Oscar Wilde's 'Salome', and far more heart-rending: the story of Sol Hachuel, who died in Morocco in the 19th century, kiddush ha-shem, as featured in the cover art of Andrew Bostom's "Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism", and also discussed in some detail in the opening pages of the same book.
Anyone with 'contacts' in the world of musical theatre? - send a photocopy of that cover picture, and those pages of Mr Bostom's book which tell the story, to Mr Webber, and also, I think, to Mr Stephen Sondheim.
Dare and double dare them to do a 'chamber opera' version of that story.
The scene at the end of that story - the howling Muslim mob, the executioner with his scimitar, and a defiant Sol Hachuel refusing the executioner's demand that she convert to Islam, and instead affirming her Jewish faith by chanting the Shema Yisroel - would be shattering in its impact.
As an interstice may I suggest a "crosstalk" scene: on one side, Mohammed; on the other, Jesus.
Choose which adultery scene you'd like for Mohammed: the one where he had the woman stripped naked for his masturbatory pleasure before (and I imagine during) her stoning, or (I believe the more effective) the Jewish couple, whose rabbi tried his best to stop Mohammed's viciousness, stoned anyway because of the scowling Muslim warriors about. As one Muslim reports, at the end of it all, "the man tried to protect the woman from the stones."
At the same time, Jesus saying "go ahead. Cast the first stone, you without sin," and the crowd melting away, leaving Jesus alone with the astounded woman. After finishing his drawing in the sand (one writer asks: what was he writing? "Where is the man"?) he stands and says, colloquially, "Go, and try not to screw up again."
Webber deserves death threats for writing atrocious and mediocre music. Jesus Christ Superstar is an abomination, a crime against humanity, and the worst two hours of so called art I've ever had to sit through.
I had the vinyl of the original New York cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. Loved it. The movie wasn't bad either.
johndoe: No, Webber just deserves to go unnoticed. I read the reviews and heard some of the music from Superstar, and decided I would not waste my money on watching it.
The secularist subculture which daily congratulates itself on how brave and avant garde it is when it mocks Christianity cringes and cries uncle every time a Muslim barbarian yells at it. I have the very uncomfortable feeling we are seeing living proof in our own times of how God is not mocked. It is my prayer, however, that we are not so God-forsaken at this point that we are beyond the Holy Spirit's prompting us to repentence.
Let's just leave the artistic critiques aside for a moment. Mr. Webber's observations are correct. This notion of "political correctness" must be retired to the ash heap of history. It is straight out of a "1984" world view that seems to be favored by sociopaths.
Posted by tanstaafl:
Let's just leave the artistic critiques aside for a moment. Mr. Webber's observations are correct. This notion of "political correctness" must be retired to the ash heap of history. It is straight out of a "1984" world view that seems to be favored by sociopaths.
We are all better off for every self-identified liberal who realizes that some of the policies and political trends passed off as "liberal" or "progressive" today have nothing to do with liberalism or moving society forward, but everything to do with fascism and retrogression.
This is especially true of those who work in entertainment and mass media. As distasteful as some find their individual projects to be, the nature of their work can make them powerful allies to convince others. Some, like Webber, can eventually figure it out through their own thought processes. Others, like Michael Moore may have to live the life of a normal Cuban or be treated in a Cuban hospital to get it… and he may not get it even then.
Screw political correctness, there shouldn't be any problem with saying you think his work sucks but you support his right to do it... as long as he supports your right to say it sucks.
Isn't that the point of JihadWatch?
Sorry to go slightly off-topic again but something puzzled me about the production of JCS I saw in London some years ago. The musical ended with Christ hanging on the cross, expired and forsaken. It was a profoundly depressing experience. I could not believe that Webber ended his 'show' there, BEFORE the meaningful outcome of Christ's story...the resurrection. Omitting this just gave the impression to anyone who does not know the story...and there are many out there....of a nihilistic and despairing narrative of political murder.
PC is indeed evil but I don't think it's stifling Webber's creativity. What he calls creativity I call sin.
johndoe is correct in that Jesus Christ Superstar ends at the cross and there is no resurrection in the show.
Godspell was the rebuttal to JCS...written by actual Christians who knew that the Resurrection is the real climax to the story and according to some the pivotal point in history.
Not coincidentally, I believe, the death of Jesus on the cross and His subsequent resurrection are both denied by islam. Just as C. S. Lewis said, either He was a liar, a lunatic or Lord.
Sorry ALW, it's not 1971 anymore. I personally think you should write what you want and the hell with the consequences. If people make a stink about it, who cares. Nobody has a problem offending me about what I consider sacred. Everybody hates me, I'm an American! ..and you know what? I could give a rats-ass! Give me any musical you think is offensive I'll gladly put my name on it. If it offends, oh well.
I don't think it's Palin who should be compared to a Muslim fundamentalist.
"Sorry ALW, it's not 1971 anymore. I personally think you should write what you want and the hell with the consequences. "
And they do. Christianity is mocked all the time throughout Western art & pop culture, in movies, TV shows, books, music, etc.
I'm still singing it. 'Jesus Christ superstar, la,la, la, lala, la la la!!
I just thought it was great.
How about a musical titled the "Three Wise Men", Starring Bob the Buddha, Mohammed the Maniac and God the Gallah (Aussie Parrot). Lets be fair to all religions and be damned by all...equality for all us blasphemers......
I never felt Webber was mocking Christianity at all. I thought he was trying to tell Christ's story in a way that would appeal to the young people of the time, even people who may never have read the Bible. Having Christ on the cross, alone and unrisen, allows the audience to think about their personal beliefs, and make up their own minds.
At least Webber actually used the word "muslims". It takes balls to do that, these days. Just wait for the fatwa.
Webber was mocking Christ, Christians and Christianity. There wasn't much doubt about it at the time. But that is his right here-now. But if the man is standing against mohammedan censorship his cause deserves our support.
I've read this site for a long time, and there's one aspect of a dhimmi-fied or Eurabized Europe that no one mentions, to my knowledge. It is somewhat on a par with free speech and artistic expression. I may as well put my question here and now. If Europe falls under sharia, what becomes of the wine industry?
Hey, ImNoDhimmi
Kudos for noticing Webber's courage in using the word "muslims!"
We all should be so brave!
It isn't political correctness but fear that is silencing critics. Not of being called a racist, sexist, traitor, godless yadda yadda but of being attacked, shot, stabbed bombed, beheaded. We can thank all the spineless governments, including us too sometimes, who didn't stand up and say to one of those mullahs something like, "If you harm a hair on Rushdie's head, we will erase a your hometown.", or "If you don't start treating your religious minorities justly, we will arm them and give them air support so they can fight back!?
"But if the man is standing against mohammedan censorship his cause deserves our support."
I don't think he's "standing up", he just made a remark in an interview. To "stand up" he'd have to do something really bold, like produce a re-make of his famous work, titled "Mohammed Superstar".