On the Feb. 16 episode of the Fox Network show “House,” negative stereotypes of Catholic priests were promoted: the featured priest is a big drinker; he is hospitalized for hallucinating about Jesus; he is accused of being a pedophile; he hates his “job”; he loses his faith; the Church refuses to believe his claims of innocence; he gets bounced from parish to parish; he is believed to have AIDS, etc.
Eventually, the doctors realize that the priest doesn’t have AIDS and doesn’t have a disease that causes hallucinations. Also, the priest is found innocent and his faith is restored.
But it is a little too little and a little too late: all along the stereotype of priests as child molesters was milked to the hilt. And that’s exactly the kind of impression that the writers and producers desired.
