If ever there were a misnomer of TV show, it is “Politically Incorrect.” What host Bill Maher does night after night is rip the Catholic Church, which is anything but a politically incorrect thing to do. Indeed, if he were to praise the Church, that would be politically incorrect.
The edition of “Politically Incorrect” that aired August 8 was unusually crude. Maher began his tirade against priests as pedophiles by saying “most priests are very good men”; this was supposed to function as a disclaimer for what followed. “Look, it’s just a fact of life,” Maher said. “Priests, a lot of times, molest boys, okay? They are celibate and it’s a magnet for homosexual pedophiles.”
Joining in the Catholic bashing was actor William McNamara. He advised the Church to allow priests to marry and “give the altar boys’ rectum a break.”
We suggest you write to Christine Hikawa, Vice President Broadcast Standards and Practices, ABC, Inc., 77 West 66th Street, New York, New York 10023-6499. You can call her at (212) 456-6499; fax her at (212) 456-6084; or e-mail her at hikawac@abc.com.