Jim Carrey In Religious Row Over SNL Skit

Jim Carrey has sparked a religious fuss after poking fun at Hindu god Lord Ganesh during a skit on U.S. TV comedy show Saturday Night Live.
 
Jewish and Hindu leaders have joined forces and are demanding an apology from the funnyman and network bosses at NBC after Carrey and SNL regular Kenan Thompson created a sex act on the show named after the deity.
 
Leading Hindu statesman Rajan Zed tells WENN, "Lord Ganesh is highly revered in Hinduism and is meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines, not to be thrown around loosely in reimagined versions for dramatic effects in TV series.
 
"Such an absurd depiction of Lord Ganesh, with no scriptural backing, is hurtful to devotees. It's also disturbing and offensive to the one billion Hindus around the world.
 
"We are requesting NBC immediately removes footage of the comedy skit from all its websites and other links, and we think Jim Carrey, Kenan Thomson, NBC Universal President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Zucker and SNL Executive Producer Lorne Michaels should tender a public apology."
 
In the skit, which first aired earlier this month (Jan11), Carrey played an erotic shaman who had developed new sex positions with Thompson's elderly character.
 
The Hindus aren't the only group upset by the comedy routine - leading Jewish advocate Rabbi ElizaBeth W. Beyer has released a statement criticising the parties responsible for the skit.
 
She writes, "Portrayal of a religious group's deity in a form that is condescending and low is a serious affront to the many Hindus who worship Ganesh. Making fun of someone's religion or god is not within keeping with our ideals as members of a civilised community.
 
"This skit, The Wrath of Ganesh, should be removed from the NBC website. Jim Carrey, NBC and others responsible for lampooning Lord Ganesh should provide public apologies.
 
"We Jews fully support Rajan Zed’s protest initiative on this issue and urge others involved in television and film industries to be more considerate to the feelings of devotees of all religions in the future."
 
Meanwhile, officials at the Forum for Hindu Awakening have called the skit a "grave denigration" and "vulgar mockery of Sri Ganesh", appealing for devout Hindus worldwide to protest against it.