‘God’ comedy sketch on RTÉ provokes 5,000 complaints

ALMOST 5,000 complaints have been made to RTÉ about a ‘comedy’ sketch broadcast by the national broadcaster depicting God as a rapist.

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, had denounced t he broadcast as ‘deeply offensive and blasphemous’.

RTÉ confirmed yesterday that it had received 3,500 emails and 1,250 calls about the sketch by satire website Waterford Whispers in the New Year’s Eve Countdown programme on RTÉ One.

Additional complaints have also been made to independent regulator the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

The State broadcaster apologised at the weekend to ‘those who were offended by the segment’. It followed criticism online and calls for it to be removed from the RTÉ Player.

In the fake news skit, former RTÉ presenter Aengus Mac Grianna read: ‘In a shocking revelation this year, God became the latest figure to be implicated in ongoing sexual harassment scandals.

‘The five billion-year-old stood accused of forcing himself on a young Middle Eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will.’

Accompanied by pictures of an elderly man in white robes being arrested by gardaí, the report added that God had been sentenced to two years in prison, with the final 24 months suspended.

Archbishop Eamon Martin wrote: ‘This outrageous clip should be removed immediately and denounced by all people of goodwill.’

The programme remains on the RTÉ Player, but a warning says that ‘viewer discretion is advised’.