Eucharist jibe on Late Late ‘hurt me beyond words’
A PRIEST who complained about a reference to the Eucharist as ‘haunted bread’ on the Late Late Show has told how he was ‘hurt beyond words’ by the comment, and he criticised RTÉ’s response.
Kerry cleric, Fr Kevin McNamara, was responding to Rubber Bandit Blindboy Boatclub, who claimed that Christmas Midnight Mass-goers only went because it was a family event and not for ‘the haunted bread’.
The priest is very disappointed that an email from Late Late producer Larry Masterson did not deal with Ryan Tubridy’s handling of the issue, which is what he complained about. He said: ‘I wonder what the reaction would be had a guest insulted the core values of another faith?’
As he feels his complaint was not dealt with adequately he will refer it to the Broadcasting Authority.
Fr McNamara, based in the rural parish of Moyvane, near Listowel, said he had been upset to see Ryan Tubridy appear to enthusiastically endorse the comment by the comedian, known for wearing a plastic bag on his head. He said: ‘I would expect any presenter to display an unbiased view and not to endorse any personal views expressed by guests on the show.’
However, in a newsletter being distributed at Masses in the parish today, he says he received an email from Mr Masterson who insisted that Blindboy Boatclub was speaking ‘in the language of his generation and his satirical character’.
Mr Masterson added: ‘The phrase “haunted bread” was certainly provocative. He used it to get a reaction and indeed it did. I do not believe, however, that it was sacrilegious. It was, in my view, a linguistic phrase that encapsulates the Holy Ghost and Holy Communion.’
He accepted the ‘haunted bread’ phrase caused offence to some viewers and has been seen by some as disrespectful or mocking. ‘For that, I apologise,’ he said. But he stressed: ‘In attempting to hear new voices on the Late Late Show, it is inevitable some will not like what they hear. Uncomfortable or unpopular opinions are part of debate as are views that clash with mainstream consensus.’