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Chocolate Jesus show canceled
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer Fri Mar 30, 4:59 PM ET
NEW YORK - A planned Holy Week exhibition of a nude, anatomically correct chocolate sculpture of Jesus Christ was canceled Friday after Cardinal
Edward Egan and other outraged Catholics complained.
The "My Sweet Lord" display was shut down by the hotel that houses the Lab Gallery in midtown Manhattan. Roger Smith Hotel president James Knowles
cited the public outcry for his decision.
The reaction "is crystal clear and has brought to our attention the unintended reaction of you and other conscientious friends of ours to the
exhibition," Knowles wrote in the two-paragraph cancellation notice.
Matt Semler, the gallery's creative director, resigned in protest.
The six-foot sculpture was the victim of "a strong-arming from people who haven't seen the show, seen what we're doing," Semler said. "They jumped to
conclusions completely contrary to our intentions."
But word of the confectionary Christ infuriated Catholics, including Egan, who described it as "a sickening display." Bill Donohue, head of the
watchdog Catholic League, said it was "one of the worst assaults on Christian sensibilities ever."
The hotel and the gallery were overrun Thursday with angry phone calls and e-mails about the exhibit. Semler said the calls included death
threats over the work of artist Cosimo Cavallaro, who was described as disappointed by the decision to cancel the display.
"In this situation, the hotel couldn't continue to be supportive because of a fear for their own safety," Semler said.
The sculpture was to debut Monday evening, the day after Palm Sunday and just four days before Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good
Friday. The final day of the exhibit was planned for Easter Sunday.
The artwork was created from more than 200 pounds of milk chocolate, and features Christ with his arms outstretched as if on an invisible cross.
Unlike the typical religious portrayal of Christ, the Cavallaro creation does not include a loincloth.
Cavallaro hoped the sculpture could go on display elsewhere, according to Semler.
Cavallaro is best known for his quirky work with food as art: Past efforts include repainting a Manhattan hotel room in melted mozzarella, spraying
five tons of pepper jack cheese on a Wyoming home, and festooning a four-poster bed with 312 pounds of processed ham.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
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JawnDiablo
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dude just sounds like a dope who wastes perfectly good food.....
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Discipline
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Be kind of funny to see a chick get down on her knees and lick Christ's cock, but I doubt that would be part of the show. Other than that, it sounds
kind of pointless.
‘Do you know what a love letter is? It’s a bullet from a fucking gun. Straight through your heart.’
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DaveMoral
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Sure would make the Eucharist a hell of alot tastier wouldn't it? Chocolate wafers instead of crackers...
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morgan
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DaveMoral
Sure would make the Eucharist a hell of alot tastier wouldn't it? Chocolate wafers instead of crackers... |
umm... chocolate and wine.
Support the arts, shoot a rapper.
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clevohardcore
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I think this was rediculous.
Each aspect of the soul has it's own part to play, but the ideal is harmonious agreement with reason and control.
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Voodoobillyman
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I like that "Christians" called in with death threats, very Christianly of them.
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Voodoobillyman
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organized religions and the sheep who follow blindly are sometimes amusing, but mostly just sickening.
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JawnDiablo
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religious zealots of any faith are potentially dangerous in my opinion....
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