Controversial Comedies Draw Contrasting Responses

By Michael Medved

"Two controversial comedies opened the same week and drew very different receptions from the Hollywood establishment.

Bill Maher's "Religulous" is a documentary that mocks organized religion, and will draw big laughs from those who already share its negative view of traditional faith. "An American Carol" is a raucous spoof of a portly, leftist documentarian, and will draw big laughs from those who already share its negative view of self-righteous Tinseltown liberals.

Both films are funny, flawed, and fundamentally unfair to their subjects. "Religulous," however, drew rave reviews, with some critics even proclaiming it "the funniest movie in years." Meanwhile, "An American Carol" earned angry denunciation, and critics applied adjectives like "crude," "lazy," and "hateful." For gatekeepers of pop culture, the response to even frivolous satire depends on the political correctness of the targets under assault."