A Nice Hard Slap – Viral Marketing or Outrage?

Viral Marketing or Outrage?

I’ve been getting emails from the same person for the past couple of months regarding the upcoming atrocity The Love Guru and its apparently disrespectful outlook towards Hinduism.

So?

It’s a fucking Mike Myers movie. I’d honestly be offended if it was an accurate portrayal of whatever particular way of life it was lamponing/satiring/not being funny at all about.

Hindus? Really? I mean, of all the religions out there few are less aggro and concerned with pop culture than Hinduism. Muslims, Christians, I get it. This just seems like an odd pairing of vitriol and subject matter. If it’s a viral marketing ploy it’s dumb. If it’s not, it’s dumb.

The “release”:

Jewish leader calls for boycott of “The Love Guru” movie

A
prominent Jewish Rabbi has called for boycott of upcoming movie “The
Love Guru” because it “lampoons Hinduism, mocks Ashram life and Hindu
philosophy” and asking “who laughs at religious practices”.

Rabbi Elizabeth W. Beyer of Nevada, in a statement, said, “ ‘The
Love Guru’ lampoons Hinduism, mocks Ashram life and Hindu philosophy. 
While ‘Guru Pitka’ states that he endorses no particular religion, the
movie clearly portrays him as a guru – religious leader of Hindus.  It
is unfortunate that the comedy jabs at a culture of which many
Americans are not familiar.  It leaves viewers with a distorted,
sexually flagrant parody…In the case of this movie, we owe it to our
Hindu friends to speak out against this misleading sham.  Gross
distortions of another culture do not lead to improved relations,
tolerance and understanding.  They lead towards disrespect.  Please
join me in a boycott of this movie.”

Meanwhile,
furthering the drive pioneered by acclaimed Hindu and Indo-American
leader Rajan Zed, various organizations and leaders have been coming
out expressing concern about the possibility of this film hurting the
sentiments of Hindus worldwide and urging filmmakers to be more
responsible when handling faith related subjects. Zed has been saying
that from the information available about the movie, it appears to be
lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously.
Various Hindu, Catholic, Presbyterian, Jewish, Native American,
Methodist, Buddhist, youth, film, spiritual/religious, music, yoga,
civil rights, etc., leaders have already issued statements in support
of this cause espoused by Rajan Zed.

On
the other hand, Hindu groups are contacting film distributors
associations, exhibitors groups, theater owners, etc., in various parts
of the world urging them not to distribute/screen upcoming movie “The
Love Guru” till Paramount Pictures makes necessary changes to it.

G.
Kendrick Macdowell, Vice President of the National Association of
Theatre Owners, largest exhibition trade organization in the world,
replying to one such request wrote, “I am sympathetic to your concern
as I have been to the ashrams in India and know a little bit about the
guru-disciple relationship. I have not seen the trailer or the movie,
but I can guess that it satirizes ‘gurus on the make’. I doubt I would
find it funny. Nevertheless, we are not in a position to take action
you recommend …we are a trade association, and we cannot interfere with
the decisions of our members regarding what movies or trailers to play…”

Paramount Pictures, through its Senior Vice President National Publicity, Jessica Rovins, has earlier stated, “It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders in the U.S. once we have a finished print.”

It
may be recalled here that advance screenings of Mel Gibson’s 2004 movie
“The Passion of the Christ” were held for clergy and others.

“The Love Guru”; a comedy starring Mike Myers (of Austin
Powers fame, who is also the co-writer and co-producer), Jessica Alba,
Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley; and directed by Marco Schnabel; is set
to release on June 20 next. In it Myers, an American, raised in an
ashram in India, moves back to US as Guru Pitka to seek fame and
fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality.

Hinduism,
oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion
followers. Moksha (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

I’m baffled. Any person whose belief would be swayed by a Mike Myers movie probably isn’t someone you want in your belief, Hindus.

Before
I go, here’s the latest thing I’m adding to the blog. Each day I’ll
have a song, a piece of artwork, a photo, a Mary Worth, or something to
further justify your click and to give the trolls a little more ammo.
Today, another song from The Killing Swarm’s 3rd CD, My Heart’s In Aricebo. This one’s called My Filthy Business: