2010-06-02 17:39:12 -

Bosses at American network Comedy Central are facing a barrage of protest s over a planned TV show featuring JESUS CHRIST - a string of high-profil e campaigners have launched a drive to stop the series from going into pr

oduction.
Executives at the TV firm behind South Park are working on a new animat ed project, which sees Christ attempting to live a normal life in New Yor k, desperate to escape the shadow of his "powerful but apathetic father," according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The show, which is currently at the pre-production stage, has already b rewed a storm of criticism, and now the heads of groups including America 's Family Research Council, the Catholic League and the Parents Televisio n Council have come together to form a coalition to protest the plans.
The new group, the Coalition Against Religious Bigotry (CARB), is alrea dy urging advertisers to boycott the planned series.
Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center and member of CARB , says in a statement, "After we reveal the vile and offensive nature of Comedy Central's previous characterisations of Jesus Christ and God the F ather, we expect these advertisers to agree wholeheartedly to end their a dvertising on Comedy Central and discontinue their support for unabashed, anti-Christian discrimination." The makers of South Park recently courted controversy over their portra yal of Islamic prophet Mohammed in the cartoon comedy, which sparked prot ests from Muslim groups, and have been previously criticised for includin g a Jesus character in the show.