SUBMISSIVE JESUS GETS CRUCIFIED BY MYSPACE

SUBMISSIVE JESUS GETS CRUCIFIED BY MYSPACE
Press release
For immediate release:
May 25, 2007
for more information contact:
Lee Neville
(818) 994 3262
pirromount@hotmail.com
www.thesubmissivejesus.com

Promo ads for "The Submissive Jesus Prayer Answering Talking Head," a novelty item created by filmmaker Mark Pirro, has been censored off the popular website, Myspace.com. The toy, which made its debut in February 2007, has been sparking controversy amongst some religious communities, and was even the topic of a Reno ABC TV Web and Email poll. Pirro has been selling a steady amount of these toys, primarily through online sites like Ebay and its own website http://www.thesubmissivejesus.com/. However, as the toy started gaining popularity, the number of protests began to grow. Last month, Pirro's Youtube account, which had over 90 videos was closed. Reason given? Inappropriate content. The Submissive Jesus videos were less than 3% of the videos loaded, yet they all got pulled.

On March 17th, the website myspace.com put one of Pirro's Submissive Jesus ads on their front page as a featured video, attracting over 160,000 views and over 3000 comments. Many of the comments were hateful and vulgar, coming from angered 'Christians.' Many threatened to contact myspace and get the videos removed. Well yesterday, they succeeded. Pirro's videos were removed, the comments were deleted and the account was shut down. "I was stunned when I tried to log on yesterday," Pirro fumed, "I was wiped out from the myspace community, like it never existed." The Submissive Jesus website has been getting many emails from supporters expressing support and anger. One email states, "There was nothing obscene, vulgar or indecent in those videos. Who makes the decision of what stays and what goes these days?" Another email simply says, "Welcome to the future. Watch your words or you will be squashed."

Pirro has been an independent filmmaker for over 25 years. His films have always been a bit controversial; like the 1988 cult film, Curse of the Queerwolf - the story of a man who turns gay when the moon rises; and Color-Blinded, his 1998 movie about an African American woman who turns white and blonde overnight. He is currently in production on "The God Complex," a comedy re-telling of the Bible. The Submissive Jesus Prayer Answering Talking Head was originally produced as a product to be featured in the movie, but became so popular with family, crew and friends, that Pirro decided to turn it into a real toy.

Myspace has not commented.

"I plan on being very vocal about this!" Pirro says, "Myspace didn't have a problem with this video when they featured it on their front page. It was only after attention was really brought to it that they reacted. I'm urging all advocates of free speech to bombard myspace with calls, emails, etc. The mythical Jesus was silenced and resurrected in three days. It may take us a little longer, but Submissive Jesus will rise again!" Every generation needs a martyr.