Have you seen the TV show House? I like the show. I try to get the diagnosis before Dr. House figures it out, and on evenings when I use the internet I sometimes succeed. Also, he has a nirvana-like personality. He has achieved perfect assholeosity. I wouldn’t want to work for or with him, but it’s fun to watch on TV.
Plus, I think it’s cool that the actor, Hugh Laurie has a strong British accent in real live but pulls off an excellent “American Accent.” Oh, and the fact that he’s a total druggie makes the show very interesting as well.
Anyway, last night’s episode involved a couple who came from Cuba to the US on a boat (that sank and they had to be rescued, etc.) in order that the woman could be treated by Dr. House. Apparently his reputation is widespread. So, the man is an atheist and the woman is not. This theme plays out in a few scenes. At one point, the man is praying for his wife, and House asks him, if he is an atheist, why is he praying? He explains that he is keeping a promise, even though it is obviously senseless, to do “everything” he can to help his wife, and this was on the list. (It’s cool that the guy is an atheist, but face it, he’s whipped….)
At one point in the drama, life or death decision has to be made (as usual) but this time there is a twist: Rely on faith, or rely on medicine. Dr. House asks the question: “Do you want to put your trust in me, or in god. I’d pick me.” Or words to that effect.
They pick House. She lives.
I checked. There is some chatter on the internet about this. Some people are annoyed that atheism was brought into the show, and in particular, that this choice was offered. Some viewers wanted it all … a chance of a god-engineered miracle, and a diagnosis by the famous Gregory House. That may have been more comfortable for some.
In my area, House airs on the local Fox station. That’s funny. Oh, and look for it: Right Wing Christian Groups asking for a declaration of House’s religion, or demanding that sponsors pull out, etc.
Oh, wait, somehow, talking about atheism and TV and stuff, I feel icky, even dirty. I need a moment of spirituality. How about a reading from the bible. …. let’s see… Exodus is always good for an uplifting thought…
“For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.” - Exodus 35:2
… hmm, I think I’ll get out of town this weekend. I have work to do and would prefer to live through it.
I saw Hugh Laurie on “Inside the Actors Studio” once and if I recall correctly, he talked about both his and Gregory House’s unbelief.
Cool.
There was the possibility that he was a bible thumping Anglican playing a role.
I only recently became interested in House, because on the funiest sketch show on TV, called MAD TV there is one of the most talented comedians on tv named Michael McDonald who does a rammingly funny imitation of House, in all of Houses mannerisms, and crass delivery style.
http://www.madtv.com/html/characters/characters_main.html
http://www.madtv.com/html/clas....._main.html
I am still struggling to find the character credible, but as a caricature, he is indeed noteworthy. The atheism is an interesting twist indeed, but from what I have seen, it fits what was previously demonstrated by that character.
It totally fits, but it was interesting to see it so explicitly stated, or should I say, slipped past the Network Thought Police.
I almost watched the episode, but I was expecting some kind of “miracle” from the previews and so I skipped it. I should have given the show more credit.
In all likelihood, the complainers don’t actually watch the show in the first place.
Or else they’d be aware of the second season episode titled “House vs. God“. It was a thing of beauty. House not only took down a religious faith-healer, but exposed a bunch of typical god-botherer neuroses. The kid was obsessed with “purity” and drank gallons of water a day. House discovered that his symptoms were actually due to herpes encephalitis, which the kid got from sexual intercourse. The purity obsession, naturally, was a neurotic response to having “sinned”. The whole bit in a nutshell.
Greg: Actually Laurie’s mother was Presbyterian, and in a typically Calvinist fashion, taught him to feel guilty about anything fun.
Joshua: Yeah, I had forgotten about that episode. House is a real hero for rational scepticism.
Yes, I remember the “House” vs. “God” show. Keeping score on a white board, etc.
great episode. I loved the “why does god only get credit when something good happens? Where was he when her heart stopped?” and, during surgery to the husband “I better not see you praying in there, I want the credit I deserve” or something to that effect
Jenny: Did you notice the giant “Jesus” poster on one of the sororities’ facades? I saw it yesterday (On 10th Ave SE). Can’t CASH do something about that? (Or maybe it was hit by lightning during yesterday’s storm…)
Hugh Laurie has been one of my favorite British comedic actors since the 80’s. I crack up just thinking of him as George, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent in “Blackadder II”, Lt. the Honorable George Colhurst St. Barleigh in “Blackadder the Third” and, as Bertie Wooster in “Jeeves and Wooster”. He and Stephen Fry (Jeeves) had their own hilarious series “A Bit of Fry & Laurie” in the early to 90’s (clips from all four series available on YouTube).
Watching Hugh as Dr. House for a couple years now I’m still stunned at what a great job he is doing as a dramatic actor. So few comedic actors that I like can also play serious roles so well.
As to his rational/skeptical views I first learned of them from James “The Amazing” Randi. Hugh and Stephen Fry worked with Randi on an episode of “James Randi – Psychic Investigator.” back in 1991. A while back Randi wrote about them in an article saying, “These are both very level-headed guys who deride the paranormal and the supernatural in much the same way that I do.”.
I don’t really disagree with anything others have said about it here, but I find it hard to watch the show: it just pisses me off when a ‘realistic’ medical show (i.e. not science fiction, and something whose premise I am supposed to find plausible) ruthlessly subordinates reality for dramatic purposes. Basically, I figure that if I, a lowly EMT with only a few semesters of physiology under his belt, am able to spot inaccuracies on the show, they aren’t making even a half-assed effort to get their medicine/science right.
Doyle: Forget about it! I’m glad I know little enough to not be too annoyed. I can’t watch some of the CSI and forensic stuff for the same reason.
(”Quick run these 19 DNA samples against the global data base” … “Oh, what, you did that already? Good girl.. now we can go have lunch…”)
Some of the medicine is vaguely correct. But they take huge liberties in every way, including the fact that this team of three doctors runs, without anyone else involved, every single piece of equipment in the hospital, the equipment (MRI’s and stuff) are always available and ready to go, they do all surgery, everything. I guess there is sometimes an anesthesiologist.
If only the heath care system actually worked that way, it might be a lot cheaper!
It makes me long for a show where all they do is contemplate who from the ER will be their next “relationship”…..all the while musing out loud over an exposed heart;-)
Greg: yeah, that’s the Miranatha group on campus– they always have their Bible study group set up a table right next to us in Coffman on Tuesdays and we spend hours arguing (i.e. me explaining the fundamental basics of science and logic and them shoving a bible in my face) every week
I try to be nice to them for the most part (mostly because I know if I make one slight they’ll tell everyone that all atheists are heartless), but I take quiet solace (or pity, I guess) in the fact that Miranatha campus groups have been kicked out of universities all over the US for “cult-like behavior”
Nice blog, Greg. I’m enjoying it.
I caught a couple episodes of House when it first came out, but never got into it. Maybe because I have to watch it dubbed into German, maybe it loses some of the coolness of the character when that happens. I dunno. But your description of the episode is great. It almost makes me want to go out and buy that first season House (”Dr. House” here) DVD boxset so I can see it in English.
Jenny: Well, for the record, they and their big sign creep out and offend me. I don’t know if they have a right to have that sign up or not (these things can be tricky. But for the record, the sign and the big cross on the upstairs porch are unseemly for a state institution and they make me feel repressed and stuff.
Christana: I would zink House vood be good in the German, yes? House himself anyway, not necessarily the other actors…
I saw this episode and I was really hoping I would see a comment about it within the sci-blog-o-sphere. Thanks! I can’t really add much more, I thought the episode was brilliant. I laughed out loud when House told the female patient “I’m going to slap you!” I haven’t followed the show as much as wish I had, what was the deal with the new guitar at the end? Was it meaningful?
I dont really follow the series, but noticed the debate about the atheism. From a swedish perspective the debate is more amusing than the show itself.
As the headline states, House i a fictional character having fictional ideas and beliefs. Some people tend to mix reality with fiction it seems.
Adam,
I see your point . But in the US, an explicitly atheist fictional character would not be allowed on certain networks in certain time slots, unless it was a comedy.
Greg.
I know that the issue is much more controversial in the US, but I was a bit surprised about how controversial.
In Sweden most people earlier viewed US as ‘almost like us’ when it comes to cultural values. Both being a part of the western world. I think this has changed in the latest years due to US shifting to more christian values and Sweden towards a more atheist approach.
Its an interesting issue (in general, not Dr. House).
Yes, and strangely, here in Minnesota … where Western values are hewn from sturdy Nordic Stock … we are more christian-smelling than most regions.
Not allowed to be an atheist on TV? Maybe not. But network TV shows constantly denigrate Christians and Christian beliefs. Just watch COLD CASE on CBS. Religious Christians/Catholics are often the villains. Or BOSTON LEGAL, or any number of network shows.
In my experience, if the villains are religious they are fanatics. As we all know, fanatics (of any faith or cause) often justifies the means by the ends, making them ideal villains in TV shows (and sadly IRL as well).
Carol: I haven’t really seen those shows, I’ll have to take a look.
No, wait, I saw a few minutes of Cold Case last night. They were busy denigrating Amish People.
Yeah, but Greg, on Cold Case they were beating up on the Amish for a good moral reason: to highlight the drug dealing/drug addicted Amish boy, and his murder of the young Amish runaway future feminist girl –uber realism yeah? You know what drug addicts and murderers those Amish can be…)
….remember the closing scene where yet another Amish girl throws away her bonnet? American white womens police state feminism is obviously a necessary component in advancing Patriarchal, repressed cultures like the Amish……
I only saw five minutes or so, when the Amish girl with the normal Amish clothes, while in the drug store with the Amish Girl with the goth-ish sexy Amish clothes, got caught stealing the pregnancy test kit, and in the next scene admits to sexy amish girl that the possible father was her (sexy girl’s) boyfriend.
So, he killed her, did he? I was assuming it was the mother. It is usually the mother.
Yeah–they did this whole build-up to it being the mother, grilling her downtown–and then, we get the evidence that it was the drug addict Jack- Amish boy.
The boy–again.
Actually though, you are right. Most child murders here in the US are at the hands of the mother or a female caregiver.
Foster kids really get the hard knocks too.Remember little Rilya wilson, who disappeared from the Florida foster care system? Almost ready for trial
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/.....cnn_latest
Divinity Jokes
By Gregory Konakis
A philosopher died and went to heaven. God asked her: “Why didn’t you ever ask me about any of the big questions?” She replied: “I never speak to a stranger unless I am first spoken to.”
A theologian died and went to heaven. God asked her: “Why didn’t you ever doubt my existence?” She replied: “I never doubted my own so why should I have doubted yours?”
Pope Benedict XVI died and went to heaven. God said to him: “If you ask for anything in my son’s name it will be given to you.” The pope replied: “In Jesus’ name I ask for eternal bliss.” God said: “The hot tubs are at the other place.”
Muhammad died and went to the Muslim heaven. He was unhappy there so he went to the Judeo-Christian heaven. God asked him: “What was wrong with the heaven you came from?” Muhammad replied: “Seventy-two virgins are too much for a Muslim man with modest means.”
Bill Clinton died and went to heaven. God asked him: “Do you have any regrets?” Bill replied: “I regret I did not convert to Islam.”
George W. Bush died and went to heaven. God asked him: “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” George replied: “Love means I never have to say I am sorry.”
Jesus died and went to heaven. His father asked him: “How was your trip, son?” Jesus replied: “It was hell, dad.”
John McCain died and went to heaven. God asked him: “What made you think you were qualified to be the President of the United States? John said: “I was a war hero.” God said: “Ulysses S. Grant was also a war hero but his presidency was one of the worst.” John replied: “Yes, but I was tortured!”
Barack Obama died and went to heaven. God asked him: “Do you have any regrets?” Barack replied: “I regret I did not tell the American people about my Muslim faith.” God said: “You are in the wrong heaven.”
Dick Cheney died and went to heaven. God said to him: “If you ask for anything in my son’s name it will be given to you.” Dick replied: “In Jesus’ name I ask for a husband for my lesbian daughter.”
Lynne Cheney died soon after Dick and went to heaven. God also said to her: “If you ask for anything in my son’s name it will be given to you.” Lynne replied: “In Jesus’ name I ask for a divorced from Dick.” God said: “Don’t we all! Don’t we all!”
Laura Bush died and went to heaven. God asked her: “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” Laura replied: “I apologize for George’s ignorance of history, hubris, defective moral character, faith in an economy of greed and Christian fundamentalism.”
Barbara Bush died and went to heaven. God also asked her: “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” Barbara replied: “I should have had an abortion.”
Adolf Hitler died after he committed suicide and went to hell. Satan said to him: “If you ask for anything in my name it will be given to you.” Adolf replied: “In Jesus’ name I ask for psychotherapy.” Satan said: “Don’t we all! Don’t we all!”
An atheist died and went to heaven. St. Peter asked him: “Do you regret not believing in God?” The atheist said: “Can you demonstrate I am not dreaming?” St. Peter said: “If I tried and failed we would both wake up.”