Prologue

Whenever people found out I was writing a book on Mormons and musicals, the typical response was a skeptical, “Well, I know one.” To be fair, the Broadway hit Book of Mormon is nearly unavoidable and has really upped the ante in terms of Mormon representation in popular culture. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone brought a queer version of Mormonism to the stage in 2011 and largely, I think, showed Mormons a version of themselves they found unbelievable yet showed non-Mormons a version of Mormonism that instinctively felt true and real. Where you fall within these two camps probably has less to do with the kind of Mormon history you know and more to do with how much you are aware of just how entwined Mormon ideologies and musical theater really are. Mormons and musicals (and Mormons ...

Cowards, Critics, and Catholics

Throughout its history South Park has had a contentious relationship with Catholicism, frequently using Catholic doctrine, rituals, and popular practices as a foil for humor. This article examines the way that a Catholic parachurch organization, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, has criticized South Park and its creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone as cowardly and not the satirical mavericks they are frequently portrayed as in popular media. Using the sociologies of religion, humor, and culture, this article demonstrates that this conflict reflects deeper conflicts over the limits of free speech, the place of Catholics in American culture, and the importance of humor in criticizing and controlling religious traditions in the United States.