Make Fun Of Faith? Sure. Jesus? Uh, No.

Comedian Kathy Griffin Dissed the Christian Messiah In Her (Censored) Emmy Speech, Revealing a Sensitive Part Of Hollywood's Funny Bone

C omedian Kathy Griffin has built her D-list career on telling A-list Hollywood celebrities -- Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Ryan Seacrest -- to "suck it."

So when she told Jesus to "suck it" after winning an Emmy for her reality show, "My Life on the D-List," it was meant as another swipe at someone who gets invited to better parties than she does.

But as she quickly learned, dissing Jesus, even in left-leaning Hollywood, carries more risk than poking fun at the Lindsay Lohans of the world.

Griffin's remarks -- "I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. . . . So all I can say is, suck it, Jesus. This reward is my god now!" -- were censored when the E! Network broadcast the Creative Arts Emmy Awards show last Saturday.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences said the remarks were struck because they were "offensive." It wasn't clear whether they disliked the vulgar "suck it" part or the blasphemous "this reward is my god now" part.

Either way, one thing is clear: Poking fun at religion in general is fine. Taking jabs at hypocritical religious leaders is even encouraged. But when it comes to Jesus, Hollywood still gets squeamish.

Some conservatives smell a double standard. Audiences laugh when Griffin insults the Christian messiah, but she could never get away with telling Muhammad to do the same, they say. "She wants to stick it to Christians," said Kiera McCaffrey of the New York-based Catholic League civil rights organization.

Atheists see a more sinister plotline at work in the network's decision to muzzle Griffin. It's not about decency, they say. "It was about protecting belief in Jesus," said Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists. "You're not allowed to say anything that ridicules belief. . . . What's next? Punishment for that?"

Does this represent a full-frontal assault on Christian sensibilities? Is Griffin just trying to cash in at Jesus's expense?

It all comes down to context, observers say.

"But context is everything, and context is what we are losing as we talk past one another," said Andrew Sullivan, a conservative blogger.