The Jesus Christ Show
Encyclopedia
The Jesus Christ Show is a radio program that airs every Sunday from 6 to 9 a.m. Pacific time
, originating from KFI
in Los Angeles, California
. The show is billed as "Hosted by Jesus Christ".
Jesus is played by the show's producer, Neil Saavedra, a 6'4", 240-pound, punk rock Latino man with a handful of tattoos and a goatee, who is Catholic by teaching and who, as marketing manager at KFI, is "usually too tired to attend church after his program." Saavedra calls the program "interactive radio theater to teach people from all walks of life about the historical person of Jesus Christ."http://www.kfi640.com/pages/JesusChrist.html?feed=128001&article=2298807 Saavedra refers to his character ("KFI Jesus") as "your holy host" and God as "Jesus' father," asks that people pray "to Jesus," and that "the way to salvation is through belief in the sacrifice of Jesus."
This has led many Christians, such as syndicated Christian radio host Ingrid Schlueter, to protest this practice as it borders on blasphemy, and that it marks Saavedra as a "false Jesus." Others, who criticize the show more gently, suggest that pretending to be Jesus leads people to be too impressionable to human advice. In his own defense, Saavedra compares his "KFI Jesus" character to "a historian dressing up as Abraham Lincoln" and that his impression of Christ is not to be taken as impersonating the actual Jesus Christ.
The show became a part of Premiere Radio Networks
starting on June 1, 2008, and is syndicated to several stations in the US including WFLA
(Tampa), KOGO (San Diego), America's Talk
(XM Radio), and others.
Saavedra claims that the show is not inherently religious; rather, life issues are discussed in a manner similar to the advice shows of Laura Schlessinger
and Joy Browne
, though one might more aptly compare him to fellow KFI talk show host, Phil Hendrie
, who, unlike Saavadra, comes to His talk show seat with a suitcase full of other personalities. Saavedra, as Christ, dispenses answers and advice based upon Christ's parables and preaching as told in the Gospel
. The substance of the show regularly involves theology, philosophy, and social commentary. On August 21, 2011, when a called asked him about the validity of UFOs, he stated that "UFOs are precisely what they purport to be, 'Unidentified Flying Objects,' and explained that there is no proof that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.
Some broadcasts are taped in advance, such as the Christmas show, and others may be repeats of previous shows. Irate callers who use false pretenses to get on the air are frequently denounced on air. Saavedra often takes opposing views and often spends more than one segment answering critics.
The Jesus Christ Show began as a short segment on KFI’s The Bill Handel Show, when Saavedra was invited to play the role of Jesus as a serious guest for an Easter program segment.
A podcast
version of the show is available from KFI's web page.
Pacific Time
Pacific Time may refer to:* Pacific Time Zone , a time zone on the west coast of the United States, Canada and Mexico* Pacific Time , a radio program produced by KQED and carried on several other NPR stations...
, originating from KFI
KFI
KFI is an AM radio station in Los Angeles, California. It received its license to operate on March 31, 1922 and began operating on April 16, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear-channel" stations...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The show is billed as "Hosted by Jesus Christ".
Jesus is played by the show's producer, Neil Saavedra, a 6'4", 240-pound, punk rock Latino man with a handful of tattoos and a goatee, who is Catholic by teaching and who, as marketing manager at KFI, is "usually too tired to attend church after his program." Saavedra calls the program "interactive radio theater to teach people from all walks of life about the historical person of Jesus Christ."http://www.kfi640.com/pages/JesusChrist.html?feed=128001&article=2298807 Saavedra refers to his character ("KFI Jesus") as "your holy host" and God as "Jesus' father," asks that people pray "to Jesus," and that "the way to salvation is through belief in the sacrifice of Jesus."
This has led many Christians, such as syndicated Christian radio host Ingrid Schlueter, to protest this practice as it borders on blasphemy, and that it marks Saavedra as a "false Jesus." Others, who criticize the show more gently, suggest that pretending to be Jesus leads people to be too impressionable to human advice. In his own defense, Saavedra compares his "KFI Jesus" character to "a historian dressing up as Abraham Lincoln" and that his impression of Christ is not to be taken as impersonating the actual Jesus Christ.
The show became a part of Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
starting on June 1, 2008, and is syndicated to several stations in the US including WFLA
WFLA (AM)
WFLA is an AM radio station in Tampa, Florida, serving the Arbitron Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market with additional listenership to the east in the adjacent Lakeland-Winter Haven market and to the south in the adjacent Sarasota-Bradenton market...
(Tampa), KOGO (San Diego), America's Talk
America's Talk
America's Talk is a news and talk radio channel on XM Satellite Radio, launched on 2007-11-19 on channel 158 and moved to 166 on 2011-05-04. Much like its sister talk channel XM Talk 168, it is a general news/talk focused channel. It was programmed by Sean Compton until 2008-04-01, in Cincinnati,...
(XM Radio), and others.
Saavedra claims that the show is not inherently religious; rather, life issues are discussed in a manner similar to the advice shows of Laura Schlessinger
Laura Schlessinger
Laura Catherine Schlessinger is an American talk radio host, socially conservative commentator and author. Her radio program consists mainly of her responses to callers' requests for personal advice and has occasionally featured her short monologues on social and political topics...
and Joy Browne
Joy Browne
Joy Browne also named Dr. Joy, is an American radio psychologist.-Early life:Browne was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and educated at Rice University in Houston, TX.-Career:...
, though one might more aptly compare him to fellow KFI talk show host, Phil Hendrie
Phil Hendrie
Philip Stephen Hendrie is an American radio personality. He is best known as the host of The Phil Hendrie Show, a comedy talk radio program that is syndicated throughout North America on Talk Radio Network...
, who, unlike Saavadra, comes to His talk show seat with a suitcase full of other personalities. Saavedra, as Christ, dispenses answers and advice based upon Christ's parables and preaching as told in the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
. The substance of the show regularly involves theology, philosophy, and social commentary. On August 21, 2011, when a called asked him about the validity of UFOs, he stated that "UFOs are precisely what they purport to be, 'Unidentified Flying Objects,' and explained that there is no proof that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.
Some broadcasts are taped in advance, such as the Christmas show, and others may be repeats of previous shows. Irate callers who use false pretenses to get on the air are frequently denounced on air. Saavedra often takes opposing views and often spends more than one segment answering critics.
The Jesus Christ Show began as a short segment on KFI’s The Bill Handel Show, when Saavedra was invited to play the role of Jesus as a serious guest for an Easter program segment.
A podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
version of the show is available from KFI's web page.