The Thin, Dumb Line
January 26th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
If a parody falls on the internet, and no one can tell it’s a parody, what good does it do?
At first glance, it seems like the latest in ridiculous, crazy (and hateful) internet videos originated in Houson, the brainchild of a guy named Donnie Davies. Supposedly, this guy runs a ministry that helps repentant homosexuals go straight. The music video shows Donnie, who sports a wispy moustache, strumming a schmaltzy Christian-rock tune and singing that homosexuality “is just a choice,” before belting out an astoundingly ignorant chorus.
Over the top as it is, most people’s first impulse isn’t to question its authenticity but to view it as an ugly contribution to religious intolerance and sexual repression. Understandable — especially since a ministry in Waco has helped place billboards around the country that say, “I Questioned Homosexuality. Change is possible. Discover here.” Here is Exodus International, where people with apparently nothing better to do share a mission with Donnie Davies.
Difference is, I’m pretty sure Davies’ sites are some kind of strange, elaborate joke.
The evidence:
— Lyrics in his song like “there’s no back door [to heaven]” and “righteous man, get on your knees” are a little too … punny.
— For a guy with a supposedly just-established ministry, the production value on the video is exceptionally high and the graphic design on his sites looks pretty professional.
— Web and directory searches turn up almost no record of Donnie Davies, his ministry, or his backup band, “Evening Service.” Alleged relocation from New Orleans provides convenient excuse for blank past.
— The way the video is shot suspiciously prevents identifying the back-up band.
— His list of “gay bands” is pretty funny, but it includes Metallica, the pretty much homophobic rapper DMX, and Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. It also lists Elton John twice, the second time noting in parentheses “really gay.”
— The website for his ministry has a prominent quote by Oscar Wilde, “a reformed homosexual”; Wilde was actually a gay reformer.
Between the video, the slew of websites, and MySpace profiles, it does seem like an awful long way to go for a parody. All the better to make it convincing, I suppose.
