The Book of Mormon musical — the South Park-style take on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that’s a big hit on Broadway –is coming to San Francisco soon. We’d been looking forward to it and got not-hugely-bad-but-not-that-great seats for the end of December. It sold out quickly and we were lucky to get what we got.
Then again….were we?
I’ve been listening to the soundtrack in the car. The music’s catchy, the singing’s Broadway-musical-quality, which is to say really good. I knew the play would be black humor and a real take-off on some of the most hard-to-swallow Mormon beliefs, done South Park-style, which is to say, over the top.
And then.
Here’s the dialogue:
MAFALA In this part of Africa, we ALL have a saying – whenever something bad happens, we just throw our hands to the sky and say HASA DIGA EEBOWAI!
ELDER CUNNINGHAM Hasa Diga Eebowai?
MAFALA It’s the only way to get through all these troubled times. There’s war, poverty, famine…but having a saying makes it all seem better!
There isn’t enough food to eat Hasa Diga Eebowai People are starving in the street Hasa Diga Eebowai Hasa Diga Eebowai! Hasa Diga Eebowai!
ELDER PRICE Well, that’s pretty neat!
ELDER CUNNINGHAM Does it mean no worries for the rest of our days?
MAFALA Kind of!
We’ve had no rain in several days (Hasa Diga Eebowai!) And eighty percent of us have AIDS (Hasa Diga Eebowai!) Many young girls here get circumcised Their clits get cut right off (Way oh!) And so we say up to the sky Hasa Diga Eebowai! Hasa Diga Eebowai! Hasa Diga Eebowai!
Now you try! Just stand up tall, tilt your head to the sky, and list off the bad things in YOUR life.
ELDER CUNNINGHAM Somebody took our luggage away (Hasa Diga Eebowai!)
ELDER PRICE The plane was crowded and the bus was late (Hasa Diga Eebowai!)
MAFALA When the world is getting you down There’s nobody else to blame (Way oh!) Raise your middle finger to the sky And curse his rotten name
ELDER PRICE Wait, what?
ELDER CUNNINGHAM Hasa Diga Eebowai! (Hasa Diga Eebowai!) Am I saying that right?
ELDER PRICE Excuse me, sir, but what EXACTLY does that phrase mean?
MAFALA Well, let’s see…’Eebowai’ means ‘God’, and ‘Hasa Diga’ means ‘FUCK YOU’. So I guess in English it would be, “Fuck you, God!” (Hasa Diga Eebowai!)
ELDER PRICE What?!!
MAFALA When God fucks you in the butt (Hasa Diga Eebowai!) Fuck God back right in his cunt (Hasa Diga Eebowai!)
Hasa Diga Eebowai! (Fuck you, God!) Hasa Diga Eebowai! (Fuck you, God!)
ELDER PRICE Excuse me, sir, but you should really not be saying that. Things aren’t always as bad as they seem.
MAFALA Oh, really? Well, take this fucking asshole, Mutumbo, here. He got caught last week trying to rape a baby.
ELDER PRICE What!? Why?
MAFALA Some people in his tribe believe that having sex with a virgin will cure their AIDS. There aren’t many virgins left, so some of them are turning to babies.
ELDER PRICE But…that’s horrible!
MAFALA I know!
(Hasa Diga Eebowai!) Here’s the bucher, he has AIDS Here’s the teacher, she has AIDS Here’s the doctor, he has AIDS – Here’s my daughter she has A… …wonderful disposition! She’s all I have left in the world And if either of you lays a hand on her – I will give you my AIDS!
If you don’t like what we say Try living here a couple days Watch all your friends and family die Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you!
Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Fuck you in the eye!
Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Fuck you, God, in the ass, mouth, and cunt-a Hasa – fuck you in the other eye!
Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you, fuck you God Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you, fuck you God Hasa Diga Eebowai! Fuck you, fuck you God
Hasa Diga! Fuck you God! In the cunt!
Yes, Yes. Hasa Diga Eebowai. Sort of like a tweaked “Hakuna Matata.” Now, I am nowhere near a prude. I cuss like a sailor, as many of you know. Fuck has been my favorite word for at least 40 years. And I’ve seen a lot of theatre of all kinds. I’ve read Henry Miller so I’m no stranger to the use of vulgarities in the service of literature.
And yet, this soundtrack made me really, really uncomfortable.
Other lyrics included the phrase “I’ve got maggots in my scrotum” sung a bunch of times. There were numerous references to a cliterodectomy and dialogue included this: “I’m going to fuck a baby!” Now, it is absolutely true that the converts are then convinced that Joseph Smith wanted them to fuck a frog, not a baby, which is to say that no, no one fucks a baby and yes, the humor is based on some of the most ridiculous things you could think of that send Mormonism up in a big way.
And yet.
Is this what it takes to get a laugh? To make a hit show? When did we get so comfortable with saying horrible things out loud that we would find them so hilariously funny?
Maybe I’m just getting old and conservative, I suggested to my husband, a South Park fan. He laughed.
“I don’t know what happened, doctor,” he squeaked in falsetto, joking, “but I woke up one day and I was a fuddy duddy!”
Maybe so. This may be the funniest, most modern musical ever. I loved some of what I heard. And I love a lampoon.
But I never want to be someone who laughs at someone telling God to fuck off. I never want to sit in a theatre seat grinning as someone refers to fucking a baby. And as for maggots in someone’s scrotum? Well, there’s that, too.
I’m still going to the play. After all, I’ve only heard the sound track. And maybe when it’s all put together it’ll make more sense. Although I doubt it.
But you can bet the maggots in your scrotum I won’t be sitting comfortably in that theatre. I’ll be squirming, as if there were maggots in mine.
I’m at a loss and I have to say it sounds like someone is pushing the envelope a bit too much. I remember in college art class reading about pieces of debatable art like “piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine) and being horrified. But what you’ve just outlined is far more offensive. I don’t think I could sit through it. I can’t believe the Mormon church isn’t coming completely effing unhinged on this…they have the power ya know. lol They have more money than God!
(the part about AIDS in Africa and the belief that sex with a virgin will cure it is true. I would not be surprised to learn that the baby aspect could be a growing problem, which really makes my breakfast want to land on my desk!)
I’m gonna go get some brain bleach now and give a good swish.
I hope you don’t, resell your tickets, that is. I’d very much like to hear your reaction once you see it all in place. My other response is – how few of us actually hear the words that are being spoken in a musical. Rare indeed that most would buy the music and learn the words. I think there is an expectation that many of the words will go over people’s heads. And, about the church going after them – what, and make it even more popular, and potentially bring the political element into play? Safest route is the current route. Secure enough to take it.
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eeeewwww…gross and awful…
I’m at a loss and I have to say it sounds like someone is pushing the envelope a bit too much. I remember in college art class reading about pieces of debatable art like “piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine) and being horrified. But what you’ve just outlined is far more offensive. I don’t think I could sit through it. I can’t believe the Mormon church isn’t coming completely effing unhinged on this…they have the power ya know. lol They have more money than God!
(the part about AIDS in Africa and the belief that sex with a virgin will cure it is true. I would not be surprised to learn that the baby aspect could be a growing problem, which really makes my breakfast want to land on my desk!)
I’m gonna go get some brain bleach now and give a good swish.
Can you post something about Riley now?
I’m relieved that others feel as I do. I was beginning to wonder WTF I was missing. I am, in fact, thinking of reselling my tickets.
I haven’t seen this musical, nor had I wanted to.
I’ll be interested what you think after the show, if context can somehow make this segment seem less envelope-pushing.
I hope you don’t, resell your tickets, that is. I’d very much like to hear your reaction once you see it all in place. My other response is – how few of us actually hear the words that are being spoken in a musical. Rare indeed that most would buy the music and learn the words. I think there is an expectation that many of the words will go over people’s heads. And, about the church going after them – what, and make it even more popular, and potentially bring the political element into play? Safest route is the current route. Secure enough to take it.
Wow I had no idea! I have been wanting to see this forever, but I now may pass. You are right! WTF!?
Wow! Really? I have been dying to see this! Now I am going to rethink it. And you are right! WTF!?
Thanks for letting me know. I would have walked out. ..Shaking little blonde head..
definitely would NOT be on my “must see” list now …. thanks for letting us know.
This is appalling! I love musicals on Broadway, but this is does cross an inappropriate line. Where have our standards gone?