Morally Offensive

Morally Offensive

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast about the movies the Catholic Church tried to warn you about. We revisit films labeled “condemned” by the Legion of Decency and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, unpacking the outrage, the censorship, and the cultural shifts behind them. Whether you grew up with Catholic guilt or just love controversial cinema, this is where dirty movies meet film history.

  1. 5D AGO

    The Little Hours (2017) — Part 2: Nuns Gone Wild! | Filthy Habits

    This week on Morally Offensive, Bill, Jess, and special guest Syd King dive into The Little Hours—a medieval comedy where the nuns are anything but devout. Set in a 14th-century convent, the film follows a group of wildly unrestrained sisters who drink, swear, and terrorize the local help…until a fugitive posing as a deaf-mute handyman shows up and turns everything sideways. What starts as a chaotic character study quickly spirals into a mix of lust, power plays, religious hypocrisy, and naked dancing in the woods. Along the way, the crew unpacks how the film pulls from The Decameron, why its anachronistic dialogue actually works, and how it gleefully pokes at the idea of holiness without completely dismissing it. Tangents include youth pastors telling us we'd go to hell if we died in a car crash, that time Jess' classmates terrorized and vandalized Holy Hill Basilica, TMI Catholic confessions about your sex life, campus ministers on the run from the law, and Syd's proximity to Ryan Gosling on Saturday Night Live. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Syd King on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syd.the.king/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 12m

  2. APR 13

    The Little Hours (2017) — Part 1: "It is trash, pure trash!" | Filthy Habits

    This week, Bill and Jess are joined by comedian, actor, and writer Syd King to talk The Little Hours—a movie where nuns drink too much, swear constantly, and ignore basically every rule they’re supposed to follow. Loosely based on The Decameron, it’s equal parts historical weirdness and modern comedy. We get into the Catholic angle, the controversy (or lack of it), and why this kind of story keeps coming back.  In episode one, find out why Bill Donahue called the movie "Pure Trash", why a fringe Catholic Cult protested the movie (with bagpipes!), discover the existence of a creepy Catholic nun doll museum in northern Michigan, Jess finds out about "The Shack", and Bill reviews the hot dog menu from The Gay Bar in Gay, Michigan. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Syd King on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syd.the.king/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 21m

  3. APR 5

    Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) – Part 2: Rock Me, Sexy Jesus | Filthy Habits

    In Part 2 of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), we get into what happens when Jesus stops being a mere prophet, and is named "king" by his followers. Bill, Kevin and guest Orion Couling talk fame, ego, pressure, and why nobody in this movie seems to have a handle on what’s a-happenin' (including Jesus). Diversions include: stealing from David Brubeck, why the Apostles have a Hobbit problem, what you would buy with your 30 pieces of silver, and St. Peter actor Paul Thomas' storied adult film career post-JC Superstar. This is another episode in our Filthy Habits series, which will return to focus on Nunsploitation next week, with an episode on The Little Hours. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Check Out "Shadow Carriers" Podcast with Orion Couling: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shadow-carriers/id1533170469 Follow Orion on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawlins_crawlins/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 30m

  4. MAR 27

    Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) – Part 1: We Don't Know How to Love Him | Filthy Habits

    Jesus Christ Superstar is the musical that dared to ask: "What if the Gospels...but hippies?" This week on Morally Offensive, Bill and Kevin are joined by actor, filmmaker, ghost tour guide (and former Judas) Orion Couling to break down Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Along the way, expect some truly off-key singing as we dive into one of the most controversial religious films ever made. We read through Catholic reactions ranging from outright condemnation to surprising praise, including claims that even the Pope was a fan, and unpack what made the film so divisive. Then we explore the fascinating history behind director Norman Jewison and the cast, pushing back on the idea that Jewison was simply a journeyman director and making the case for him as a true auteur. Diversions include growing up Catholic on Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family, DC Talk's "Nirvana" phase, Bill and Orion's time served on the Edmund Fitzgerald, and that one time Kevin got crucified on stage. If you’re interested in Jesus Christ Superstar, religious film controversy, Catholic reviews, or the legacy of Norman Jewison, this episode digs into how a rock opera about Jesus became a cultural lightning rod. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Check Out "Shadow Carriers" Podcast with Orion Couling: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shadow-carriers/id1533170469 Follow Orion on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawlins_crawlins/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 33m

  5. MAR 20

    Black Narcissus (1947) – Part 2: Sister Ruth and the "Hysterical" Woman Trope | Filthy Habits

    Bill and Jess continue their two part deep dive into the classic film Black Narcissus (1947) as part of the new Morally Offensive series Filthy Habits. Joining them, once again, is film director Dalila Droege (No More Time). In part two - they discuss the film’s back half, where everything starts to come apart. Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) loses her grip on the order, while Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) finds her commitment to her vocation quickly disintegrating. The crew and their guest discuss Byron’s performance and how it reads today, especially in the context of dated portrayals of mental health and the long history of women on screen being framed as unstable or hysterical. What may have once felt intense now lands differently, and that tension becomes part of the conversation. We also look at how Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, working as The Archers, use color, design, and stylization to mirror the characters’ unraveling. The result is a film that’s as striking as it is uncomfortable, especially in how it handles desire, repression, and collapse. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Dalila Droege on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daliladroege For the latest updates on Beauty Night, follow the official account: https://www.instagram.com/beautynight_film Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    34 min

  6. MAR 13

    Black Narcissus (1947) – Part 1: Technicolor Nunsploitation in the Himalayas | Filthy Habits

    Bill and Jess begin a two part deep dive into the classic film Black Narcissus (1947) as part of the Morally Offensive series Filthy Habits, where the show examines religion, repression, and scandal in films about nuns and clergy. Joining them is film director Dalila Droege to help unpack one of the most visually stunning and psychologically intense films of the 1940s. This episode also introduces a new format for the show. Before diving into the movie itself, the hosts examine Catholic reactions and reviews of Black Narcissus. Religious critics have long been divided about the film’s themes of temptation, vocation, and spiritual crisis, and those responses reveal a lot about how the movie has been interpreted by faith communities over the decades. In Part One, the discussion focuses on Act I of the film. The panel explores the arrival of the Anglican nuns at a remote Himalayan palace that is being converted into a convent, the unsettling atmosphere of the mountain setting, and the early hints of emotional and spiritual tension that begin to emerge within the mission. Bill, Jess, and Dalila also discuss the filmmaking of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the performances that made the film legendary, and why Black Narcissus remains one of the most provocative and talked about “nun movies” ever made. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Dalila Droege on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daliladroege For the latest updates on Beauty Night, follow the official account: https://www.instagram.com/beautynight_film Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    58 min

  7. MAR 6

    Sinners: The Blues, Religion, Colonization, and the Catholic Critics Who Can’t Agree

    In this episode of Morally Offensive, Bill and Jess are joined by horror author Ophelia Crane to dig into the Oscar-nominated film Sinners—and the very different reactions it’s sparked. The trio wades into Catholic reviews of the movie and what they reveal about how religious critics approach controversial art, while also exploring the film’s bigger ideas about religion, colonization, and the long history of cultures borrowing—sometimes stealing—stories, music, and folklore. Along the way, the conversation touches on Catholic film criticism, horror traditions, cultural ownership, and the strange moment when theology collides with awards season. It’s a lively, occasionally irreverent discussion about one of the year’s most talked-about films. *We apologize to our listeners for the slight drop in audio quality on this episode. We have been changing up how we handle remote audio, and we are still learning the ropes with our new setup for recording remote guests or co-hosts. For our upcoming series, we should have the audio quality back to where it usually is on this show. Thank you for your patience.* Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Ophelia Crane here Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod Keywords: sinners movie, sinners film analysis, sinners movie review, sinners oscars, sinners oscar nominations, sinners themes explained, sinners religion themes, catholic review sinners, catholic film criticism, religion in horror movies, controversial religious films, colonization in film, cultural appropriation in movies, folklore in horror movies, horror film themes, movie podcast, horror movie podcast, film analysis podcast, morally offensive podcast, ophelia crane interview

    2h 29m

  8. FEB 7

    X-Rated: A Clockwork Orange w/John Enroth (Regular Show, Time Bandits)

    In this episode of Morally Offensive, co-hosts Bill and Stephanie continue their series on X-rated films with Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. Originally released with an X rating, the film remains one of the most controversial titles in cinema history, raising enduring questions about violence, free will, censorship, and state power. Guest John Enroth, composer (Regular Show, Interior Chinatown), joins the discussion to examine Wendy Carlos’s electronic score, Kubrick’s use of Beethoven, and the role of music as psychological control and moral irony. The episode places A Clockwork Orange within the history of the MPAA ratings system, film censorship, and controversial cinema of the 1970s, asking whether Kubrick critiques violence or deliberately refuses moral resolution. And of course, it DID receive the dreaded "C" rating from "The Catholics". Keywords: A Clockwork Orange, Stanley Kubrick, X-rated films, MPAA ratings, film censorship, Wendy Carlos, Beethoven, Anthony Burgess, Malcolm McDowell, dystopian cinema, controversial movies Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive

    2h 20m
See All (42)

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast about the movies the Catholic Church tried to warn you about. We revisit films labeled “condemned” by the Legion of Decency and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, unpacking the outrage, the censorship, and the cultural shifts behind them. Whether you grew up with Catholic guilt or just love controversial cinema, this is where dirty movies meet film history.

Information

  • Creator
    Morally Offensive
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Morally Offensive

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