Comedy Central plans animated Jesus sitcom

Comedy Central, the network that faced outrage after censoring an episode of South Park that depicted the Muslim prophet Mohammed, faces calls of hypocrisy after it was revealed it  has begun development on an animated series about Jesus Christ.

The show, called JC according to the Hollywood Reporter, deals with a frustrated Christ who wants to escape the shadow of his "powerful but apathetic father" and moves to New York City in search of a regular life.

The show will follow one of the most tried and tested formulae in American comedy, offering up a pastiche on the modern American family. God, or 'dad' is uninvolved and would rather play computer games than listen to his son's problems.

Jesus, meanwhile, is a son trying to make it on his own, and suffers the typical problems that Americans face when moving to New York City.

It won't be the first time Jesus has featured on Comedy Central, as he is something of a regular on South Park, in which he once got beaten in a boxing match with Satan.

Last month, South Park's creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, received a thinly disguised death threat after they depicted Mohammed in a bear costume. The following week, Mohammed was obscured by a black box and Comedy Central bleeped out the customary 'moral of the tale' at the end of the episode.

Catholics have been quick to condemn Comedy Central. "It's not certain what is more despicable: the non-stop Christian bashing featured on the network, or Comedy Central's decision to censor all depictions of Mohammed," William Donohue, president of the Catholic League For Civil And Religious Rights in the US, told AP.

Comedy Central have, so far, declined to comment. But they may find they still face the ire of Muslims, since Jesus is also a prophet of Islam. ·