Morally Offensive

In this Christmas episode of Morally Offensive, Jess and Bill take a deep dive into Black Christmas (1974), the landmark horror film that helped define the slasher genre several years before Halloween. Joining them is Professor Eric D. Wesselmann, who brings an academic lens to Bob Clark’s deeply unsettling and surprisingly nuanced film. The conversation covers the film’s complex female characters, the origins of the “the call is coming from inside the house” trope, and how Roe v. Wade and second-wave feminism shaped the movie’s themes and cultural reception.  A holiday episode about horror, depictions of disability on film, the evolution of women's rights, and why Black Christmas remains one of the most influential films of the 1970s.

This week on Morally Offensive, everybody's talking (okay its just Kevin and Bill) with singer/songwriter (and former film student) Stefanie Joyce about the ONLY X-Rated Film to win Best Picture, Midnight Cowboy. The film features a young Jon Voight as an aspiring sex worker who runs from his past in a small Texas town, toward the bright city lights of Broadway and 42nd St. While unsuccessfully attempting to get into the game, he runs into Ratso Rizzo (a young Dustin Hoffman), a small-time hustler who gets by on petty theft and squating in an abandoned apartment building. The crew uncovers the shocking facts surrounding the film being screened at an international Cahtolic Film Festival, while simultanesouly receiving an A-IV rating (Adults with Reservations - so, not QUITE "C" or "O" - our bad). Diversions including pocketing cold cuts at swanky parties, Meat-and-Threes, Flannery O'Connor, Baby Bob Balaban, and the ongoing debate about THAT scene. Want to donate or buy us a coffee to keep us going? We'd really appreciate it: DONATE NOW! Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Check out guest Stefanie Joyce on Tiktok and her website.    

Bill and Stephanie sit down with Thomas Negovan to discuss the restoration of Caligula: The Ultimate Cut and how he and an editor pieced the film back together. Thomas explains how they uncovered hours of never-before-seen footage and used it to assemble a version of Caligula that reflects what was originally filmed, offering a clearer look at the movie’s intended narrative. The episode also explores Bob Guccione’s controversial attempt to reshape Caligula in the edit, the bizarre choice to make an additional R-rated release, and of course the Catholic Reviews from the time. The crew gets into film restoration, the lost footage, and how a movie’s meaning changes depending on who controls the final cut. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok.  

Warning: This episode covers an actual adult movie, and contains discussions about graphic sexual topics. In this episode of Morally Offensive, the first in our "X-Rated" series, we explore the cultural earthquake sparked by the 1972 film Deep Throat with special guest Mark Covino, director of the award-winning documentary A Band Called Death. We dive into the rise of 1970s “porn chic,” the collapse of the Hays Code, the creation of the X-rating, and how a low-budget film became a mainstream phenomenon seen by public figures like Jackie Onassis and Truman Capote. We also examine the Catholic response to the mainstreaming of adult media during a period already shaped by Watergate-era anxiety. This includes a look at the Catechism’s teachings on sexual ethics—especially the debates around oral sex, where Catholics, theologians, and commentators often share conflicting interpretations. Plus, Mark shares personal stories about his father’s life as a celebrity ski instructor and his appearance in an early project by horror icons Sean Cunningham and Wes Craven. If you're interested in film history, 1970s culture, Catholic commentary, or the intersections of media, morality, and censorship, this episode has it all. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Topics: X-rating, Catholicism, Ex-Catholics, Watergate, Deep Throat, Scandal, Linda Lovelace, 1970s, Indie Film, Guilt, Sex Ed, Porn Chic, Hollywood, Times Square, Comedy  

Stephanie and Bill head on up to the lab, to see what's on the slab...and it turns out it's The Rocky Horror Picture Show (celebrating it's 50th anniversary!), a cult classic that started as rebellion and transformed into a midnight movie ritual. With special guest props expert and technical theatre professional Jeffrey Rockey, they dig into the history of the movie that became a cultural touchstone, especially for Catholic school kids who found they didn't quite fit in. Jeff talks coming out, Bill shares the story of how he originated the first stage role of the Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Stephanie recounts the experience of getting into Rocky Horror as a young Jewish woman. They also revisit Richard O’Brien’s problematic remarks, the Catholic media’s moral outrage, and the often-forgotten sequel Shock Treatment. It’s a science fiction double feature of faith, fishnets, and the strange comfort of finding community in the most “morally offensive” places. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Topics: Rocky Horror, Rocky Horror Show, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, LGBT issues, Catholic School, Catholic upbringing, Ex-Catholic stories, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Midnight Movies, Cult Films, Cinema, Theatre, Musicals, Halloween, Science Fiction, Horror, Lou Adler