Source: HPI
USA, February 18, 2002: Readers have complained to HPI about the January 31st episode of the NBC hit series, “Friends.” One report reads, “I was watching the latest episode of ‘Friends’ in NBC. There was a scene, in which Ross and his girl friend were sitting in a sofa, Ross explains the ‘Lord Ganesh’ is an artifact from Calcutta. And all of a sudden the lady (accidentally) kicks the ‘Lord Ganesh Idol.’ I felt that the episode director deliberately put that scene there though that scene doesn’t help the story in any way. Can we do any thing about this incident of hurting ‘Hindu sentiments’?” The incident is reminiscent of singer Sinead O’Conner tearing up a picture of the Pope, October 3, 1992, on “Saturday Night Live.” She did it because she believed conservative Catholicism hurt the women of Ireland. There was an international outcry from Catholics over the incident, and O’Conner later apologized. Non-Hindus don’t normally understand that touching anything with the feet is considered extremely disrespectful, akin to spitting in someone’s face. Even an accidental touch of another person with one’s foot would result in profuse apologies. For a plot summary of this episode of “Friends,” visit http://www.nbc.com/Friends/episode_guide/119.html.