Conan Season 2013 Episode 131 The Westboro Baptist Church's Surprisingly Moving Stage Version of "Brokeback Mountain"
- October 23, 2013
In season 2013 episode 131 of Conan, titled "The Westboro Baptist Church's Surprisingly Moving Stage Version of 'Brokeback Mountain'," Conan takes a satirical approach to the controversial religious organization known for its extremist views. The episode opens with a comedic skit featuring Conan and his sidekick Andy Richter reading through a newspaper article about the Westboro Baptist Church's production of "Brokeback Mountain" and criticizing the group's hateful rhetoric.
Later in the episode, Conan welcomes two members of the Westboro Baptist Church, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis, to his show for an interview. Despite their reputation for spreading hateful messages against various groups of people, including the LGBTQ+ community, Conan maintains a lighthearted tone and engages in a humorous conversation with the two guests.
Shirley and Rebekah discuss their reasons for staging a production of "Brokeback Mountain," which they claim is meant to spread God's message about the destructive nature of homosexuality. However, Conan challenges their beliefs and points out the irony of the church promoting a production about a forbidden love affair.
As the interview progresses, Conan surprises his guests by revealing that he has secretly arranged for a group of prominent LGBTQ+ activists to join the conversation via video chat. The ensuing discussion is lively and enlightening, with the activists advocating for love and acceptance while Shirley and Rebekah attempt to defend their beliefs.
Throughout the episode, Conan infuses his trademark humor and satirical commentary, deftly navigating the sensitive topic of the Westboro Baptist Church and their controversial beliefs. The end result is an entertaining and thought-provoking episode that challenges viewers to confront their own beliefs about love, acceptance, and religion.