John Safran vs God
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | John Safran |
| Products | Documentary series |
| Parent | SBS TV |
John Safran vs God is a documentary series from Australia consisting of eight episodes, created by John Safran and aired on SBS TV in 2004. Touted as "John Safran's boldest endeavor to date," the series adopts a more earnest approach compared to his earlier work, Music Jamboree. Production was handled by Ghost of Your Ex-Boyfriend Productions—a collaboration between Safran's Ex-Boyfriend Productions and Richard Lowenstein's Ghost Productions—alongside SBS Independent. The script was co-developed with Mark O'Toole, while direction was led by Craig Melville. Producers included Richard Lowenstein, Selin Yaman, and Ghost Pictures. The series earned the 2005 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Comedy Series.
The opening credits feature the song "Hate Priest" by Mozart on Crack, paired with a dramatic visual of Safran breaking through scorched ground amid a thunderstorm, accompanied by a voiceover quoting Revelation 20:7: "when the thousand years are over Satan will be released from his prison."
Episode one
- In the UK, Safran encounters Sheikh Omar Bakri and Sheikh Abu Hamza, obtaining a fatwa against Rove McManus due to McManus canceling John's appearance on Rove Live. This fatwa was subsequently revoked.
- He experiments with a faith centered on the hallucinogenic cactus Peyote, undergoing nausea and mild hallucinations.
- Safran investigates Scientology, focusing on its ties to Jamie Packer and the Nine Network.
Episode two
- Safran critiques Australia's approach to "Sorry" regarding Indigenous Rights.
- He studies zen Buddhism in Japan, where he endures corporal punishment with a stick for meditation errors.
- Safran probes alleged links between Satanism and Freemasonry.
Episode three
- Although he is Jewish, Safran attempts to join the Ku Klux Klan in California.
- He explores aspects of Catholicism under the guidance of Father Bob Maguire.
- Safran organizes a competition where Australian-Palestinians vie for his Israeli citizenship by recreating segments from Music Jamboree.
Episode four
- In Salt Lake City, Safran reviews films from the Mormon cinema genre and proposes creating an "Extreme Mormons" movie.
- He takes part in Haitian Vodou "Day of the Dead" rituals in Haiti.
- Safran visits a Jewish rabbi who advocates for gun rights in Los Angeles, illustrating the diverse backgrounds of American gun activists beyond Christian fundamentalism.
The Vodou segment includes intense scenes such as spiritual possession and the sacrifice of a goat.
Episode five
- Traveling to Sicily, John confesses to a priest about stealing batteries and masturbating in his bed during his time on Race Around the World.
- In Salt Lake City, he engages in door-to-door atheistic outreach aimed at challenging local Mormons.
- In India, Safran explores spiritual teachings from various Hindu gurus.
Episode six
- John attempts to join the Harlem Gospel Choir by performing a notably off-key rendition of "Amazing Grace."
- He takes part in a commemorative ritual related to Ásatrú, the Norse ("Viking") faith, held in the United States.
- With support from Big Brother contestant Sara-Marie Fedele, Safran endeavors to mediate peace talks between Australian representatives aligned with opposing factions in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
- John probes into allegations that some Australian politicians are vampires, identifying only future Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as fitting this description.
Episode seven
- Commissioned by football icon Johnny Warren, John travels to Mozambique to perform a ritual intended to remove a curse affecting the Socceroos.
- In Salt Lake City, Safran investigates the cultural and religious importance of "Mormon underwear."
- Collaborating with Canberra mathematician Brendan McKay, John examines possible links between The Bible Code, the September 11 attacks, and rapper Vanilla Ice.
- He assesses the real-world consequences of religiously motivated boycotts.
Episode eight
The eighth installment diverged from the usual style by concentrating exclusively on John's exorcism performed by Christian evangelist and fundamentalist Bob Larson. This episode adopted a serious and intense tone, omitting the humor characteristic of earlier segments. No clarification was offered regarding John's conduct during the exorcism, which ignited discussions on the Yahoo! "Cult of Safran" forum about the authenticity of his possession, particularly noting that Safran’s lisp seemed to vanish while he was reportedly possessed. After filming, Safran appeared in media interviews promoting the series but described the exorcism only briefly as a powerful experience. Following its broadcast, he told ABC radio that his memory of the event was limited. The DVD release featured the slogan: "you've seen the exorcism, now buy the DVD."
See also
External links
- John Safran vs The Spirit of Things — Interview with Rachael Kohn on Radio National's The Spirit of Things, aired 12 September 2004