The HBO series you’ve heard about but never seen is using the standard Hollywood tactic of creating controversy to attract viewers. See the Salt Lake Tribune article “HBO apologizes for offense, but will still air Big Love temple scene.” Yeah, that sounds like a real sincere apology.

The linked article posts the text of the statement released by HBO, including this incoherent statement: “We know that the writers/producers of the series have gone to great lengths to be respectful and accurate in portraying the endowment ceremony.” Obviously, an accurate portrayal of LDS temple activities is anything but respectful.

Furthermore, the article notes that the scene depicting activities inside an LDS temple “was apparently supervised by an ‘ex-Mormon’ ….” Like there’s no agenda there. And you don’t have to look far to find the agenda: “Gay monogamous couple are brains behind polygamy show,” reports the San Francisco Chronicle. So maybe this is just more Prop 8 payback. I wonder how many gays think ex-gays are a reliable source for accurate information about gays?

And then there is Tom Hanks, the show’s producer, who recently called the LDS Church “un-American” for expressing political views about Prop 8 that he didn’t agree with (see this earlier post). He later apologized for the remark. I’m sure that apology was as sincere as the HBO statement.