But which is the Angel and which the Demon? The feud before the May 15 premiere of “Angels & Demons,” the latest film version of a Dan Brown novel is heating up. (My take from last year: Brown is actually a humorist. He’s hilarious, in fact.) But Bill Donohue is not laughing, and neither is director Ron Howard, who has had it with Donohue.

Opie takes a bite out of Donohue at The Huffington Post:

I guess Mr. Donohue and I do have one thing in common: we both like to create fictional tales, as he has done with his silly and mean-spirited work of propaganda…But since Mr. Donohue has, in effect, smeared me by claiming I am smearing his Church, I want him to know this: I have respect for Catholics and their Church, and know they accomplish many good works throughout the world. And I believe Angels & Demons treats the Church with respect — even a degree of reverence — for its traditions and beliefs.

I know faith is believing without seeing (and a boycott would be disbelieving without seeing). But I don’t expect William Donohue to have faith in me, so I encourage him to see Angels & Demons for himself. Then he will finally witness, and perhaps believe, that what I say is true.

And of course Bill hits back:

“Howard must be delusional if he thinks Vatican officials are going to like his propaganda–they denied him the right to film on their grounds. Moreover, we know from a Canadian priest who hung out with Howard’s crew last summer in Rome (dressed in civilian clothes) just how much they hate Catholicism. It’s time to stop the lies and come clean.”

And nothing better than a good mudfight to gin up news coverage–and publicity for whatever you’re selling.