News Ltd Takes the Piss

I am delighted to present to you a piece of sub-editorial silliness that I'd like to think would make Stuart Littlemore chuckle.

During a pre-bedtime news check, I logged onto news.com.au to find this on the front page:

Now look closer at the top story next to the wannabe model:

Notice something familiar about that photo?

It is, in fact, Andre Serrano's Piss Christ, a controversial artwork first displayed in America in 1989. In 1997, it came to Australia, where two teenagers smashed it with a hammer as it hung in the National Gallery of Victoria.

It's called Piss Christ because it is a photograph of a small crucific suspended in a jar of the artist's own urine.

I love the thought that a late-night sub-editor saw a story about an alleged exorcism, did a quick Google search to find a religious-related photograph, was attracted by the bright yet filmy orange of the Piss Christ, and whacked it up without a second thought.

Although, it could be that the sub-editor is making a meta-point about the terrible things that have been done to religion, or in the name of religion. Perhaps he or she is having the last laugh. In that case, I salute you, subversive sub-editor.

I wanted to put these screen shots up because I suspect by Tuesday morning it will be long gone.

But I'll let you make your own jokes about the front page of News Limited's flagship website being covered in urine.