ABC’s ‘GCB’ actress Annie Potts bites back at Newt Gingrich: ‘Look in the mirror’
Leslie Bibb, right, portrays a woman who moves back to her Texas town and must deal with her mother, played by Annie Potts, as well as the girls she tormented in high school in "GCB." CREDIT: ABC
On ABC’s “The View” Friday, actress Annie Potts took a potshot at GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich for his unkind remarks about the show and its take on Christianity.
“I did feel that it was especially rich coming from him,” Potts said, “that he called our little TV show un-Christian when he was carrying on an affair while he was impeaching the president for doing the same. It’s like, you know, look in the mirror honey, I think our show might be for you!”
A week earlier, Gingrich said the title of the show, which is based on the best-selling Kim Gatlin book “Good Christian B—,” showed its bias.
Look at the new show that’s on that has the word ‘Christian’ in it, and I want you to take the exact name, drop out Christian and put in ‘Muslim.’ And ask yourself is there any network that would have dared to run a show like that and you know the answer is not a one,” said Gingrich.
Anti-Christian bigotry is just fine in the entertainment industry but they have to be very protective of Islam.
He didn’t indicate if he had even seen the show though he is part of a brigade of conservatives who feel “GCB” makes a mockery of Christianity.
The network changed the show title from the book name to “Good Christian Belles,” then to the meaningless “GCB.”
The show debuted March 4 with about 7.6 million viewers, retaining 92 percent of the lead-in show “Desperate Housewives.” That’s impressive retention though the overall viewer numbers were merely okay. Week two, it drew 7.1 million viewers, holding more than 90 percent of its initial audience. That’s a good sign viewers liked it the first time around.
The soapy dramedy featured Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb), the former high-school queen of mean, returning to her hometown outside of Dallas and facing many resentful women who stayed behind and want to wreak revenge for tormenting them many years ago. Potts plays Amanda’s meddling mom.
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151 comments Add your comment
Jon D
March 18th, 2012
12:28 am
Having seen part of the first show and really not being very interested in it, I can say I won’t be a viewer and/or fan of the show. I don’t think they’ll miss me. It would be unlikely that any show can really represent all Christians as all Christians are just humans that are forgiven by accepting Christ as their savior. Most of the Christians I know try to represent their beliefs and live their lives as Christ-like as they know how, realizing that we all fail, we’re all broken, and none of us are perfect. It would be completely false to say that all Christians are the same, but hopefully, most Christians have experienced God’s love and will continue to try to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ better every day.
Newt’s comment hopefully makes you think and points out the beating that Christianity is currently taking in this country, while it seems to be popular and politically correct to defend Muslims. It could be interpreted that it is Christ-like to defend people’s right to make their own decisions about whether to be a Christian or a Muslim or anything else.
I’d like to think that most Christians really would prefer that their not be a show on TV using their beliefs as a backdrop for whatever comes to the writers minds for that episode. That said, This is a free country and Christianity doesn’t need Hollywood’s approval or the government’s approval to survive and to continue to change lives for the better. I just think that for whatever reason, it has become very popular to slam/make fun of Christians/Christianity.
Sometimes the best thing we can do for the gospel of Jesus Christ is to get out of its(His) way. Christians are commanded to love as Christ loved. It is possible that not just Christians, but all humans have a difficult time loving everyone like this, but nowhere does it say that Christians will be perfect and always get this right. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t always try to obey this command, be ready to forgive, and not let others, our own imperfections, and the conditions or this world discourage us from trying to love more like Jesus.
I happen to agree with the quote that “we were given the Scriptures, not so that we could prove that we were right about everything–it was to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing.” – Rich Mullins
A person SMART enough to know......
March 18th, 2012
12:43 am
Annie Potts has been married four times, currently to television director James Hayman. She is the mother of three sons, Clay (with third husband Scott Senechal, born 1981), and two with Hayman, James (called Doc, born 1992), and Harry (born 1995). She is a Board Member of Stephens College, and has been instrumental in fundraising efforts for the college for many years. Potts is currently a visiting professor of Drama at the school.
Kristin Chenoweth has spoken publicly about her religious faith; she describes herself as a “non-judgmental, liberal Christian”. Raised as a Southern Baptist, she later chose to have a personal connection to a faith that is not based in any one denomination.
Leslie Bibb married investment banker Rob Born on November 22, 2003, in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The couple divorced on December 7, 2004.
Jennifer Aspen was born in Richmond, Virginia, and resides in Los Angeles. She attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where she received a BA in Theater. Studied, she acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Aspen married her longtime boyfriend David O’Donnell in 2006. She is a practicing Scientologist.
Miriam Shor was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has described herself as “half Jewish but not really religious” (her father was Jewish). She speaks fluent Yiddish as well as Italian. Her parents divorced when she was 7, and she alternated between living in Turin, Italy (with her mother), and suburban Detroit (with her father). She later attended the University of Michigan where she received her B.F.A. in drama.
Marisol Nichols was born in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, to a father of Romanian and Hungarian descent and a Texan mother of Spanish and Mexican ancestry. She was raised in Naperville, Illinois. She is the oldest of three siblings, having two younger brothers. A rebellious teenager, Nichols stated in an interview with AskMen.com, “I remember being 17 and looking around at some of the people that I was hanging out with, and I had this realization that if I didn’t knock this off now it would become my life”, and replaced her rebellious behavior with more productive activities like acting. Nichols, a Scientologist, is an active advocate of Criminon and the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. She became a member of Church of Scientology when she was introduced to it by her chiropractor. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Yes they all know so much about CHRISTIANS.
A person should read their own scripture
March 18th, 2012
1:33 am
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
kay hill
March 18th, 2012
3:20 am
LOVE THE SHOW! so true! especially here in the BIBLE BELT.
mistermak
March 18th, 2012
3:28 am
A person SMART enough to know……
March 17th, 2012
5:24 pm
White people are the ONLY people left that can be Legally Discriminated against with no repercussions
Let me correct you…White Christians. But we Christians know our day is coming…right?
becky
March 18th, 2012
4:37 am
did you know that 1 in every 16 black males now has HIV!
terry
March 18th, 2012
5:40 am
People need to read the bible. The bible instructs Christians to forgive. These women are holding grrudges against someone who have moved on all have become adults and is tormenting a women, and her child for something, some teenagers and children do in high school. not saying it right, no it is not. and no only that, the women use biblical text out of context in order to fight back. the church is losing hold because many people actually believe that all christians and churches are like this. plus, why did ABC change the title from Christian belles to B—–. It seems ABC, the station I watch more than any commercial TV, have a fancy for the word B——-. Maybe it is not intended, commercial TV will do anything to boost ratings. This show and its title is an insult to Christanity.
JimmyZ
March 18th, 2012
6:24 am
Watched the first episode out of curiosity and immediately set a season pass on the DVR, this show is hilarious. And I am a Christian.
A real one who actually believes the whole God loves us and we should love each other thing. In fact, you can probably boil Christianity down to that and still get the gist of it. To me, that’s what makes it so funny-I know far too many “Christians” who fit the characters in this show all to well who don’t get that one basic fact. Yet the lead character, for all her flaws, does.
I do agree with Newt that they wouldn’t dare put Muslim in the title.
JimmyZ
March 18th, 2012
6:26 am
Terry (5:40) the original book title had the “b” word, the network changed it to belle’s, which I thought was stupid, then to GCB
Mel
March 18th, 2012
8:28 am
Please, they’ve known there would be people that balked at this show – other actors on the show have addressed it in their interviews. I watched one and half episodes, turned it off and won’t be back. Not because it’s un-Christian (although I guess it technically is but it’s so over the top you get that it’s sarcasm) but because it’s awful.
Name (required)
March 18th, 2012
8:46 am
What makes it so un-christian? Do they not not preach enough hate to qualify as modern christianity? Does it focus too much on loving and respecting others and not judging? I am outraged
Thank goodness for liberals.
March 18th, 2012
9:11 am
The republican leaders continue to prove what idiots they are.
So Damn Insane
March 18th, 2012
9:24 am
Come to think of it, the villain in every single movie out of Hollywood is either an Arab or a Nazi. Newt’s disgust should be with the Jews in the film production industry, whose own prejudices manifest themselves on film. Is it any wonder that Christians would be the next target?
I am so sick of the Christians playing the “woe is me” card. It’s as much a red herring as the so-called liberal media.
mt
March 18th, 2012
9:53 am
Christians are supposed to be tolerant. You know, “turn the other cheek
They’re also suppose to be defenders of the faith.
dr_ritter
March 18th, 2012
9:55 am
There is no war on Christianity in the United States. As a Christian myself, I am so sick of this whiny, bratty attitude on the part of so many other Christians. Stop being paranoid. Stop being delusional.
The population of the United States is 80% Christian! Most Republicans are Christians, and most Democrats are Christians. Most business owners are Christian and most welfare recipients are Christian.
If Americans frequently make fun of Christians in our media, that’s absolutely to be expected. It’s the MOST COMMON RELIGION. It’s the dominant religion. It’s the religion most people in the United States know best. If the media didn’t make fun of it, that would be weird. And yes, you can get away with more making fun of the most common / dominant religion … because it IS the most common and dominant religion.
Picking on a smaller religious group is like being a bully. The population of the United States is .6% Muslim. That’s a very small group. If the American media picked out American Muslims to poke fun at, wouldn’t that be somewhat strange to you? Picking on such a small group? Not to mention it’s a religion very few Americans understand or know much about, so it would be fairly mean-spirited.
Christianity is not our state religion, yet it enjoys a great deal of cultural dominance here in the U.S. There are many ways that Christianity gets a special seat at the table. For example, when was the last time you got Yom Kippur off work?
Whether or not you believe that’s wrong, or whether or not you believe Christianity deserves a bigger role … that’s not the point here. The point is that it should be clear that there’s no “war” on the country’s most common religion. Actually, you’ll be happy to learn that church membership / attendance rates are at a historical high. My advice to Christians: concentrate on evangelizing and spreading the good word, and stop whining about how hard everybody’s supposedly making it on you.
mt
March 18th, 2012
9:56 am
I am so sick of the Christians playing the “woe is me” card.
It doesn’t really matter what your sick of now does it?
What matters is when the Lord gets sick of it and brings judgement.
jdl2
March 18th, 2012
10:20 am
@inAtl -” I was wondering throughout the show why they were making such a huge effort to make Christians look bad ”
Yeah I wondered too. Ya’ll seem to be doing it much better on your own.
InAtl
March 18th, 2012
11:04 am
jdl2 – there are plenty of false Christians and plenty of Christians who fall short. No doubt about it. However, this show clearly has an agenda. No doubt about that either.
It is me
March 18th, 2012
11:11 am
Thumbs up Peachy333! I don’t watch the view either because all the do is try to see who can out talk the other!! Pitiful . . and I don’t plan to what GCB either!
WALLEEKEE
March 18th, 2012
11:25 am
Newt has been through the fire. Smart enough to lead our country.
Len Griffin
March 18th, 2012
12:15 pm
People don’t need to bash Christians, they can do it all by themselves. Ever hear of the Spanish Inquisition, selling salvation tickets, forbidding Jews to own property and pedifile orgies at the Vatican in 1500s? Pity that people use God instead of letting God use them.
kkk was a christian organization
March 18th, 2012
12:44 pm
christianity is just another religion used to keep people down like the kkk was used by racist christians to keep blacks from voting, etc. Now the TEA PARTY has taken their place..
Nutmeg
March 18th, 2012
12:52 pm
I’m going to vote for the most moral individual in this race. One man married to one woman who is accomplished in her own right and who hasn’t been married to anyone but him… kids who are growing up with grace and poise…
I think Obama’s clearly the only Christian choice.
TruthBe
March 18th, 2012
1:40 pm
Hollywood and it’s liberal actors, producers, and directors hate Cristians and their faith but they love the muslims just like they love our Muslim President Obama.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/16/destroy-all-churches/
TruthBe
March 18th, 2012
1:41 pm
nutmeg, Obama isn’t a Christian he’s a Muslim. Please get it straight.
people know little about history
March 18th, 2012
2:14 pm
Potts said that, “Potts said, ‘that he called our little TV show un-Christian when he was carrying on an affair while he was impeaching the president for doing the same. It’s like, you know, look in the mirror honey, I think our show might be for you’ ”
Clinton was being impeached impeached for perjury, not adultery. Also, Annie…you’re a little old to be going around saying “It’s like, you know…” It’s difficult to take anyone seriously who talks like that.
Hillbilly D
March 18th, 2012
2:24 pm
There sure are a lot of tolerant, open minding people posting here.
dmcs
March 18th, 2012
2:28 pm
That is the American way – “Don’t do as I do, do as I say” and that goes for pretty much ALL Americans especially in politics because majority of our people are full of it, practice bigotry, are compulsive liars and deceivers. The only difference is their reasoning for doing it and why its justified in their eyes.
AU Liberal in ATL
March 18th, 2012
2:44 pm
“Christians” like Noot do a fine job of mocking Christianity. He’s a hypocrite of the highest order, and anyone who calls themselves Christian and votes for him is on the same level.
Rebecca
March 18th, 2012
2:59 pm
dr_ritter – Thank you. Well said. You put down into words my exact thoughts and feelings.
I don’t think Christianity is under attack at all. Christianity is a wonderful religion. It’s the so-called Christians that don’t live Christ-like that is being poked fun at. And from reading all these posts, sounds to me like the show hit a nerve. Was not a fan of Newt years ago, and he’s done nothing to change my opinion. Didn’t he learn anything from Dan Quayle? All these posters keep bashing Hollywood. I wonder how many of then never ever watch TV or go to the movies? Can’t have it both ways.
kkk was a christian organization
March 18th, 2012
4:08 pm
@truthbe
whats so special about being a christian? all i see is a bunch of rabid racists using spreading their hatred in the name of god.
Corey
March 18th, 2012
4:13 pm
Organized religion, politics and politicians have polluted the ideals of Christianity to the point of barely being recongnizeable. Sad so sad.
Tricia
March 18th, 2012
4:22 pm
First of all, this was not written by Hollywood, this was written by a woman from Dallas, and the title is ‘Good Christian B****es.’ And from accounts online of locals who know her, they speculate that she is writing about her personal experiences, masked as fiction. How Hollywood liberals or Muslims came into this conversation is beyond me. I grew up in Texas and in the church and I think the reason some are uncomfortable is because this IS ACCURATE. Maybe a bit tongue in cheek but that’s why I think this show is hilarious, because it is true. The people who are uncomfortable is because nobody likes the veil lifted that being a Christian or quoting bible verses does not make you a good person. If you’re upset it’s probably because you see too much of yourself in these characters and don’t want people to know the truth that Christians can be just as mean, hypocritical, and spiteful as everyone else. I’m glad someone finally wrote a book to make EVERYONE accountable. Not to mention, the show is hilarious.
Native Atlantan
March 18th, 2012
5:30 pm
I think “A person SMART enough to know” head must have finally exploded from all that racist rage trying to escape — that is one very angry individual…
Atlantan
March 18th, 2012
6:11 pm
Annie Potts is an ignorant or doesn’t care about facts. Bill Clinton wasn’t impeached for an affair – he was impeached for LYING UNDER OATH – get it through you thick heads lefties. You can’t have a President above the law regardless how much you love him.
Mahopinion
March 18th, 2012
6:50 pm
I love the show. It’s absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, I think it hits a little too close to home with some of the holier than thous that inhabit this state.
A person SMART enough to know......
March 18th, 2012
8:05 pm
Where are ALL the Cosby families Bill made TV shows about? He Lambasted the black culture for playing to the Dumbed down image of black america. Why should White america except less?
Shani
March 18th, 2012
8:35 pm
@A person SMART enough to know…everyone is entitled to their opinion and do not deserve to be attacked by you when they post..Are you Newt Gingrich in disguise…no one sounds more ignorant, judgmental and as racist as you..shut up already!
A person STUPID enough to...
March 18th, 2012
8:50 pm
not know the difference between except and accept.
A person SMART enough to know......
March 18th, 2012
9:18 pm
A person STUPID enough to…
March 18th, 2012
8:50 pm
not know the difference between except and accept.
So after 3 pages of posts you pick EXCEPT over ACCEPT as the ONLY wrong thing? HAHAHA. You need to work harder to do Grammar and Punctuation on ALL the posts.
Billy Marist
March 18th, 2012
10:06 pm
It’s funny to make fun of Christianity because of the dichotomy which exists in America – i.e., the fact that Christianity is still so popular even though our country is wealthy and so many have access to education. It makes for pathetic comedy, but comedy nonetheless. It’s no fun to make fun of Islam because so many of those nutjobs are still stuck in the Stone Age and actually do horrible things to each other in the name of their religion. At least Christianity grew out of that phase a couple of hundred years ago.
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR
March 18th, 2012
10:16 pm
Gingrich is a big fat hypocrites. His Adultery ia sin!
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR
March 18th, 2012
10:17 pm
Gingrich is a hypocrite. He is a sinner! Adultery is a sin, Gingrich!
dostadawg
March 18th, 2012
10:44 pm
Potts just doesn’t get it, just like the media. Gingrich was not impeaching the president for doing the same thing he was doing. Gingrich was impeaching the president for LYING to congress. Huge difference!
I'm speechless
March 18th, 2012
11:16 pm
In not one single post has anyone tried to share the Love of Christ and acceptance of Christ.
Hey EVERYONE, all of you are hypocrites. Everyone has done something that they have disagreed with or spoken against in their past. Maybe what we should turn this discussion about hypocrisy into is look the old mirror.
Jesus said in Matthew 7: 3-5
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
We are all hypocrites folks. Me, you, your spouse, all of us. The only hope you have is in a personal relationship with your savior Jesus Christ. The miracle is not that we have the opportunity to accept Him but that He loves and accepts us as we are and we can acknowledge that or not. God loves us so much that we have a choice. What’s yours?
tired
March 19th, 2012
12:25 am
Really people, come on!!! This is a TV show not a documentary. Should all suburbanites be offended by Desperate Housewives, should all married people be offended by The Bachelor???? These are TV shows not a political debates. This was a book that was turned into a TV show. Did Hollywood write the book too so that they could make fun of Christians on a TV show. If this wasnt an election year would this discussion even be taking place? I watched the show, liked it, didnt know what the name meant but now that I do, I dont like the show any less. Stop bickering and change the channel…..
joe
March 19th, 2012
12:55 pm
The movie Taken was about an Albanian gang not a Muslim gang kidnapping American women.
Lance
March 20th, 2012
1:28 am
Maybe a man running for President should keep his mouth shut about television shows and film. I could give a crap what a Politician thinks about a TV show.
Shannon
March 20th, 2012
12:52 pm
This was not the show I had hoped for when I read Kristen Chenowith’s article in Guidepost magazine a month or so ago.
I also don’t believe this was the title of the show at that time, I know those things are subject to change however.
I haven’t had the opportunity to catch the show as yet, and probably won’t bother.
Shannon
March 20th, 2012
12:59 pm
And, if you think Christian’s are not tolerant or unforgiving, we are – they have every right to make the show and people have every right to view it. Just get over the fact that some people choose not to – can you tolerate that?