Buddy Christ

{{Short description|Parody religious icon}}File:Buddy christ.jpg

Buddy Christ is a parody religious icon created by filmmaker Kevin Smith, which first appeared in Smith's 1999 film Dogma.

In the film, Buddy is part of a campaign ("Catholicism Wow!") to renew the image of (and interest in) the Catholic Church. Viewing the crucifix image as "wholly depressing", the Church, led by Cardinal Glick (George Carlin), decides to retire it, and creates Buddy Christ as a more uplifting image of Jesus Christ.{{cite book |last=McDannell |first=Colleen |title=Catholics in the Movies |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/catholicsinmovie0000unse/page/301 301–302] |isbn=978-0-19-530656-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/catholicsinmovie0000unse/page/301}} The icon consists of a statue of Jesus, smiling and winking while pointing at onlookers with one hand and giving the thumbs-up sign with the other hand. Buddy Christ was later produced as an action figure and a bobblehead.{{cite book |last=Nichols |first=Stephen J. |title=Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ |publisher=InterVarsity Press |year=2008 |pages=180–181 |isbn=978-0-8308-2849-4}} The image has since been turned into a popular Internet meme.

The prop was used as a decoration in Smith's Red Bank, New Jersey, comics shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash.Giles, Keith (May 1, 2001). [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=128 "Kevin Smith Interview"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701071703/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=128 |date=2014-07-01 }}. Comic Book Resources.