Televangelist Jesse Duplantis a surprise hit in Paris

PARIS — Coming soon to the Omnisports de Bercy in Paris are Justin Timberlake, Blue Man Group and John Legend. But the only sold-out show so far belongs to Jesse Duplantis, France’s favorite American “comique.”

“They think he’s the second coming of Jerry Lewis,” says one bemused New York theater critic.

While Duplantis’s American audience is limited mainly to TBN viewers and Word of Faith churches, in Paris he’s built a following as a comic genius.

After his recent appearance a French newspaper called him a “brilliant showman and deft satirist of all things religious and American.”

But for Duplantis, this poses a problem.

“French audiences don’t think I mean what I preach. They think it’s an act,” he says backstage after one “performance.” “The more I tell them I’m serious, the more they think it’s an act.”

The French see preaching as an American art form, like blues and jazz music. Recently at a packed 15,000-seat arena Duplantis called people forward for prayer, which the French audience gamely did, clamoring for him to touch their foreheads. Some even fell over backwards for effect.

“I loved the audience participation,” said one girl excitedly in the lobby afterwards. “It was like being part of his culture for a moment.”

“Could we love Mr. Duplantis any more?” wrote Le Monde’s culture critic the next day. “His ‘sermon’ changes every night, so the show remains fresh.”

Duplantis has kept mum about his French popularity to U.S. audiences, but keeps playing Paris hoping for a breakthrough.

“Maybe revival is coming to Europe,” he says. “I don’t know. Maybe this crazy New Orleans preacher is the start of something big.” •

Below I have listed a satirical look (or is it not?) at Jesus and the televangelists – side by side, you decide.

“You know, it’s OK to make money. You serve a Jewish God! He ain’t broke and neither should you be,” he exclaimed in his DVD “Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3: Satan’s Out!”

Duplantis argued that it was the love of money, not money itself, that’s bad. The distinction between the two becomes difficult to make, however, when Duplantis has been caught using the church-funded jet for multiple vacations, including a 17-day trip to Hawaii that racked up a calculated $40,000 in fuel and storage fees.

Jesus’ Transportation

Televangelist Transportation

Where Jesus Laid His Head

Where televangelists lay their head

Source: http://www.larknews.com

http://www.lsureveille.com/opinion

We pledged, back in 2012, that we would provide FREE content, with no fine print, caveats, conditions, or gimmicks. We continue that pledge even now as we re-launch.  No tricks, no scams, no agenda, no emergency alerts, and no fundraising. It’s all free, or we won’t even bother.  All shows, podcasts, and music are either owned and created by us, or we have received exclusive permission from the owner to use their products. 

Link for mobile: https://station.voscast.com/6089740838265/

CLICK TO LISTEN ON THE GO

L