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Janeane Garofalo


Garofalo was interviewed in the August 1995 edition of Showbiz: "She admits to having lost God. ('He just seems very man-made to me. There are so many theories, and not everyone can be right. It's human nature to need a religious crutch, and I don't begrudge anyone that. I just don't need one.')"


During an appearance on David Letterman, Garofalo, saying she is an atheist, joked that some higher power must be responsible for making her see the same reruns over and over. And in reference to religious belief she said "the glass is half empty as far as I'm concerned".


Garofalo appeared as a panelist in the July 14th, 1998 installment of ABC's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. In discussing the Pope's recent apostolic letter where the traditional rules of the church were reaffirmed, the subject of marriage annulment is brought up, and Maher asks Janeane...

Bill: ...Janeane, you Catholic?

Janeane: Well, I was. I'm not religious anymore, but I think it's like papal infallibility, which is a ridiculous man-made tenet, like what I believe most religious tenets to be, are man-made after the fact.

Bill: I agree.

Janeane: The Bible, I've said it before, is a beautifully written work of fiction.

[ Light applause ]

No, no, don't clap, don't clap. That's what gets me killed.

Bill: Yeah.

[ Laughter ]

[...]

Janeane: But I just think that papal infallibility and what you're saying, it's like a fascist thing, shut up, get in line, this isn't a focus group. Well, you know, that's a very fascist type of statement. I mean, Catholicism? Yes. So don't be a Catholic, I guess you're right. There's something to that. But it's supposed to be about tolerance and acceptance, and also keeping an eye on pragmatism. And it's 1998. There's got to be certain concessions made for the times.

Arianna Huffington: Well, you could become a Southern Baptist. I mean, instead of having to obey the Pope, you could just obey your husband.

Janeane: Right, exactly.


Garofalo says this in feel this book -- the book she wrote with Ben Stiller:

"Organized religions and their dogmas only serve to indoctrinate the participants into sheeplike common behaviors. This type of blind assimilation promotes the popularity of top-forty count down radio stations and movie sequels. Skepticism towards groups, holy or otherwise, is enriching and makes you a far more entertaning person" (page 172-173)

In "Janeane's Glossary" in the book defines the bible as "A marvelous work of fiction" (page 209)


In the August 1, 1999 USA WEEKEND actress Janeane Garofalo talks to an interviewer about her career. A sidebar has a number of questions and answers. One, "Whether God exists" bears the quote from Garofalo: "For other people, yes. I don't have a particular allegiance to one."


A reader reports a conflicting quote in an October 1999 Yahoo Chat where Garofalo said that she believes in life after death. We're awaiting a transcript to see the context in which the quote was made.


During her March 7, 2000 appearing Late Show on CBS tonight Garofalo was guest hosting and talking politics with David Cross.

Talking about Alan Keyes she said "I believe in everything he says, except I don't believe in God".

The contributor is quite certain that JG was joking "about the first half of the statement!"


On her radio show "Majority Report" on 20-Apr-2004, in trying on the "god helmet" (helmet that stimulates spiritual feelings), said she's agnostic.


On her radio show "Majority Report" on 10-Nov-2005, she stated "I am an atheist", at 1:42:54 into the show. That show is archived here.


Garafalo has repeatedly proclaimed her atheism on her radio show "Majority Report" and has even done a commercial which runs on on the show for the Freedom From Religion Foundation in which she says, "Proud to be an atheist, Janeane Garofalo."

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