Learning to Pray with I’m A Celebrity…

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In a post on Videogum.com, Senior Editor Lindsay Robertson writes:

If there was any actual reason to watch this show, it would be for the somewhat shocking theme of Christianity, which Heidi and Spencer mention over and over. If those two had identified themselves as members of any other religion, there would be a press release out today calling for a boycott. Though it was funny when Heidi summoned the full power of her Lord to give her the strength to gobble down a rat’s tail. (Funny — but not five hours per week of one’s precious life funny. Worst.)

The notion of prayer as a solution didn’t stop with that episode or with the characters of Heidi and Spencer.

After a blow-up with long-ago supermodel Janice Dickinson over what near as I can tell involved a small half-bottle of shampoo, carrying someone else’s backup, bleeped language, and the difference between being a giver and being taken from, long-ago NBA star John Salley tried to apologize to Dickinson for blowing up at her.

His apology didn’t take. Talking to the screen, Salley seemed contrite and upset about his loss of control (even if he believed the reason for it was warranted). While self-proclaimed born-again Christian Stephen Baldwin (who apparently had baptized Spencer in a lake in an earlier episode) took Dickinson to task, Camp Leader (by virtue of doing something longer than anyone else in camp while strapped to something and wearing goggles) Lou Diamond Phillips expressed just how upset Dickinson was.

Salley told the screen/audience that he thought he knew what caused him to blow up and that he would have to “pray” or “meditate” to sort that out. As opposed to Heidi and Spencer who sought prayer to give them what they wanted, Salley sought prayer as a more contemplative tool, sans any particular denomination.

Earlier, Patti Blagojevich ate a tarantula so she could, according to what her husband told Larry King, prove her love to her children. Neither the spider nor Ms. Blagojevich prayed about their relative roles in the consumption, but she had been the recipient of a prayer by Heidi and Spencer to help her ward off those who are accusing her husband of wrong-doing.

Perhaps Salley could instruct the former governor on how prayer might help him look within.