Gotta Love Jesus. And the South.
October 10th, 2007Thanks reader Kent for sending this in. o
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October 10th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Oh, Jesus.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Can’t decide whether to laugh or cry.
Watched it again. I’m crying.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
whoa. Whoa. WHOA!
Ortwerth is a county executive in St. Charles County, Missouri. As an Atlantan, I fully admit that the South has the market cornered on flappy-headed crazies, but let’s not pile-on mistakenly here. This guy is all midwest.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
OH MY GOSH that is hilarious, but infuriating at the same time. What a jerk. He could have easily said NO COMMENT politely. It seems a bit sacrilegious to use Jesus as a way to avoid such questions. Doesn’t sound to me like he was trying to “spread the word” as much as he was being a smartass LOL
October 10th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Wow, if I had known it was that easy, I would have pulled the Jesus Card long ago:
“Did you finish your homework?”
“Jesus loves you.”
October 10th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Tony, if Jesus gets brought into it, you are either Southern or Mormon.
DOGPILE!
October 10th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
PSYCHO!
October 10th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Holy sweet baby infant jesus, I was a reporter for more than a decade and no one ever told ME jesus loved me. Mad props to the reporter for not cracking up on camera. That’s hard to do!
Mike
October 10th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I really don’t think that level of aerobic Jesurcising would take place in Utah. Our church/state mash-ups seems to be more subtle and behind-the-scenes in nature. I can’t imagine anyone here tolerating a public official snidely (and repeatedly — what was that, 6-7 times???) whipping out a Lord-shaped shield to deflect the press.
October 10th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
That man sounds like there’s a string hanging out of his back, and someone keeps pulling it. Next, he’ll say there’s a snake in his boot.
October 10th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
It’s like a segment on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”–only not funny.
October 10th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Oh dear.
Most Missourians (the natives at least) would tell you that anything south of the Missouri River is “The South.” St. Charles, bordered by the Missouri River, is an interesting place. I know, I work there now (at a church, mind you). Its half full of southern farmers and the other half full of gen-xers turned yuppies.
I would cower in embarrassment, but I live in St. Louis and have no say in the voting in St. Charles.
I wish it surprised me.
October 10th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Awesome. That’s what you get when politicians try to make like a Jedi.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
amen.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
I don’t know if it’s more crazy that the councilman broke into his Jesustongue or that the reporter, rather than asking what Jesus had to do with it, repeatedly assured the councilman that he does, in fact, love Jesus.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
St. Charles is “country” or “rural” or “backwoods,” but decidedly Midwestern. If we were talking St.Charles Alabama or St. Charles, Mississippi, Ortwerth would have slapped the reporter firmly on his back and said “Now, I’ve known you since you played fullback at Jackson High, and in all that time have you known me to be a man who doesn’t love Jesus and his family with all his heart? Of course not, and that’s your answer right there. So let’s get on home, don’t ya think.”
October 10th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I live in this town… don’t envy me!!
October 10th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Like Alaina I live in St. Louis, just across the Missouri River. St. Charles is a suburb (but don’t tell them that). My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw that clip.
Nothing wrong with southern cities whatsoever (virtually my whole family lives in Nashville… awesome city), but St. Louis isn’t one. This is just a crazy man who is… county executive?!?
*sigh*
St. Charles is a lovely place too… if you like antiquing.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
If it ain’t the south, it sure sounds like it.
Dave Thomas, I agree. Southern Jesus is a bit louder than Utah Jesus.
I wonder if Ortwerth holds an appointed position or an elected one…
October 10th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
County Executive is elected… the title varies from county to county across the country, but it’s the “mayor of the county. That’s what makes it all the more shocking. Not only is it a totally bizarre answer to a question, but an inappropriate one for an elected official to making in his public capacity. I’ll certainly be scouring the regional news looking for any talk of a recall.
As far as perceptions go (north south east west), I’m just reporting how we think of ourselves (at least in St. Louis… can’t really speak for St. Charles). I actually thought the clip was from Salt Lake at first. Just goes to show that nutcases are nutcases, no matter where they’re from.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
I have learned something new today. Any time I screw up on a massive scale, I just say, “Do you know Jesus loves you?” Missed a major launch date for that web site? Forgot to pick the kid up from daycare? “Yes, I did… but do you know that Jesus loves you?”
Oh my GAWD.
October 11th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Dude!
Jesus wants you to own up to the responsibilities of the job you were elected to.
To quote Frank Zappa — “Jesus thinks you’re a Jerk.”
October 11th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Since I am a relatively new resident to Columbia, Mo, the liberal oasis in the middle of a seriously screwy state, I can only continue to wonder how I ended up here.
Joe Crawford-I know that quote and I think Frank Zappa may have been a prophet.
October 11th, 2007 at 5:44 am
Take a look at one of those red/blue political maps of Missouri and you’ll see the bright blue of KC and St. Louis. Where it starts to fade to purple, then red right off the “bump” of St. Louis? That’s St. Chuck, as many of us refer to it (no offense meant to the Former Congressman.)
Me, I live here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_City%2C_Missouri
Note the third sentence of the entry. I’m darn proud of that.
And no, really none of us in Missouri - including me, a former out-stater - consider ourselves “Southern,” even though some exhibit quaint little characteristics like speaking in tongues during interviews…
October 11th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Eh, 4th sentence of wiki entry. Must be my outstate ejimicashun.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:01 am
The only appropriate response from Jesus would have been lightening. If only the reporter had backed-up just a little… THWACK.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:36 am
I don’t know how the reporter kept from smacking this guy in the face. “Tell me that Jesus loves me ONE MORE TIME. See what happens.”
It’s fun when people wrap their mental illness up in a nice religious blanket. Keeps it good and warm.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Holy Jesus Christians are SCARY!
October 11th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Matts, that couldn’t have been Salt Lake. We don’t have any black people here.
October 11th, 2007 at 9:32 am
i would have smote him with the microphone.
October 11th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I just couldn’t watch the entire performance. As others have said above, I should have pulled this card long ago: “young man, why did you break into the Utah State capitol wearing nothing but your socks?”…”Officer, do you know that…(etc)?”
October 11th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Jon, Jon, Jon, (shaking head sadly), that is not the South. That is definitely hardcore Midwest Jesus loving. I mean, Ashcroft is from Missouri, if you get my drift.
I’m in the South and Deb on the Rocks is correct–in the South, the official would have been talking football more than Jesus (of course, Jesus would have been mentioned as in– “And that winning touchdown you made your senior year,son– sweet Jesus that was beautiful! Now let’s all git home.”)
The South has its problems, but we don’t hold a light to the Jesus lovers in the Midwest. That’s where those crazy anti-abortion/ anti-gay protesters come from that travel all over the country to hold up appalling signs about God’s pissed-offness at sinners. These guys are scary crazy. Must be all those howling winds on the plain.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am
I’m with Amanda. This guy was trying to whip out his Jedi Master powers.
*waves hand* “Did you know that Jesus loves you?”
Wow! I just totally forgot what important social and economic issue I was trying to get an answer from you regarding. That’s amazing. Yes, I do know that Jesus loves me. I’m so happy I decided to talk to you, Mr. County Executive. You just made my day.
Seriously. This guy took some conflict management course that told him to repeat some innocuous phrase over and over rather than get mad or confrontational with unwanted conversations.
What an ass. This is exactly why every person who is able should be registered to vote and vote asshats like this out of office.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Not to be a wonderkiller, as I wouldn’t want to diminish the hilarity and ridiculousness of that clip, but I was digging around Mr. CrazyPants’ background trying to figure out exactly how big a religious whackjob zealot he is. Turns out? Huge.
But… I’m pretty sure that clip is about 6 years old, as the facility was completed in 2001 and Mr. CrazyPants is no longer County Executive.
But I’m still going to try to work it into everyday conversation the next time I screw up or have to explain myself.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
At the end of the segment I thought Elliott was going to say, “After all…Jesus loves you.”
My word.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Speaking of Jesus and the south….
http://www.horsesass.org/?p=3554#comments
October 11th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
nothing like a little backwoods evangelism.
elliott smith is a rockstar. this is the reason why he’s owned the “you paid for it” segments for years. didn’t miss a jesus-lovin’ beat.
as a native st. louisan, i’ve gotta pipe in on this little argument. missouri, as a whole, is not part of “the south.” even the more rural areas are of a completely different makeup than the south… all the religious zeal with less hospitality and bitter tea.
geographically speaking, st. charles county is mostly north of st. louis county and city, so the missouri river argument doesn’t work either. i think most st. louisans would prefer to mentally separate our city from screwy suburbs like this, but suburban sprawl is working against us.
we’re not all bible-toting crazies. some of us worship a higher power.
his name is pujols.
October 11th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Jillbot, as someone that’s lived his entire 38 years in the Pacific Northwest I find it odd that there is even an argument to be made.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Michael, hurray, it’s about time someone brought the dang hippies into this.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Kent=”reader”?
C’mon now…dude plays bass in three bands with you (dating back to ‘88!) and you call him a “reader”?
October 11th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
patatomic: blow me. You are inching close to trolldom. Kent didn’t tell me he needed a bigger spiff. Kent?
Generally, links get this treatment regardless of how long I’ve known somebody or how many times we shared a bed or a band in the sordid past.
October 12th, 2007 at 8:36 am
Jillbot: Missouri is a southern state.
As someone who grew up in Iowa, 4 miles north of the Missouri border, I can tell you that Missouri is definitely considered to be part of the South. Missouri was a Southern State, which is part of the reason that the locals didn’t like the Mormons living there, because the Mormons didn’t believe in slavery, and slavery was still legal in Missouri because it was a Southern State. The US wanted to keep a sort of equilibrium between the number of slave states and the number of free states, so they invented this line and had to decide whether or not Missouri was actually “Free” or “Slave”… and Missouri came out as “not Free”… technically part of the South.
People in Iowa talk like normal midwesterners. People in Missouri have a distinct Southern accent, distinct backwoods characteristics, and a distinct penchant for talking about (or for) Jesus.
October 12th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Evidence for my claim:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_states
Also, I just wanted to make it clear that I am not a Mormon– I’m an Ex-Mo. No evangelism here.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:53 am
ummm…i almost never comment here but seriously, WTF!?!
October 12th, 2007 at 11:45 am
@blurb
As for your offer, no thanks. I’m a vegetarian.
And yes…very proud to troll. Maybe if you’d write something a)interesting or b)thought provoking.
; )
October 12th, 2007 at 11:52 am
patatomic, how’s this for thought provoking: Utah was a slave territory?
And you SUCK.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Wow, first off, as a native yet transplanted St. Louisan, I can tell you that St. Charles is not only another city. Its another world. One we do not identify with as one of our own because frankly, the evangelicals combined with pre-fab homes and bad fashion just don’t make it an attractive place.
Also, no, Missouri is not the South because it’s north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Finally, I love Jon’s site and his wife, Heather’s. So thanks for keeping them going!
October 12th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Hey Joe Ortwerth, Jesus loves you.
As for me, I think you need to have your meds dosage re-evaluated. Or maybe get a real job.
Just one non-reporters opinion….
http://boskolives.wordpress.com/
October 12th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I *heart* blurb
October 12th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Couple of points - this is in MO, not exactly, the south.
The reporter is that stations “investigative” reporter that consistently harasses the local civic leaders, (which should happen, actually,) however, he sometimes comes off as less than a true journalist and more of a sleaze slinger.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
ps. LOVE your site! Heather’s too!!
October 12th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Someone post this on youtube, we need to destroy this guy
October 12th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Pat and Jon:
I’m both your lovers.
And I’m both your readers.
Kiss and make up, plz.
October 12th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Is it time to get the band back together?
October 12th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Dudes, I’ve been trying to get it back together for a while now. Andy wants to do it too…
October 12th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Exactly the kind of guy who needs to have a pole rammed up his arse and the pike displayed on the county square. gawd almighty…
October 12th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
Is this the Christian way to avoid accountability?
I nominate this guy for the job of (Bush) Whitehouse Press Secretary.
October 13th, 2007 at 6:21 am
The fleecing of America continues. They look like robots don’t they. And they want to convert you.Religion, government’s right hand at mocking the people.I wonder how many situations like this exist.If this reporter didn’t report this, how will we know.Jesus , Jesus, Jesus. I am getting sick of hearing this name.
October 13th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
The way he keeps repeating the same thing over and over again in that flat monotone with absolutely no emotion makes him sound exactly like a programmed cult member. Like it was drilled into him to respond that way when cornered…
What sort of evil demented organization could take such total and absolute control of a person’s intellect that it would leave him reduced to a blabbering fool, repeating nonsensical non-sequiturs in the face of direct questions?
Truth is, he’s not really any different than most christians I’ve encountered.
P.S. The whole “is it the South or isn’t it” argument is SO not the point…let it go…
October 14th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Not to completely defend the guy…but he has probably been hounded by reporters and lawyers using words like indictiment, grand jury, perjury..etc…I am sure what he really realy wanted to say was much worse. But he took what he thought was the high road..paved in gold no less. All this reminds me of a joke.
One day these two fine southern ladies were sitting on the front porch having some iced tea.
One of the women sticks out her hand for the other woman to see, and in her long southern drawl says “Look at this ring my husband gave me. Isn’t it nice?”
To which the other woman replies, “Oh that’s nice, that’s real nice.”
The first woman then says , “And just last month he took me on one of them Caribbean cruises.”
The second woman again replies, “Oh that’s nice, that’s real nice.”
“Well sweetheart doesn’t your husband ever buy you nice things or send you nice places?”
“Oh”, the second woman responds, “When we first got married he did send me to etiquette school.”
“Why’d he do that?” the first woman asks.
To which the second fine southern woman replies, “Well you see, before, when someone told me about the jewelry their husband gave them, or the trips he sent her on, I would have just said I don’t give a fuck, but now I say that’s nice, that’s real nice.”
October 14th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
“Not to completely defend the guy…but he has probably been hounded by reporters and lawyers using words like indictiment, grand jury, perjury..etc…I am sure what he really realy wanted to say was much worse. But he took what he thought was the high road..paved in gold no less”
How does that make what he kept repeating any less crazy or inappropriate?
October 14th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I hope y’all called the phone number at the end to let Joe know that Jesus loves him. I did.
October 14th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
TedinLA….you missed the point….I am not say it did either.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:41 am
“TedinLA….you missed the point….I am not say it did either.”
WOW! Was I supposed to understand that? What, you have GWB ghostwriting your comments?
October 15th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Tedster…that’s nice, that’s real nice.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Not reading all the comments but I live in St. Charles and this is an older story. Ortwerth is no longer in office and the juvenille justice center has been used for at least the past year. Mr. Jesus also banned “non family friendly” acts from our the city financed arena (which wasn’t making money to begin with). Now, I believe he is a minister which makes perfect sense.
And Missouri is usually considered Midwest although it was Confederate (re: The Missouri Compromise) and parts of Southern Missouri seem like they are in the deep south. Still, no one from the south considers Missouri southern.
October 15th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
OK, bb…gotta hand it to you on that last one…congrats…
October 15th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
wow. i bet even Jesus was embarrassed to watch that clip.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
St. Louis isn’t the south…. good job.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
that elliot smith guy (the reporter) bugs me. i used to live in st. louis (now in nyc) and all it ever seemed like he was doing was digging up useless bullcrap to report about. for instance, this video: (paraphrase) “2 weeks after its completion, why is this facility not in use?”
classic sensationalism.
and while the jesus stuff the guy was talking about was bizarre in this context, i’m not going to knock the guy for his beliefs (no one should, you know?) he should’ve just stuck to his guns and kept saying “you can ask me these questions in writing and i’ll answer them in writing.”
just my thoughts on the video overall.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
woops. i got my time frame wrong. 2 months he said, not 2 weeks.
my comment still stands though. & i still think it’s sensationalism.
oh well, i hope everyone’s having a good day.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Southerngirl…
The crazy you speak of is Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church, located in Kansas. As a Christian and a native St. Louisan, I don’t claim him. Don’t know many others who would, either.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Adrienne- I know he’s from Kansas. I was just trying to show the difference between Midwest Crazies and Southern Crazies–which we have a boatload of.
TedinLA- It is important to correct misperceptions about what is the South and what is not. We have enough crazy down here without taking on the Midwest’s, too. And since Blurb’s blog is an international venue, we make sure his are facts right. ; )
October 16th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
I’m not really sure why you reference “South” in your title because the video clip clearly has nothing to do with the Southern region of the US. I’m a South Carolina native, but now reside in Michigan and I just get very sick of people stereotyping the ENTIRE southeastern United States the way you have, because quite frankly it’s ignorant let alone false. It’s like me saying everyone from San Francisco is homosexual, or everyone who lives in New York City talks like Fran Drescher. It’s not true to just lump everything into one category. It’s funny though because somehow certain people get away with it while the media loves to rag on others for it.
So…with that being said, whatever agenda you’re trying to push (obviously something with Christianity and the South), atleast find a video that supports the claim you’re trying to make. Making us watch a video that comes from a suburb of St. Louis has nothing to do with your point.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Dave, your comment makes my point of using those terms in the title.
I did not “make” you watch anything. As a palette cleanser, you may wish to visit videos whose agenda it is to celebrate hacking non-motorized, gravity powered vehicles here:
http://blurbomat.com/archives/2007/10/15/insanely-rad/
October 18th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
“and while the jesus stuff the guy was talking about was bizarre in this context, i’m not going to knock the guy for his beliefs (no one should, you know?)”
No one should WHAT, exactly? No one should point out when an elected official is talking nonsensical religious rhetoric out of his ass in a completely inappropriate setting in response to a journalist asking about what he’s done with PUBLIC funds?
I’m so absolutely sick of being told that because a person holds beliefs which would be seen by reasonable rational people as deranged, crazy and complete bullshit with no basis in reality, I must not point this out if the person labels his fantasy as “religious.”
Let’s call a spade a spade–this guy was babbling like a lunatic on a street corner. It doesn’t matter whether he was saying “Jesus loves you” or “There’s a giant half-man, half-lizard living in my pants.” Crazy is crazy.
January 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
This is the city I live in. *sigh