Oh no, not again ...

A few weeks ago it was reported that some newspapers wouldn't be printing the full title Zack and Miri Make a Porno because one of those words is offensive. Weird, I didn't know that the WORD porno was offensive ...

But now Salt Lake City's own Megaplex Theaters is refusing to book Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Here is the story from the New York Post's Page Six:


HARVEY Weinstein won't be seeing his favorite "porno" in Salt Lake City. Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller's Megaplex Theatres refused to book the Weinstein Company's new R-rated comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," starring Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks, saying it's too raunchy for religious, conservative audiences. "We feel it's very close to an NC-17 with its graphic nudity and graphic sex," the chain's Cal Gunderson told us. Asked why Megaplex has no problem showing the R-rated, ultra-violent "Saw V," which shows a man forced to crush his own hands to escape a pendulum cutting him in half, Gunderson said: "No comment." Weinstein distribution chief Steve Bunnell, said he was shocked by the shutout, especially since Megaplex screened other adult comedies like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up." "I hate to use the word 'censorship,' but . . ." Bunnell said. The flick opens here Oct. 31.


This kind of sucks because Megaplex Theaters (owned by Larry Miller, who also owns the Utah Jazz) is the same theater chain that pulled Brokeback Mountain at the last minute back in 2006. So once again, the moviegoing world has one more reason to make fun of Utah and the Mormons.

To be fair, this is not the same situation as the Brokeback Mountain fiasco. That movie was screened and booked at Megaplex Theaters, and it was pulled the morning it was supposed to open. The showtimes were listed in the local newspapers, and patrons showed up to see the movie only to find out that it had been pulled at the last minute. This time, they are doing the right thing in that they have decided not to book it in the first place.

Funny, that comparison to Saw V. Graphic nudity = bad, graphic torture = ok. The same thing happened last time: when they pulled Brokeback Mountain, they had no problem showing Hostel. Gotta love those conservative values.