# Are you going to watch the Pope's funeral? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160 "2005-04-07T03:43:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/1 "2005-04-07T03:43:29Z")
Even though it’s going to be at 3 in the morning, I am going to try my hardest to see the Holy Father’s funeral. I hope all the major TV networks will carry it. What about you? Are you going to watch the Holy Father’s funeral Friday morning? WRS - [insert prayer for Pope John Paul the Great, for the Cardinals electing the new Pope, and for the new Pope] ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/2 "2005-04-07T03:57:05Z")
Yep, and I have a couple of people coming over. Bagels and lots of tea have been promised. Just trying to find the right channel–rather not have ignorant chatter over the proceedings. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/3 "2005-04-07T04:03:54Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Yep, and I have a couple of people coming over. Bagels and lots of tea have been promised. Just trying to find the right channel–rather not have ignorant chatter over the proceedings. By right channel, do you mean mainstream or Catholic-friendly? (If the latter, please let me know which one you choose.) WRS ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/4 "2005-04-07T19:05:46Z")
Nope: I’m going to be at work. AFAIAA they’re not allowing the time off for people to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/5 "2005-04-07T19:45:41Z")
Can’t. It starts at 4 a.m. (good God, _nobody_ is worth getting up that early) and I have a huge paper to finish. Woe. ☹ I might tape it, though… _ponders_ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/6 "2005-04-07T19:51:34Z")
I won’t be watching. I had a great deal of regard for him, but I really hate televised ceremony. I guess it goes back to my youth when the Kennedy funeral preempted everything on TV and my child-self was upset at the lack of cartoons. If I had the opportunity to be there in person, I’d leap at the chance. But not via TV. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/7 "2005-04-07T21:16:20Z")
It starts at 1 am out here on the West Coast. I’m using my DV-R to record it off two channels. C-SPAN (whom I’ll probably watch) and the Eternal Word Network (a conservative Catholic network). Neither are likely to use people talking over the Mass very much. I’m off work Friday, so I will watch once I get up and have some coffee. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/8 "2005-04-07T22:22:57Z")
Yep - as I’m packing to go to the beach. Somehow it seems very appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/9 "2005-04-07T22:48:59Z")
It starts at 6.00pm here, but I don’t have a television, so I won’t be watching. Anyway, I’ve sung at three requiem masses this week for the repose of the Pope’s soul, so I feel that I’ve already paid my respects sufficiently. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/10 "2005-04-07T23:03:44Z")
I’d be tempted, but I have no cable. Not even bunny ears. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/11 "2005-04-07T23:17:09Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > I’d be tempted, but I have no cable. Not even bunny ears. Does anyone know if the Big 3 will cover it? I mean, they already have a complete crew there, and it’s not like they’d be preempting anything important. It’s one of those things where I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t cover it, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they did. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/12 "2005-04-07T23:35:27Z")
yep, the big three are going to cover it. i will set my alarm. whether i actually get out of bed… i don’t know. cnn said they would rerun the funeral at 7pm and 11pm eastern time. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/13 "2005-04-07T23:36:05Z")
I think I’ll make the effort and get up early. Maybe not at 3am, when it starts on TV, but I’ll try to tune in at some point. I’m hoping that one of the channels will just let me listen to what’s going on, and not have commentary the whole time. I do _not_ want to feel like I’m watching the Macy’s parade. **Asterion** , I know that the morning shows on the main channels in Montreal have already said that they’ll be pre-empted or possibly canceled altogether tomorrow morning, because of the funeral. I can’t find anything on the CBS, NBC, or ABC websites (I’m assuming they’re the big 3?) about early-morning coverage of the funeral, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t show it. I mean, what else is on at that hour? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/14 "2005-04-08T01:41:47Z")
**Are you going to watch the Pope’s funeral?** No. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/15 "2005-04-08T01:58:37Z")
Yup. And I’m also going to choose between C-SPAN and EWTN. I’ll decide when I see a few miutes of each after it starts. **WRS** , classy move including the reference to prayer considering the topic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/16 "2005-04-08T02:39:53Z")
Does anyone know if Anderson Cooper is handling CNN’s coverage? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/17 "2005-04-08T07:43:04Z")
I’m up now and the people I’m visiting are watching it so I am too. Eh, its history, might as well watch it. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/18 "2005-04-08T07:53:11Z")
I’m up late translating, so I’m waiting for CBC Radio to break into it. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/19 "2005-04-08T08:34:27Z")
yep, mr cooper is one of the cnn group covering the funeral. poor guy hasn’t gotten much sleep lately. on a completely different topic, he will be covering the wales wedding in england tomorrow. they are doing very well on cnn with comments. they are letting the funeral roll. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160/20 "2005-04-08T08:56:41Z")
I’m up and we’re here and having coffee and bagels. It’s a fine Mass and Cardinal Ratzinger is giving the “Omelia” right now. Order of Mass, mostly in Italian but easy enough to follow, is at the Vatican’s [website.](http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2005/documents/ns_lit_doc_20050408_messa-esequiale-jp-ii_it.html) Lovely Mass so far; the American dignitaries are following along in their own pre-printed programs, and there seems to be a radio translation that non-Italians in the Square are listening to. I went with CNN. EWTN’s camera seemed to be blowin’ in the wind and out of focus and the major networks were chattering away and showing churches in Chicago watching (because if it’s not All About America…). CNN’s got Cooper and Brown and Bishop Gregory. 🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-watch-the-popes-funeral/298160.md?page=2)