# The Tackiest Thing I've Seen in a Long Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730 "2005-05-06T19:17:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/21 "2005-05-07T04:39:00Z")
I was wondering why Elvis has a halo and JC doesn’t, until I realized Elvis’ hair is black and it’s after all a black velvet background–but still… People make fun of us Catholics, and I’ve seen Marys on the half-shell and all, but the majority of us draw the line at that. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/22 "2005-05-07T11:13:57Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > [It’s not.](http://www.thevelvetstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ve033&Category_Code=) > > I can also vouch for the existence of a black velvet painting with the Crucifixion in the background, and Elvis, bathed in halo-ish light, in the foreground. You can even see the sweat on Elvis’s brow as he sings into the mike. The title is “Nearer My God To Thee” and the sucker’s hanging in my dad’s foyer. Wow oh wow oh wow. I’m stunned. Any chance you could take a picture of the painting your Dad has? And does he have it hanging because he thinks it’s funny, or is he earnest about it? ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/23 "2005-05-07T12:02:29Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Wow oh wow oh wow. > I’m stunned. Any chance you could take a picture of the painting your Dad has? And does he have it hanging because he thinks it’s funny, or is he earnest about it? Actually, I can’t - I don’t speak to my dad. And yes, he’s in earnest. I don’t _think_ those two statements are connected. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/24 "2005-05-07T13:45:07Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > [It’s not.](http://www.thevelvetstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ve033&Category_Code=) Just…wow. And the role of Jesus is played by C. Thomas Howell. That is _so cool_! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/25 "2005-05-07T15:26:21Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > [It’s not.](http://www.thevelvetstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ve033&Category_Code=) > [@The Velvet Store](#): > > New - Velvet Elvis & Jesus in Heaven Nice to see they got the billing right. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/26 "2005-05-07T16:31:26Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Nice to see they got the billing right. Time permitting: Jehovah. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/27 "2005-05-07T16:59:21Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > People make fun of us Catholics, and I’ve seen Marys on the half-shell and all, but the majority of us draw the line at that. My dear grandmother is in the Catholic minority. My mother and I acknowledge this and love her anyway. My mother is pretty hardcore about her worshipping duties, but she does at least avoid the blinky, flashy statues, etc. My grandmother would love this. But you know what would be even better? A fibre-optic Jesus and/or Mary. Bonus points if it changes colour. Extra bonus points if it changes colour four times, then has a “sparkle” effect with all colours mingled. She would take those to the grave with her so Jesus would know she was coming. God would be so confused. All these years he’s been asking us to come to the light, and here comes my grandmother, bringing the light with her. Multicoloured. With sparkle. Flair be with you, Nanny. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/28 "2005-05-07T18:21:57Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > Yeah, well, I’m a guinea and so are a lot of my friends, and that’s how we refer to ourselves, so get over it. Sorry, **Uvula Donor**. I understand that it might be okay to say between you and your friends, but what’s acceptable amongst the members of a private group doesn’t necessarily translate as acceptable for the public. You have to consider your audience; and you have to be even more careful when dealing with an ethnic slur. “Guinea” is not appropriate for a publicly-accessible board. Please don’t refer to Italians (or descendants of Italians) this way again. - SkipMagic ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/29 "2005-05-07T18:22:40Z")
Nobody’s reminded of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199861)? Religious kitsch is the best. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/30 "2005-05-07T19:36:02Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > [It’s not.](http://www.thevelvetstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ve033&Category_Code=) Heh! It looks like JC is going for the oh-so-fashionable sport jacket over a t-shirt look… ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/31 "2005-05-07T20:26:06Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > You’re kidding, right? You should see the way the guineas around here decorate their houses and yards. That flashy junque would fit the decor _perfectly._ We Italians among us who work very hard to counteract such stereotypes thank you for your continued perpetuation of this slur. Please remember that in addition to the Bathtub Madonnas, tire flower planters, and shrines we also always wear Cavariccis and gold chains to our “construction” jobs. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730/32 "2005-05-07T23:49:07Z")
> [@inkleberry](#): > > We Italians among us who work very hard to counteract such stereotypes thank you for your continued perpetuation of this slur. Seriously, I’m sorry I offended you. The decor thing is a long-running joke in my family. I’m second-generation Italian, and my family and friends laugh about the stereotypes. Had I known that you and others were so sensitive about the subject, I wouldn’t have mentioned it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tackiest-thing-ive-seen-in-a-long-time/302730.md?page=1)