Buddy Christ


Buddy Christ is a parody religious icon in the film Dogma. In the film, he is part of a campaign to renew the image of the Catholic Church. Viewing the crucifix image as "wholly depressing", the Church, led by Cardinal Glick, decides to retire it, and creates Buddy Christ as a more uplifting image of Jesus Christ. The icon consists of a statue of Jesus, smiling and winking while pointing at onlookers with one hand and giving the thumbs-up sign with the other hand. The Buddy Christ was later produced as an action figure and a bobblehead. The image has since been turned into a popular Internet meme.

Appearances

In addition to its unveiling in the film Dogma, Buddy Christ appears several other times in the View Askewniverse.
Buddy Christ was also featured in a Phones4U advert, where a cartoon graphic depicting him was featured alongside a range of Android phones with the message "Miraculous deals on Samsung Galaxy Android phones". The United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority later issued a rebuke regarding the advert, saying "We considered that, although the ads were intended to be light-hearted and humorous, their depiction of Jesus winking and holding a thumbs-up sign, with the text "miraculous" deals during Easter, the Christian Holy Week which celebrated Christ's resurrection, gave the impression that they were mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs."
The prop was used as a decoration in Smith's Red Bank, New Jersey comics shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash.