By Vincent “V” Kustush
Six years ago, my character, Vito Bupkis did a YouTube video on simply titled “Reboots” and immediately after that was posted. I was like OH! What about if someone rebooted Jesus for today’s market? But what kind of Jesus Christ would it be? I had no idea but the fun of exploring that taboo subject for half the planet intrigued me enough to immediately name it Reboot Jesus. AT that time it was going to be a film script, simple enough. I had just gotten back into the producing arena.
But what the idea going to be? Well…if you’re doing a reboot it would have to be attached to Film or TV and naturally attached to Hollywood. But what they would do with it? You know, hypothetically… or better yet satirically! People were beginning to say in these times satire cannot be written and that the stupidest thing I ever heard. What that means is that they deserved to be made fun of in my book. Literally.
I started talking to people randomly about the idea just mentioning the title of the project people began to get upset, some laughed. I am a known atheist, but I grew up Catholic and I know the deal. I was getting reaction just from the title alone. I started getting interesting feedback before I even had a story idea. Then people I knew started to lose their shit over it. Family members, friends, etc. 11 people decided not to talk to me anymore after knowing some for my entire life.
After spending a few years on film/TV projects where actions of others can tank a project you have worked on for years in some cases. I figured I would write books instead and that way if it tanks, it’s all me. Then I write another book. IF it’s good or starts conversation of those with different beliefs and can take a more relaxed look at it. You cannot be serious and have a serious conversation about serious topics. Plus, it’s art you fucks!
What did THEY think I was going to do? My humor is deemed to be offensive to some and dark but not hurtful. After all, I am a writer, and I am telling a story about the greatest story ever told. I was even told to change the title, but those two words are not offensive on their own. I soon found out is that they were projecting their bias and animosity against someone who didn’t believe even though he believed in the story enough to write a book about it! Hahahaha. Those two things are not the same. They were judging hardcore but from their darkest view of their own doubts and it seemed to frighten some in a weird way. I was good enough to be their friend or family member until that moment. Mighty Christian of them. What did they think of me the entire time? It was funny and sad at the same time. This is just that side of the coin.
Now on to the atheists. They seemed more upset than the Christians on a whole in the fact that I was doing this. Of course, real freethinkers and those that accept contrary conversation really appreciated what I was trying to do.
Others just don’t know when you are a writer, you are telling the story and that story isn’t you. The story is a story and characters populate it. Often times you have no control over the story itself. You can have a road you want to take and suddenly you are on the interstate going somewhere you never thought of. The story guides the wrote not the other way around.
Anyway. Reboot Jesus went from script to book to script to book, lost half the book to bullshit to basically starting over. In that time, it totally changed in what it was going to be from the first idea of it. The reaction I was getting and the rise of what would be called cancel culture started to erupt. The themes of the story of Jesus Christ and Job began to emerge. In reality and in the book. I shed pretty much everything to write this book. How does one write about a character that’s Christ like? Become a pauper. Same shit different age.
When the idea itself became threatening to some I knew what to do because the themes were appearing in my daily life because of it. The character of Jesus goes against the grain of the power structures of the majority and the minority, something my humor and my outlook really understand on a deep level, because that’s me in a way. I will say the things. I will think freely. I am not a crowd think person. To be cast out of society is biblical so to speak. Black Sheep can relate. But the culture of cancel are the modern day Romans against those who speak against the powers that be.
I began to imagine what pitch sessions would be like and of course the actual writing sessions and how the brain storming process works. Many ideas came and I wanted to write a lot of the story ideas in the genre’s I had chosen. Turns out each genre wound up being a different part of the story of Jesus Christ across sci-fi, buddy cop, space opera, and even time travel just to name a few. These were ideas for proof of concept or extended trailers to get funding that some use. I wove those short film scripts into the story about trying to write the story no one has seen but everyone wants to destroy even the idea of it. Now I had something both major cult members of politics both argue over. You may be surprised who that character would be today, but I can tell you this he would be destroyed for it. But if you are already have nothing to loose it doesn’t matter.
When I released the book on Easter it was nice just to get it out as Vito’s book was released on Good Friday with some objection but fuck those people. Which Friday is less boogee woogee? The weekend was highlighted with people bailing from this or that or being upset simply by what THEY think. I guess some would say it’s working. The weirdness had begun again. But this time the words are out there for them to not read but judge from the horse they rode in on.
Atheists and Christians alike, take a look. Give it a read. I think you may have more in common than you think when you do think about it. It is a great way to have that religion conversation with characters to blame to get your point across or made.
In the end people who preach tolerance and are harshly intolerant on chosen things just as they complain Christians use the bible conveniently to back up their own brand of hate perceived. are not fooling anybody but themselves. Tolerance is. Like an Atheist writer who loses all to protect the story of Jesus Christ due to what others think and feel, having nothing at all to do with what he is doing. Love should never spew hatred.,,,and as in most cases, wicked be the righteous.
…and that’s the word.
Check out Reboot Jesus, now available at www.vincentkustush.com/shop for your ebook copy or Pre-order your author signed copy now at the link above.