Michigan’s Catholic bishops condemn Gov. Whitmer’s chip video as ‘mocking’ faithful

CNA Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 19:40 pm

Michigan’s Catholic bishops on Friday condemned a video sketch of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a journalist for what some have called a “mocking” of the Eucharist.  

The video, posted on Thursday and which quickly went viral, shows Whitmer feeding the journalist a Dorito chip.

The skit took place during “Chip Chat,” a session with Liz Plank, a Canadian author, journalist, and influencer with 610,000 followers on her Instagram page “feministabulous.”

The video has garnered criticism because Plank’s kneeling posture and the placement of the Dorito on the tongue appeared to mock reception of holy Communion to many viewers. 

The caption of the video, which was edited, references the “CHIPS Act,” a 2022 Biden administration law known as the “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act.”

An edited caption of Plank’s Instagram post read: “If he won’t, Gretchen Whitmer will. Chips aren’t just delicious, the CHIPS Act is a game-changer for U.S. tech and manufacturing, boosting domestic production of semiconductors to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers! Donald Trump would put that at risk.”

Defenders of Whitmer have said the move was part of a TikTok trend when a person is fed by another person.

Plank responded to the criticism in a post on X saying: “This is the trend weirdos chill out,” in reference to the “feeding someone trend” on TikTok.

But the sketch has led to controversy as many Catholics saw it as a mockery of the Eucharist. 

“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” said Paul Long, Michigan Catholic Conference president and CEO, in a statement on Friday.

“It is not just distasteful or ‘strange’; it is an all-too-familiar example of an elected official mocking religious persons and their practices,” Long continued. “While dialogue on this issue with the governor’s office is appreciated, whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact.”

A spokesperson for Whitmer said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “the governor’s social media is well known for infusing her communications with pop culture.”

“This popular trend has been used by countless people, including Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and Stephen Colbert, and the fact that people are paying attention to a video promoting President Biden’s CHIPS Act proves it’s working,” the statement continued. “Republicans want to distract from the fact that Democrats have invested billions of dollars into local economies to create a record number of jobs and bring supply chains back from overseas, while Donald Trump’s policies would kill these jobs and send them back to China.”

Notably, the referenced trends do not usually involve someone kneeling before the other person. 

The full video on Plank’s YouTube channel also included a discussion of abortion where Plank and Whitmer joke about “post-birth abortions,” in reference to Trump’s comment about the abortion bill signed into law by Minnesota Gov. and 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.

But the Michigan Catholic Conference’s Long is demanding that those in public office respect religious people. 

“People of this state and across the country have grown tired of and continue to express their alarm at the bar of civility and respect toward people of faith lowering by the day,” Long said.

“Michigan is a religiously diverse state and includes thriving communities of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim believers,” Long continued. “The time is now for those in public office, their handlers, and strategists to return a level of respect, civility, and appreciation for those who have found peace and fulfillment in life by worshipping God and serving their neighbor.”

Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.