Pearls in the Pigsty
Every conservative knows how badly our values are maligned and misrepresented by Hollywood. However, there are some pearls in amongst the slop. Since this is a website devoted to conservative alternatives I thought it would be useful to mention some of the better entertainment.
A good place to begin is with Angel Studios. The company began as VidAngel a service that allowed users to set custom filters to block explicit content on streamed movies. If you’re thinking the big studios wouldn’t like someone filtering swear words and nudity from their movies, you’d be right. In 2016, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm, and Warner Bros. filed a federal lawsuit against VidAngel alleging breaches of copyright protection.
In 2017 VidAngel filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to shield company assets from the ongoing lawsuit. This also allowed time for the company to reorganize and redirect its business into other ventures.
DryBar Comedy
Also in 2017, VidAngel began creating original content. First with DryBar Comedy, a series of clean stand-up comedy routines filmed in Provo, Utah. “This has grown into what is now billed as “the world’s largest collection of clean stand-up.” I’ve watched many of these shows and, DryBar has become the place I go for laughter.
You can view clips and some full shows on YouTube. Clips are also available on Facebook and Instagram. For more information visit the Dry Bar website.
The Chosen
After emerging from bankruptcy VidAngel rebranded as Angel Studios. A very successful crowdfunding campaign raised over $10 million and allowed the company to create and distribute The Chosen. They describe this streaming series about the life of Christ as, “the first-ever multi-season TV show about the life of Christ,” and “Created outside of the Hollywood system, The Chosen allows us to see Him through the eyes of those who knew Him.” I enjoyed the first season and look forward to watching the second.
Season one of The Chosen is available on Christian Cinema, Fox Nation, on the VidAngel website and on Roku. Season two is currently in limited distribution.
I’ll feature more pearls from the entertainment industry in the future.
Action Tip: There are new conservative and Christian entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry but they need support to grow and thrive.
Have you seen The Chosen or watched Dry Bar Comedy? Let us know what you think about these new entertainment options in the comment section below.
Update!
May 24, 2021
As of this date, Kyle Pratt is an investor in the Wingfeather Saga production by Angel studios.
