Richard Burnish and Steven Chilton created an internet based call-in show called The Jesus Chatline in 2011. The initial idea, simple. But with its simplicity, comes a once in a lifetime online show in the perfect storm. The right time, the right hosts and the right brand of satirical humor.
There are so many moments of utter hilarity throughout the shows' two year run, whether its due to the subtle trolls Richard and Steven, or the callers that sometimes follow the joke to their fullest potential, while others try their hardest to be offensive to evoke usually funny reactions. There's so much to enjoy here. The duo are charismatic, over the top in all the right ways and consistently entertain. For example. the prison episode, in which Richard and Steven find themselves in San Quentin prison and need $58,000 to get out. Downright hilarious, they break character many times, but at the end of the day, it's not perfect, it's just two guys having fun in front of a backdrop.
That's the charm of Jesus Chatline. It's simple, but hilarious. Overly complex with the bogus yet funny advertisements, but not complex at the same time. At its core, Jesus Chatline was just about two friends that had a hobby of entertainment on the internet. Their goal was to make sure the viewers had fun, while also having fun themselves. The show was made for all the right reasons, and I am glad it happened.
The Jesus Chatline was an online show that meant a lot to many people and still does. Coming at the right time in the early streaming days, it was a perfect storm and will always hold up in retrospect. Richard and Steven were truly geniuses and far ahead of their time. Just, overall great!