Vatican bumps DC subway ad with bobblehead pope

The DC subway system ran an ad featuring a bobblehead version of Pope Benedict. The ad was an effort to get fans of his Holiness to take the train when Benedict comes to town next week. (He’s not coming to Boston. “It’s not a big college town.”) The ad is fun. As the plastic Pontiff rides the train, a man seated next to him chants IN LATIN, “Thank heaven for Metro.”

Later, the narrator says, “Avoid the unholy traffic and take Metro.”

Here is the amazing quote from the story:

“Our concern is that this was a bad bobblehead,” said Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington. “You had unauthorized merchandise, and you had a misdressed pope.”

Apparently the Vatican views selling bad bobbleheads in the same light as Martin Luther once viewed selling papal indulgences.

Good news for the Metro is that this GUARANTEES the video gets more views than it would have otherwise.

BTW, the misdressing?

The bobblehead in the Metro video wears a red skull cap, known as a zucchetto, and a red cape. “Popes don’t wear red skull caps,” and they don’t wear red capes, only white ones, Gibbs said.

Well, EXCUUUUUUUUUUSE ME. Who died and made you Pope? Oh, wait, never mind that last one.

Go here if you want to order your own incorrect version of Pope Bobblehead the First.

(Insert contractually obligated mention of my attempt to get my copy of Lives of the Popes back from Churbuck here.)

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