Comedian David Spade has faced criticism for not mentioning Christmas at a tree lighting event in a shopping mall. He remarked that criticizing someone’s faith is simply not acceptable, highlighting what he sees as a double standard.
“Christmas seems to be gaining a bit of traction lately. The other day I was at this rather shady mall for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony,” he mentioned during a recent podcast episode of Dana Carvey and David Spade’s Fly on the Wall.
“But they called it a ‘tree lighting ceremony’ and avoided the word Christmas altogether,” he said, questioning, “Why? Is it just a tree?”
“Sure, if you say, ‘They’re doing tree lighting at the Grove,’ that’s fine, but there seems to be a deliberate effort to steer clear of it. What’s the tree really for? What memorable December moments do you have? Are you a Lexus dealer?” he joked. “Isn’t it Christmas?”
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Carvey chimed in, stating, “I know a wide range of people, but I’ve yet to meet someone from another faith who objects to Christmas trees.”
Spade responded firmly, “I want you to stop with that nonsense. Everyone adores Santa and the tree.”
“Yes, we love it all,” Spade said, reinforcing his point.
Carvey noted that while Christmas is a Christian religious holiday, it’s also a time of joy for many others, adding, “I don’t appreciate the thought police. It bothers me that some words seem off-limits.”
“Exactly,” Spade concurred, stating, “I dislike the anti-Christian sentiment. Christmas might not mean much to me personally as a Christian, but I—” before Carvey suggested, “You’re secular.”
“I’ve become more spiritual,” Spade shared. “But is this really where we draw the line? We can’t speak freely about others?”
“We’re facing tough times in Africa. This isn’t exactly the best year to be Christian,” Spade continued, alluding to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
He pointed out that Christianity seems to receive different treatment compared to other faiths, expressing, “It’s unacceptable to criticize another’s beliefs.”
While Spade didn’t specify which mall’s tree lighting he was referring to, his remarks align with an incident in Portland, a city governed by Democrats, which recently sparked outrage over a ceremony that omitted the word “Christmas.”
