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Christian TV producer says Hollywood can be redeemed

Karen Covell, Hollywood producer and founder of Hollywood Prayer Network, says that Hollywood is more like Nineveh than Sodom or Gomorrah, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

In an interview with ASSIST News following an informational breakfast held by the Twin Cities Chapter of the Hollywood Prayer Network in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Covell said: "I believe that we can’t think that Hollywood is hopeless, and I want people to see that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, but God sent a prophet into Nineveh and He redeemed the land. That’s what I think will happen in Hollywood. God is sending prophets into Hollywood, sending His people in to say 'Let’s not give up, the giants aren’t too big, we will redeem the land.'"

Covell also said that we need more Christians in Hollywood, not necessarily more Christian films.

"I believe that God gave Christians a gift and a talent to be in a place where He wants them to share their faith and be missionaries and be ambassadors and that if we get more Christians in Hollywood in the secular community building relationships with non-believers, making product to the global market that’s got their faith, their point of view, their world view in it, then we can reach those people to change their hearts so that their product then will change. And if we just stay in a little Christian bubble and just do Christian product, we won't reach the decision makers and the creative people in the secular world, which is where we feel called to be."

Covell was also asked about the Writer’s Guild of America strike. In what ways is the strike affecting Christians in Hollywood in the Thirty Mile Zone that makes up the 90028 zip -code where Hollywood is located?

"Well the Christians are struggling just like the non-Christians. They’ve lost their jobs there are people whose shows have been cancelled. They’ve been three months without any work, they don’t know how long it’s going to be and it’s scary. So what we’re trying to do is to encourage the Christians to reach out to the non-believers and take advantage of this opportunity when people are vulnerable and use it as a time to love them and reach out and share their faith and care about them. We have a group called Care for Hollywood every Thursday night that gathers people who are going through the strike and we meet their physical needs -- we try whatever we can do: we pray for them, we build communities so that people don’t feel like they’re going through it alone. The Hollywood Prayer Network has also been going to the studios (to meet) the strikers and passing out water bottles with stickers on them that say 'We’re praying for you, the Hollywood Prayer Network,' and letting people know that we care about them as they go through this time."

Covell was asked for her opinion about George Clooney who is now a Good Will Ambassador to Sudan for the United Nations. What did she think about people like George Clooney and Bono doing this kind of work?

"I think that God uses everybody to reach the world with His message and I think George Clooney is somebody who has a heart to help people, he just doesn’t know the source of that heart. So as we pray for him -- and as he comes from the Clooney Christian family including Rosemary Clooney and his cousin is a believer, now the family is praying for him. We pray for him, he’s reaching out and doing God’s good will, and we just pray that someday he’ll realize the source of his work.

"Bono has got God in his heart and he knows what he’s doing and God has given him a specific way to reach the world and we encourage people to do that, so that regardless of whether they know God or not they’re reaching the physical needs and then sometimes even the spiritual needs of people around the world."

Covell talked about Britney Spears, who may have been diagnosed as having Bi-Polar Disorder. How can Christians in America pray for Britney?

"I think we need to not judge her, I think we can’t get angry at her, but we realize that if this is a physical issue then we need to pray for healing. We need to pray for her to get with the right people to balance her, but we also need to pray that she learns and goes back to God in the process because even though they can fix her physically -- hopefully to the point where she’s ok -- that way we don’t want to miss the opportunity for God to come in and the Holy Spirit to renew her and to get her back on course with Him. And when she is physically and spiritually healed she can be an amazing ambassador to get these young people who are so disappointed in her to feel like 'Ok, she got through and it’s because of Jesus. '"

Finally, Covell was asked: "What can you say about Patty Duke (who also suffered from Bi-Polar Disorder) and her example to Britney?"

"She’s got a huge heart and a hope for Britney. Britney can realize what’s going on, she can even turn to Patty as someone who can walk through this with her, and Patty's a great example of somebody who everybody was judging (and saying about her): 'Look, she’s out of control, she’s a mess.' and then realizing that there are ways that we can be helped and we can get our act together and we can do something to make a difference."

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[02/09/2008]

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