Celebrities Protest at Golden 'Thank you' Awards Ceremony

Sir Frank Peters

"What we allow to happen helps make us what we become... and that could be ugly" – Frank Peters

News Desk

JERUSALEM, Saturday, December 25, 0028: THE prestigious presentation of the annually coveted 'Thank you' Awards took place here last night at the five-star Coliseum Entertainment Centre amidst a freak sandstorm that destroyed hundreds of celebrity tents and caused a mass camel stampede. Two people were trampled to death in the melee and 25 more injured.

Despite the adverse weather conditions, many thousands of adoring fans from far afield, braved the inhospitable elements and patiently gathered outside the torch-lit famous Coliseum hoping to get a glimpse of their favourite gladiator, lion-tamer, and other luminaries from the worlds of entertainment, politics, and sport.

Awards nominee superstar Jesus Christ, the tall, bearded, and handsome young philosopher arrived almost an hour late. A large flock of sheep on the Jerusalem-Damascus Road had caused traffic jam that prevented the access of donkeys and carts before a troupe of centurions unblocked the gateway. Jesus had been returning from his capacity-packed 'Sermon on the Mount' performance at Woodstock Arena where he recited a self-penned ode to God that he named ‘The Lord's Prayer’.

Insiders expected Jesus to scoop the pool of awards and take home the Golden Thank You trophy, but very disappointedly he succeeded in getting only one award – the bronze Leper People’s Choice statuette.

This angered the star-studded audience, who rose to their feet, booed, jeered and roared their disapproval openly accusing officials of taking kickbacks and rigging the results.

Popular Coliseum identity, media personality and entrepreneur Frank Peters was intensely outraged. He stood up mid introduction, shook his clenched fists, and screamed abuse at the presenters and officials. He walked out in protest during the awards ceremony, repeatedly screaming ‘Fake!’ loudly as he left. He said he was "shocked, outraged, and saddened" that Jesus had received only one 'Thank you' award despite having saved the lives of ten lepers.

Jesus, who wore a loose-fitting seamless red robe with the word ‘Love’ embroidered in large letting at the location of his heart, showed no surprise or anger and sat meditatively at the back throughout the supercharged controversial proceedings. The beautiful robe was hand-stitched by his mother, Mary, who did not attend the function.

"I am not as forgiving as Jesus," Mr Peters told a large media group outside, there to interview and photograph the VIPs, as they departed for the invitation-only post-event reception at Governor’s House.

"Without doubt, this has been the greatest mockery of justice of the century which will abhor many generations to come," he told them.

"If this God-inspired gifted young man cannot receive even a 'Thank you' for every life he saves, there is little or no hope for any of us ever being thanked for anything that we would do.

"How could our humble deeds ever match his?" the entrepreneur, said.

"This has created a precedent of the absolute worst kind. It's a heart-breaking, absurd thought but it's now crystal clear to me now that unless we wish to face disappointment, nobody should ever expect a 'thank you' from anyone — EVER!

"This is a black day in our history and an indelible blemish on the true values of humanity. A great injustice has been caused to Mr Jesus Christ, which reflects poorly upon all of us individually and collectively. What we allow to happen helps make us what we become and that could be ugly," Mr Peters added. 

BAD MANNERS

Professor Aadib Tanveer, an internationally renowned human behavioural analyst from Palestine University, told Please Magazine that bad manners in general were a flaw of character, but not confined just to lepers.

"It is common, particularly in over-crowded tent areas and remote villages, but the main cause is sub-standard education," he said.

"Expressing thanks is no longer the norm. Sadly, it's a sign of the times in which we live and we must learn to accept.

"There will be some people who will always keep the ‘thank you’ tradition alive, but we should not expect too much from people unable to experience thanks-giving, which stems from the heart. We must not condemn people for their ignorance. Generous allowances must be made for the unaware and we, ourselves, must teach by example.

"I feel the man they call Jesus would be forgiving and act in that way," said the professor.

Mr Peters said he was appalled by the inconsiderate attitude of some and that he would continue to thank those who deserve to be thanked, irrespective of the current trends, fashionable or not, that he finds inexcusable and deplorable.

"A gesture of kindness extended is a previous 'thank you' remembered," he said.

It was mooted earlier this year to make the prestigious 'Thank you' Awards an all-Europe event and include Syria and other countries, but the fiasco last night appears to have dampened the enthusiasm of some pro-Eurovision organisers.

Most officials today were being very tight-lipped about the future of 'Thank you' in general as the most appropriate expression of gratitude, despite its financially economic attributes.

One well-known councillor, who wished to remain anonymous, told Please newspaper:

"The fabric of society on the whole is fraying at the ends. The 'Thank you' controversy is merely another indication of this sorrowful erosion in direction of the gutter and, yes, it's sad ... very sad.

"It should be made abundantly clear, however, that under the rules of the existing honours system, Mr Jesus Christ could have won at least ten 'Thank you' awards, if not more, but the reality is, he was only nominated for one by one leper, although ten were saved from misery and sure death.

"We must always remember, it's the sole responsibility of the beneficiary of any kindness or courtesy to thank the benefactor and of no one else," he said.

Jesus, who was visiting the sick and distributing warm clothing and food to the homeless and disadvantaged people in outer villages today, was not available for comment.

(Sir Frank Peters is an award-winning writer, former publisher of magazines and newspapers, a humanitarian, and a senior adviser to European royalty.)