Since the late 1990s, activist Reverend Billy has been using his "surreal inventiveness" to raise awareness about the consequences of modern consumerism--including, among other things, the destruction of communities and products made with sweatshop labor.
The Reverend was created shortly after actor Billy witnessed his home, Time Square, being "turned into a mall." As he recalls: "Disney was signing this amazing Manifest Destiny deal to evict small vendors, and police were picking up anybody who didn't look as if they were in possession of a credit card. And that was happening before my eyes. . . . I had to ask myself: 'Who's shouting here? Who's really getting out there raising their voice a little bit?' It was the sidewalk preachers."
From the newswire:
"What Would Jesus Buy?" (review) by R. Plesset
"What Would Jesus Buy?" (review)