SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The University of Utah says a tweet from comedian David Cross showing him wearing undergarments sacred to the Mormon faith was “deeply offensive.”
College president Ruth Watkins issued a statement Sunday about the tweet, says she resisted calls to cancel Wednesday’s performance and that the tweet is protected by the First Amendment.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wear white, two-piece cotton undergarments daily considered similar to holy vestments in other faiths, like a Catholic nun’s habit or a Muslim skullcap.
The university is a public college and has many Mormon students. The performance isn’t sponsored by the university, but Watkins says she won’t censor those who renting its facilities.
Cross representative Michael O’Brien did not immediately return an email message Monday seeking comment.
