If Monty Python started a church, marketed it like Apple in 1984, and accidentally predicted Reddit. JR “Bob” Dobbs & the Church of the SubGenius tells the story of how a pipe-smoking salesman became the patron saint of slackers, conspiracy theorists, and every kid who ever felt allergic to normal.
Credit to Nick Balaban for putting this one on our radar.
Trailer for “J.R. ‘Bob’ Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- In 1979, two friends in Fort Worth, Texas sat in a living room and made up a fake prophet named J.R. “Bob” Dobbs. It started as a joke about TV preachers. But a few years later, thousands of people around the world were mailing them real money to join the church.
- The church’s story says “Bob,” a smiling salesman with a pipe, was contacted by an angry alien god called JHVH-1. The alien told Bob to bring a strange life force called “Slack” to the people of Earth.
Watch “J.R. ‘Bob’ Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius”
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Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 36/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: This doc is directed by Sandy K. Boone. The film traces the strange evolution of the Church of the SubGenius. From a Fort Worth satire project to a sprawling underground movement that influenced counterculture art, zines, and eventually the weird humor culture of the internet.
Release Date: 2019 (Festival run including SXSW)
My Review of “J.R. ‘Bob’ Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius”
The Setup
This documentary tells the story of one of the strangest “religions” ever invented.
The idea was simple: parody cults, televangelists, and the growing wave of religious marketing in America. But the joke took on a life of its own.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Fans gathered at wild events called “devivals” (part devil, part revival). People wore suits and fake preacher outfits and asked when the real “Bob” would finally show up.
- What began as a joke about cults and TV preachers slowly grew into something bigger. It drew in artists, conspiracy fans, pranksters, and internet weirdos—until the founders had to deal with a strange problem: their fake religion was starting to feel real.
- The church’s imagery spread through photocopied zines, mail-order catalogs, and underground art scenes in the 1980s.
- SubGenius “devivals” mixed performance art, comedy, conspiracy talk, and punk-style chaos. People showed up in costumes, preacher robes, or alien masks.
- The movement attracted musicians, artists, and counterculture figures. They saw the church as both satire and a playground for creative rebellion.
- The filmmakers explore the tension between satire and belief. Some followers clearly understood the joke, while others treated the mythology surprisingly seriously.
Cameos
- Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo appears. He relfects on how the church’s weird humor and anti-corporate satire fit perfectly with the band’s “de-evolution” philosophy.
- Artists, underground publishers, and longtime SubGenius members appear throughout the film. They share stories about the movement’s early days.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The church sold official memberships through the mail, complete with credentials and pamphlets. Some people joined as a joke while others stayed involved for decades.
- The founders used old-school guerrilla media tactics.
- As conspiracy culture exploded in later decades. Some extremists began using similar rhetoric and imagery. But without the irony—creating an uncomfortable mirror of what started as parody.
- The film runs a massive 204 minutes, packed with archival footage, early SubGenius recordings, and decades of underground media.
Wrap Up:
“J.R. ‘Bob’ Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius” is a hilarious look at how a satire of cults accidentally became one of the strangest counterculture movements ever.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc