Hare Krishna in Popular Culture - in Television

In Television

• Allen Ginsberg appeared on William F. Buckley, Jr.'s show Firing Line on September 3, 1968, and sang the Hare Krishna mantra as he played dolefully on a harmonium. Buckley commented that it was "the most unharried Krishna I've ever heard."
• In an episode of Lou Grant (episode #18, "Sect", February 6, 1978), Charlie's son joins the Hare Krishna movement, taking the name "Vishnu das".
• Hare Krishnas have been mentioned and/or parodied a number of times on the comedy show Saturday Night Live. For example, "Christmas Tree Salesman" Season 4 Episode 75 (December 16, 1978), "Al Franken becomes a Hare Krishna" Season 4 Episode 86 (May 26, 1979), "Robin Williams' Monologue" Season 13 Episode 242 (January 23, 1988), and "The Penis Measuring Machine" Season 20 Episode 382 (March 25, 1995).
• On The Wonder Years episode "Faith", the narrator says "once upon a time, our country was founded on faith". Devotees on sankirtan were shown, among a variety of other spiritual adherents (Season 3, Episode 18. March 27, 1990). Devotees on sankirtan were also shown in a montage of video clips from the 1970s in the episode "Triangle" as the narrator said "unexpected happenings" (Season 5, episode 6. November 6, 1991).

• On In Living Color, Jim Carrey played a Hare Krishna in a sketch called "Krishna Cop" (Season 3, Episode 9, December 6, 1991).
• In the episode of Seinfeld entitled "The Subway" (Season 3, Episode 30, January 8, 1992) the character George is robbed of all his clothes by a woman and enters Monk's Cafe wrapped in bedsheets. A patron mocks him by shouting, "Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!" and George responds, "How'd you like a Hare Krishna fist down your throat, you little punk?"
• In The Simpsons episode entitled "Homer and Apu" (Season 5, Episode 94, February 10, 1994), after seeing Christians singing in an Indian airport, a Hare Krishna devotee remarks "Oh, great — Christians". Also, in the episode "The Joy of Sect" (Season 9, Episode 191, February 8, 1998) a Hare Krishna devotee asks Bart if he's ever heard of Krishna Consciousness. In reply to which Homer says, "This, Bart, is a crazy man!"
• Mad TV included a sketch called "Krishna Rock" (Season 1, Episode 105, November 11, 1995). The skit takes place at an airport where four Hare Krishnas in orange robes are chanting and dancing when one of them decides to leave the group for a girl but ends up begging to be allowed back in the group.
• In the episode of South Park entitled "Starvin' Marvin in Space" (Season 3, Episode 44, November 17, 1999) there's a scene involving Mr. Garrison telling his class that, "The Hare Krishnas are totally gay." The second act starts with the four main characters (Eric Cartman, Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick) in their classroom at South Park Elementary. The scene opens, and reveals that we've come upon the class as a lecture is being finished. "And so, children, that's why Hare Krishnas are totally gay." Mr. Garrison tells his students, immediately before two CIA agents come into the classroom to take the boys in for questioning. Also, on the episode "Super Best Friends" (Season 5, Episode 69, July 4, 2001), Krishna is featured as a member of the "Super Best Friends", a crime fighting team of religious figures, along with Jesus, Joseph Smith, Muhammad, Buddha, Laozi, Moses, and Sea Man.
• There is a reference to Hare Krishnas in That '70s Show, when Kitty found the devotees to be so nice that she almost got into their van with them.
• Hare Krishna is referred to in the medical sitcom Scrubs, in the episode entitled "My Own American Girl" (Season 3, Episode 47, Production code 301, October 2, 2003), Dr. Bob Kelso complains that his son, Harrison, was "kicked out of the Hare Krishna sect for being too much of a hippie". Also, in the episode entitled "My Chopped Liver" (Season 5, Episode 110, Production code 517, April 4, 2006) when J.D. shaves his head.
• In the HBO miniseries Angels in America (2003), there is a scene with Hare Krishnas singing on the sidewalk below Prior's apartment window.
• Comedian Ross Noble devoted a portion his show Unrealtime (2003) to discussing an encounter he once had with some Krishnas, a tramp and a London bus.
• On the House, M.D. episode entitled "Cursed" (Season 1, Episode 13, March 1, 2005), Dr. House tells his young charge Dr. Chase concerning the latter's father, "You breeze by him like he's a Hare Krishna at the airport."
• Stand-up comedian and television presenter Russell Brand is often heard saying "Hare Krishna" upon his exit from a show or venue. For example, on the UK Big Brother show Big Brother's Big Mouth, Brand ends every show with the phrase "Hare Krishna." Brand has been a vegetarian since the age of 14, and his abandonment of drugs and alcohol was done with the help of the Hare Krishnas, to whom he feels "indebted". He was reported to have met a Hare Krishna ISKCON guru Radhanath Swami and appreciated him.
• Bree Van de Kamp, in the 12th Episode of Season 7 of Desperate Housewives, remarks that she'd rather shave her head and join the Hare Krishnas than help Beth Young.
• In a fifth-season episode of Mad Men ("Christmas Waltz," May 20, 2012), set in late 1966, it is revealed that the character Paul Kinsey (played by Michael Gladis) has joined the Hare Krishna movement. He is depicted as having shaved his head and participates in early ISKCON meetings led by Prabhupada in New York City.