Late to this party, but I was in college and saw it happen when it aired. My reaction to it was, "Whoa!" though it didn't really hit me as anything more since I wasn't Catholic.

I did not see the aftermath coming. It was like she just instantly disappeared.

Thirty years later, she seems like the trailblazer for getting one's life ruined from retribution for daring to call out shitty behavior of powerful people and entities.

[–] MartinXYZ@sh.itjust.works 11 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Around this time Nirvana drew a lot of attention for mocking Top of the Pops by miming hilariously badly to Smells like teen spirit on air. It was a more innocent time. Ripping up a pic of the pope was wild.