Popular Culture and Religion: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Homology of the Roman Catholic Rite of Exorcism in the Television Show Dr. Pimple Popper.

This article analyzes formal parallels between the Roman Catholic rite of exorcism and the secular television show *Dr. Pimple Popper* using the method of homological analysis, which identifies underlying rhetorical structures shared across disparate discourses. It demonstrates that *Dr. Pimple Popper*, though secular and medical in content, mirrors key elements of Catholic exorcism—including the presence of an invasive agent afflicting individuals, the role of a specially authorized and virtuous healer, and the use of prescribed rituals and instruments—thereby borrowing the persuasive power of sacred forms. The study suggests that such homologies reveal how religious discourse continues to influence popular culture at a formal level, even when explicit religious content is absent, and proposes that recognizing these patterns can deepen understanding of cultural rhetoric and inform religious outreach in increasingly secular societies.