File this under "Headlines that left you speechless"

[cheery_j.]

@Tony: I've only watched a couple of episodes of the show 'the chaser's war on everything' on long flights and online and thought some of the stuff was hilarious. Some was stupid and some I didn't get because it was too Australian.

However, in the episodes I watched they didn't do anything that was totally tactless like in the article above.

[Tonyblack]

Thanks Cheery - although I tend to find that airlines are a bit selective as to what episodes they show.

[cheery_j.]

That's probably why I was surprised by how much our Aussie boardies seem to hate them.

[Quatermass]

From Wikipedia...

On 3 June 2009 episode, Taylor and Hansen were involved in a skit which was set in a terminally ill children's ward of a hospital, which centered around a spokesman (Taylor) portraying himself along with a doctor (Hansen), from the fictional 'Make a Realistic Wish Foundation' (a spoof of the Make-a-Wish Foundation). The premise of the skit was that if the terminally ill children are only going to live for a few more months before passing away, it is not worth spending money on lavish gifts for them. The one minute long sketch featured Taylor giving one girl a pencil case instead of a trip to Disneyland. Then along the same lines, Hansen gave another girl a stick instead of a meeting with Zac Efron. The skit concluded with Taylor stating "Why go to any trouble, when they're only gonna die anyway".

The publicised reaction to the sketch the next day from the general public and media commentators was almost universally negative. Among widespread reported disapproval from the public, especially from the families that the Make-a-Wish Foundation has helped, prime minister Kevin Rudd stated that The Chaser team "should hang their heads in shame". He went on to say that "I didn't see that but it's been described to me....But having a go at kids with a terminal illness is really beyond the pale, absolutely beyond the pale." That morning, the Chaser team along with the ABC managing director Mark Scott apologised for airing the skit, with Scott stating that "We have unreservedly apologised for airing that skit,...It's very clear today from the reaction that it's caused considerable offence and distress, particularly to parents of children that are seriously ill....I've spoken to Julian Morrow from The Chaser and my understanding is that certainly wasn't the intention of the script, but that's the consequences of it." The ABC will now change their procedures for reviewing episode content which gets broadcast. Scott continued, "We're going to look at those processes ... I mean we all know that The Chaser push the edges and it's a tightrope that we walk, and I suppose there are many, many skits that they've put to air that have offended someone along the way – that's part of the nature of the satirical and black comedy that they do," The full episode was initially available for downloading or online viewing from the official website but was taken down while the skit was edited out of the episode, the edited version was then made available for download. The skit has also been cut from any further television airings and DVD releases. The ABC suspended The Chaser's War on Everything for two weeks. This was relayed via a message by The Chaser on their website, who stated that whilst they disagree with the decision to suspend the show, they apologise for making the skit, acknowledging that it went too far. When the show returned two weeks later, the controversy was referenced by the show being introduced as "The Chaser's Waste of Taxpayers' money", a reference to the fact that the show is on the Government funded ABC channel.

'Nuff said.

[Catch-up]

Wow. That is really disgusting.

[Quatermass]

There's pushing the boundaries of humour, and then there's just plain mean-spiritedness. The Chaser is the latter.

Although to be honest, most Aussie comedy is frankly sh**. It's pretty poor when our best comedy show is Kingswood Country, followed by Double the Fist and then Kath and Kim. Ugh.

[Del]

WHATS WRONG WITH KATH AND KIM??????????????????????????????????

Q.... considering WHERE you live.... dont tell me you havent met or seen a million Kath and Kims THERE!


and the Chaser?

THIS is what was in Q's article...

Chaser upsets Bali survivors at memorial

Bali bombing victims are appalled that The Chaser's Craig Reucassel interrupted their reflection at a memorial near Parliament House.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had been leading away a teary Clair Marsh from a press conference on Thursday when Reucassel approached firing questions about freedom of speech, The Australian reports.

Mr Abbott had called for $75,000 compensation payments for people affected by terrorism.

Ms Marsh, a nurse who helped Bali victims, said she was astonished by Reucassel's action.

'... we were being led away and, I like The Chaser group, but they go overboard and they were bloody inappropriate,' Ms Marsh said. 'We were talking about people who died and others still living with terrible wounds.'

Mr Abbott told Reucassel it was 'not the time'.

Disgusting little plebs!

[Quatermass]

WHATS WRONG WITH KATH AND KIM??????????????????????????????????

Q.... considering WHERE you live.... dont tell me you havent met or seen a million Kath and Kims THERE!

Kath and Kim was alright for a while. But it quickly began to grate on me. Some comedy shows (like Kath and Kim, or The Office, the original UK version) I'll enjoy once, and never again.

And no. I haven't. I keep indoors and don't talk to people, so I've probably been lucky enough to avoid these people of whom you speak.

[Tonyblack]

That apology in Q's post is clearly not heartfelt. How could they NOT know that people would be upset and outraged? It sounds more a case of damage limitation than a sincere regret at their actions.

It really annoys me when people come out with outrageous stuff and then, when they are called on it, they claim to have "misspoken" or they are "sincerely sorry for any offence caused". It means nothing except - damn I screwed up and it could be costly unless I pretend to be sorry.

[Del]

Tony I think that THAT is exactly why people turned even more against them...... NOONE really believed they were sorry.

[Catch-up]

Yes, definitely a peeve of mine too Tony. "That's not what I meant to say." Or, "It was just a joke." are two of the lamest things someone can say. You're a grown up and you can't manage to say what you mean? Really? And the assumption that it's not their responsibility to express themselves appropriately, but somehow your responsibility to know they didn't mean to say something completely stupid. Another version of that is, "I'm not going to cave in to PC-ness gone crazy." There are times when something done in the name of PC is overboard, but often people use a statement like that just to try get away with saying racist things. Nothing is more nauseating.

[Dotsie]

My dad never apologises, he says life's too short to spend it feeling guilty Me & Sadie know what he's like though, so we can just ignore it.

WHATS WRONG WITH KATH AND KIM??????????????????????????????????

Q.... considering WHERE you live.... dont tell me you havent met or seen a million Kath and Kims THERE!

I LOVE Kath & Kim! Luvvit luvvit luvvit!

[Batty]

It really annoys me when people come out with outrageous stuff and then, when they are called on it, they claim to have "misspoken" or they are "sincerely sorry for any offence caused". It means nothing except - damn I screwed up and it could be costly unless I pretend to be sorry.

An even worse 'apology', beloved of poilitians and so-called comedians, is: I'm sorry IF I offended people.'

I've never understood the 'if'. If they hadn't, then there wouldn't be any need for them to issue ANY statement!

[Tonyblack]

The 'if' kind of says (to me) that I'm not sorry for what I've said and 'if' you were offended then it's your fault for being offended, not mine for being offensive.

I agree - that one is really annoying!

[raisindot]

It really annoys me when people come out with outrageous stuff and then, when they are called on it, they claim to have "misspoken" or they are "sincerely sorry for any offence caused". It means nothing except - damn I screwed up and it could be costly unless I pretend to be sorry.

Tony I think that THAT is exactly why people turned even more against them...... NOONE really believed they were sorry.

Obviously, you folks have never watched FOX news. Their slogan is, "Lie every day, make outrageous, totally unfounded accusations posing as facts, only apologize when advertisers threaten to pull ads while calling ourselves 'fair and balanced' and fully knowing that the redneck morons who watch us will never be outraged by anything we say as long as it accommodates their paranoid right wing outlook on life."