AS Australians, we have a reputation for our offbeat sense of humour. But is the joke now on us? Or are we just losing our sense of humour, or more to the point, the art of satire?
Humour - or rather the lack of it has occupied more bloggers’ bytes on news sites over the past fortnight than any other topic.
Asked by news reporters for their view, everyone, right up to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, seems to have an opinion about what’s funny and what’s not.
It started with a satirical piece on the ABC’s The Chaser’s War on Everything which featured actors playing bedridden children in hospital being asked what their final wish would be, and then being told the Make a Realistic Wish Foundation couldn’t afford to grant it.
Many bloggers perceived this as a sick attempt to poke fun at dying kids.
One story about the skit on the Herald-Sun site attracted more than 700 online comments.
Comments like those of Lisa Jackson of Brisbane on couriermail.com.au were typical of the outrage: “I was a fan of The Chaser show, but not any more.
It was just so not funny, not one little bit, not at all. Aren’t these idiots supposed to be comedians and entertainers? So can someone explain to me what was funny in that skit?”
Ted of South Melbourne also thought The Chaser went too far. He wrote on www.heraldsun.com.au: “I’m not sure how The Chaser ever got on TV as they are at best, ordinary. The dying kids sketch was a subject that good satire never goes near.”
But another blogger, Jan Hayden of Ormond, defended the show, pointing out that satire doesn¹t always have to be funny: “The Chaser is social satire not comedy and it is unflinching in pushing the boundaries. Some find it funny, some don’t. That’s why there is an on/off switch. Some of the comments here are very naïve. The Chaser is not The Vicar of Dibley. You don’t like it, you don’t watch it. But don’t try to impose your intolerance on everyone else. Long live the Chaser.”
The sketch also found support from Michah of Queensland, who wrote on www.heraldsun.com.au: “The Chasers is political and social commentary. It is meant to push boundaries whether we consider it in good taste or not. I do not believe for a minute that The Chasers would do this piece for kicks. As far as I have seen, there is always an incredibly witty, serious and intelligent background to all that they do. Whether I agree with it is beside the point. I am glad that they have the guts to do and say things none of us can.”
Kevin Brohier of Brighton thought The Chaser was not as offensive as some other shows on television: “So we accept all the graphic violence, pornographic content, profanity etc that is now common place on TV but will draw the line and censor risky comedy. Great consistency! I fail to see how a tasteless skit can be deemed more offensive than shows such as Underbelly and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.”
When it comes to being offensive, bloggers agree that potty-mouthed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is an expert.
His much-publicised gibe about current affairs host Tracy Grimshaw, in which he likened her to some kind of pig-woman, was the other big topic on news sites.
Most thought his attempt at comedy or satire was not funny, but rather insulting and unwarranted.
Coral Clarke of Coorparoo wrote on couriermail.com.au: “Ramsay is a chef. He understands food. He will never be a comedian because he doesn’t understand humour. Little boys genuinely think insults are funny, and some boys never grow to manhood.”
But Jen of Sunshine Coast thought most people were over-reacting: “Oh for goodness sake, it was a joke! Australian humour has always been about self-deprecation and light-hearted banter which borders on the offensive - please watch The Footy Show for a good example of this - but when a Brit (God forbid) makes a joke about an Aussie ‘journalist’ everyone goes sick!”
If Ramsay is ever in need of another job, Seneca suggests a comedy tag team:
“With his ‘sense of humour’ and his lack of polish this so-called entertainer would be a natural for The Chaser team. Ever since the extremely funny and clever Billy Connolly introduced us to random, strong, coarse language it has been taken as a substitute for real humour by the untalented like Gordon Ramsay. He makes extreme Tourette¹s syndrome sound like Play School.”
Gordon Ramsay meets The Chaser. Now that might be a satire worth watching.
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