Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Shark attack victim mocked on US TV--Jeselnik Offensive

I love to laugh; to the point that my sides ache. The saying, ‘I pissed myself laughing’ has a good deal of truth. There is a show on American TV (maybe a cable company) called Jeselnik Offensive. I guess the name itself should serve as a warning that it will not be PC and that is has shock value.
Today in the New Zealand Herald we read about this show and how it’s very funny presenter has made fun of a recent shark attack in New Zealand’s Muruwai Beach, leaving the victim, David Strange, dead for his wounds. Such attacks resulting in death are extremely rare in NZ; there have only been 13 since about 1840. This in a country that boasts many thousands of miles of coastline makes NZ a safe place. The death had a huge effect on the community and the family are still fighting to recover from the grief.
The presenter was mocking and deliberately mean and mocking in a sick way, in his reporting of the incident. My question to his fellow Americans would be----‘would you do this about one of your own, or worse still about one of the horrible multiple gun deaths in your own country?’ Maybe you would. I know I have seen examples of that regularly on a range of programmes. You are not alone of course but in a smaller country, people can be challenged far more easily.
Does such an example of insensitive ‘comedy’ represent the USA? Of course it doesn’t, but it does remind us that can stoop to a pretty low level, all in the name of ‘entertainment.’ I can assure you that we in NZ did not find it funny, but then again, we will get over it.
I for one, find that ‘much rejuvenated old lady with the mouth from the sewer,’ MS Rivers, to be particularly funny, so I am not about to point my finger too viciously.
Point made and move on time.

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