Chaser boys in trouble ... shock! horror!

Well the boys from The Chaser's War on Everything (ABC1, Wednesday 9pm) are certainly getting some publicity for this season! Week one received backlash for a skit involving a doll made to look like the Governor General and this week the ABC has supposedly been inundated with complaints relating to a skit involving sick kids and the fictitious "Make a Realistic Wish Foundation".

Here it is - [although it will probably be pulled from youtube soonish]


The news this morning stated that there were 'complaints'. By about 11am the news updates were reporting 'public outcry' and in the latest news break on channel 9 we have 'calls for the Chaser to be axed!'

The response from the Chaser boys is that if people are offended by it they should donate to the actual Make a Wish Foundation - a good point. Here's a link to the website.

Here's the press release from ABC:

Statement from Kim Dalton, Director of ABC TV and Julian Morrow, Executive Producer The Chaser’s War on Everything

The Chaser’s War on Everything is a satirical program aimed at provoking debate and providing social commentary on topical issues, current affairs and public life in general.

The sketch in last night’s show called ‘Making A Realistic Wish Foundation' was a satirical sketch and black comedy.

The ABC and The Chaser did not intend to hurt those who have been affected by the terminal illness of a child. We acknowledge the distress this segment has caused and we apologise to anyone we have upset.

As a result, ABC TV will edit the segment out of tonight’s repeat screening on ABC2 and on-line.

If you don't like the Chaser's style of humour, don't watch it. As everyone should know by now, the Chaser boys push the boundaries of freedom of speech and yes, they sometimes get it wrong and yes, they sometimes go too far and yes, it's sometimes just not funny. But I appreciate that we live in a country where a show like The Chaser's War on Everything can go to air.

The point of that particular skit - which I'm sure most people missed - was to bring attention to the fact that charities use emotionally charged imagery like sick kids in an attempt to get you to give money to their charity rather than another. Of course sick kids deserve presents - as if that was the point?! The point is how do you make decisions about which charity you will give your hard earned cash to? And why is one more deserving than another? There was a skit in the episode the week before about charitable choices too - was that outrageous and offensive? No. Because the kids were black, poor and from a third-world country.

The right-wingers and Christian groups who have jumped on the moral-panic band-wagon don't really have any context to assess the message that the Chaser was trying to send because they don't watch the show. It was an interesting point ... but was made in a bad way (ie. not funny and pushing the envelope for no particular reason).