23/08/01

Ever had someone tell a joke about a disease only to find out someone in the room has a relative who suffers from/died from said disease?

Brass Eye: Funny or deadly serious?

Well i happen to think it's comedy genius. Not simply because it made a mockery of Richard Blackwood. But also because it provoked the same kind of reaction that it was satirizing.

Paedophilia is no joke. Brass Eye was not making a joke about it. Contrary to what the thousands of tabloid reading housewives think, Brass Eye did not make fun of the victims or the pedophiles themselves. If anything that programme took the mickey out of the people who attacked a pediatrician in Newport who thought that person was a paedophile. 

I found it funny because it was shocking and intelligent. My first reaction was "how is this on TV?" the seconds was a round of applause. I also found my self ashamed at the intelligence of some the so called celebrities. It is my belief that Phillipa Forrester should leave Tomorrow's World immediately if she thinks paedophiles can fondle children through their computer screens.

The outcry over the programme made me laugh as much as the original programme itself. I sat there reading the paper thinking to myself "they just don't get it" Brass Eye has taught me many things, e.g. their drugs special taught me more about drugs than school ever had even though it was a satirical report. 

Channel 4 were right to stand by the programme. The irrational response of the lynch mob who want to have Chris Morris castrated, would make a good subject for a Brass Eye special. At least the controversy over the issue has brought the subject of child abuse out of the shadows, even if you didn't enjoy the humor. 

For years now newspapers have called paedophiles "beasts" & "animals" this is because we as human beings don't like to associate evil with ourselves. Which is why evil is usually characterized by animals and monsters. Brass Eye & media studies has taught me that paedophiles are far from monster and animals, they are just like me and you and could be living in your street or even reading this.

But that doesn't mean that we should take a leaf out of the Ku Klux Klan book and hang everyone who even mentions the subject of child abuse. However as long as the sensationalist way that the tabloids present such subjects is around, nothing can be done. Bored housewives will take note of the name's and addresses or paedophiles posted in the Sunday papers and go out and attack them. Thus lowering themselves to their level.

Anyway back to Brass Eye. Comedy should have no boundaries, comedy is there to make people laugh in many different ways. Brass Eye was of the shocking humor, "should i be watching this?" type of humor. The idea that someone actually thought that a child was accidentally sent into space with a paedophile shows how serious people take comedy. These people shouldn't be watching comedy. Patrick Kielty's father was killed by the troubles in Ireland yet he makes jokes about the situation over there all the time. Whether your a fan of his work or not that shows you how comedy for him has no limitations. Or perhaps that's just me and my young "whipper snapper" ideals.

So perhaps only the people who see comedy as having no boundaries will understand what Brass Eye is about. So what will the majority of people do about programs that tackle such issues in the future? Well the answer is simple, contrary to popular belief there are other channels out there!!!! Yes, BBC1 BBC2 ITV and Sky etc. You didn't have to watch it! Or watch anything that will offend you ever again! Even better how about reading for a change?

The same people who want all paedophiles and people with similar names to be hung, drawn and quartered will be back when Super Mario 64 is blamed for copycat plumbing jobs, when Heavy Metal is accused of shooting some kids (when in fact it was the manic depressive behind the gun), when movie studio's are sued for similar shooting sprees (what about the guns? What about the Bullets!!!!). Why can't the BackStreet boys, Britney Spears or Steps be blamed for shooting people? 

So my advice to you out there is to open your minds a little, my advice to myself: Leave town now! (I can already here the lynch mob)

(This isn't happening. But if it were, what would you think? Chris Morris.)

Have a Foam Filled Day!

© Paul Hunt 2001