# Satirical skit depicting children with a terminal illness **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189 "2009-06-09T05:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/21 "2009-06-10T14:12:11Z")
> [@rhysf](#): > > You can see it [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzK8kBnnFMA). It seemed to me to be at least as inflammatory but didn’t raise a murmur, I guess because it’s not an issue in Australia. Would it be controversial in the US? Could you describe it? I hate to watch something like that at work. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/22 "2009-06-10T15:56:10Z")
Jeez, I thought you Australians wrestled down your dinner with your bare hands, and shaved your faces with rusty knives. Crying about a little comedy bit? I thought that was something only soccer moms from Orange County did. ---
**Author:** ![carter6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/77aa72/32.png) [@carter6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carter6)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/23 "2009-06-12T03:22:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Nah, the gag was set up in a humorous fashion, and it’s obvious it was done for humor and not shock value. The Chappelle Show has done Klansmen sketches too. Still, I think the context of where a joke is coming from does matter - Rhysf asked if the sketch would be controversial in the US, and I think Australians joking about a sensitive issue in US racial history would definitely be looked at more closely in the US than when an “insider” like Dave Chappelle jokes about the same topic. And just because Chappelle has done sketches that are popular and non-controversial does not make the content of anyone else’s Klan sketches automatically ok. That said, I think the only part of this Chaser bit that would be really controversial in the US is the part where they show the woman getting a noose put over her head - it adds nothing to the sketch and it’s sort of shockingly graphic and unnecessary for what the sketch is. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/24 "2009-06-12T04:02:50Z")
> [@firstname](#): > > .. at the end of last season they were making the “news” (Today Tonight/ A Current Affair) almost every week. Yeah, The Chaser is a goldmine for stirring up the numpties who watch ACA/TT, but I noticed Johnathan Holmes on Media Watch was pretty much completely on board as well, albeit in a more reserved fashion. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/25 "2009-06-12T13:10:05Z")
> [@rhysf](#): > > So, are dying children off-limits as a subject of comedy or are people being too sensitive? IMHO this issue hits home with many people and convicts them of their own failings. People don’t like to be reminded of their shortcomings and normally like to avoid issues or failing that attack the messenger. Basically many children are treated exactly as you described, both terminally ill and healthy. It amy also remind them of the uncaring treatment and disappointment they experienced as a child. And it is also a sociatal view of all children today. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/26 "2009-06-12T13:31:11Z")
> [@rhysf](#): > > So, are dying children off-limits as a subject of comedy or are people being too sensitive? They’re not making fun of dying children, though. They’re just spoofing the Make-A-Wish foundation by imagining what it would be like if those sorts of groups didn’t make any effort. The two times they did stray closer to making fun of the kids, the audience didn’t like it and they got more awww-ing than laughter. That was the “lowering their extravagance in the face of death” and “they’re only gonna die anyway.” Aside from those flops the sketch was pretty funny even though it hits close to home for me. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189/27 "2009-06-12T14:26:56Z")
Amazing. It’s like gallows humor is new and exciting or something. I shudder at the thought of the world crisis that’s bound to happen should the media ever hear about dead baby jokes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satirical-skit-depicting-children-with-a-terminal-illness/499189.md?page=1)