Bullying does not make good TV.
This might seem like an obvious statement, but it was provoked by a programme I watched yesterday evening. I usually enjoy 8 out of 10 Cats; the panellists are witty and play off each other very well. There is sometimes a certain amount of good natured banter, but no real harm is meant. For last night's festive edition, the panellists were Sean Lock, Micky Flanagan, Jon Richardson, Greg Davies, Liza Tarbuck and Jedward. Very little of the show was funny. I was disappointed.
I don't like Jedward, for several reasons. I don't think they are particularly talented as singers, dancers or performers in general. (I also don't like that as twins they present themselves as one entity, even conflating their names, but that's a separate issue.). I also don't like the 'celebrity' culture they represent: they are, actually, famous for their lack of talent, promoted by the UK X factor show. They are young, and have been thrust into the spotlight with managers/agents who get their faces on anything and everything they can. X factor expoited them for viewing figures - not to listen in awe to their vocal brilliance, but to see what new crazy thing they would do - and they continue to develop their own particular 'brand' in this way. It might be good for their publicity, but I doubt it is good for the boys themselves. Last night's programme was a good example of this.
Most of the programme consisted of the other panellists (and the host, Jimmy Carr) joking amongst themselves about how terrible and how stupid Jedward are. There was a lot of name calling, and a lot of highlighting their 'faults'. And the boys just kept pushing through. They kept trying to join in in answering the questions, but each time they were made to look extremely foolish at best.
I don't think they did themselves any favours on this front. And I don't think that their managers / agents / parents are doing them any favours either in encouraging them to keep doing these things. There is a limit to how long they will be able to continue presenting themselves in the way that they do, and they will also struggle to create careers for themselves when the 'Jedward' bubble bursts - which it will, sooner or later.
But, the 'grown ups' on 8 out of 10 Cats (their term, not mine) did not come across any better in their dealings with the boys. The funniest moments were those of quick wit, mostly directed at other targets than Jedward. There is nothing quick witted about verbally bashing or humiliating an easy target. And the boys themselves, although they kept smiling through, looked at times like they were genuinely hurt by some of the comments. There was nothing funny about grown men (I'm excluding Liza Tarbuck, because she actually said very little, and would add that Jon Richardson behaved better than the others) bullying teenage boys.
Jedward were well out of their depth. They knew it. The host and other panellists knew it. And I knew it. And it made for very uncomfortable viewing. .
The TV programme that created 'Jedward' was irresponsible to do so. They are not well equipped for the world that either loves or loathes them, and whilst they are 'good sports', there is a limit to what they ought to be expected to take in the name of publicity.
Presenting this as a Christmas comedy programme gives out the wrong message. It suggests that bullying is witty, or funny. It isn't. If those sorts of comments were made in a different forum we would all agree it was bullying and wrong. But because it was a comedy show - and because Jedward are Jedward - such behaviour is allowed to pass by uncriticised. It shouldn't be.
Such blatant bullying on TV is not funny. It is cruel and it is irresponsible. And it should be far beneath the witty comedians who made two teenage boys their target as part of festive fun.
4 comments:
I didn't watch the show but can completely agree with the sentiment of this post. I have seen this behaviour in action on many such shows, where they haul in a 'ridiculous' act, just to poke fun at the them. The 'ridiculous' act is always out of its depth and it just isn't funny. As it happens. I rarely find Jimmy Carr amusing - he reminds me of that irritating, snide, smart arse kid that everyone has had in their class at school and that everyone hated for their cruel comments and smarty pants humour. Being cruel is not, by default, somehow humorous. This also appears to have been the downfall of Frankie Boyle who used to be funny but now resorts to picking on his audience members and being thoroughly offensive towards them. That's meant to be funny, it's not. He just comes across as a very sad, angry man these days.
It's always a shame to have to watch someone being humiliated for entertainment, when you know they didn't sign up for that. But, at the same time, they *must* know they're essentially famous for being a crap, talentless act and so their manager should have prevented them from being exposed/out of their depth. It's unfair on them.
I agree. I am usually a fan of the show. Watch it all the time. Have been to see Micky flanegan live and Jimmy and I am not easily offended by anything. But watching comedians that have the ability to be naturally funny using Jedwards autistic traits in desperate attempt to be entertaining is extremely low! My daughter has autism and misses social cues just as John and Edward do and although they do not do themselves any favours allowing people to make them look so ridiculous on tv, watching them bullied from professional comedians who behaved like a bunch of school children was uncomfortable to watch and the shitiest show I have ever watched! Seriously thinking of cancelling my tickets to see Jimmy Carr live now after being a fan for many years.
I'm well aware that comedians often use racism, sexism, discrimination etc in their jokes and I still find the jokes funny even when poked at dusabilities because it's just fun and no harm meant. But last nights episode was spiteful and hurtful to watch because no mater how ridiculous these boys are made to look, nobody deserves to be disrespected in that way in desperate attempt to be entertaining by comedians who are talented there for do not need to behave like playground bullies towards autistic people!!!
They wouldn't get away with bullying someone on the show for having missing limbs or being blind so why sit and pull down someones neurological disability, bacause they don't see it...so I guess they're shallow enough to think it's not there!!!!!
I'm hurt by this show because I've spent yrs fighting for help for autistic children so that people are more educated enough not to treat them in this way!!!!!!
Totaly agree, they should have been pulled up for this, I myself used to bully young vulnerable people in this way and am ashamed to admit it, however in my defence was 7 years old at the time, I have grat respect for jimmy Carr and the smaller guy with glasses can't remember his name, they both do a brilliant stand up, but shamed themselves by bullying 2 (let's face it) little boys! Yes it's mainly there parents and agents fault but of 6 adults only john Richardson came out with any dignity, hang your heads in shame bully boys!
The show is hysterical! Buy a sense of humor.
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