Honestly, I liked the sketch. I like the sensation of laughing and shaking my head at the same time while thinking "So very wrong..." That's actually what I expect from the Chaser.
However.
This isn't the first time a Make a Wish sketch has been done. Back in 2008 the Comedy Channel's The Mansion did a similarly themed sketch. I'm certainly not saying one begat the other, it's pretty ripe subject matter. And for the record, Dan Ilic (fmr Mansion producer) is certainly not making any accusations. What I really wanna do is this: Easily Offended Smackdown! Which is funnier: The Chaser sketch or The Mansion? You tell me!
THE CHASER
THE MANSION
But wait... what's this?! A wild card Make A Wish entry...
THE ONION
.......and hold the presses but the awesome cult comedy Mr Show (Starring Bob Odenkirk and Arrested Development's David Cross and) also did a Make-A-Wish Gag. Thanks to Levins for this.
MR SHOW
DISCLAIMER: I have been known to drink with Chaser's Chris Taylor on occasion and I've slept on fmr Mansion producer Dan Ilic's couch. I'm not taking sides, both are awesome. I've never met anyone associated with The Onion, or Mr Show but goddamn i'd like to.
So how do you think they all compare? What makes one funnier than the other? let us know, down below
10 comments:
UPDATE - Some of your twitter responses
@joshymartinThe Mansion is a funnier show,but the Chaser are ballsier and make political and social comments that The Mansion wouldnt touch
@theburgermanHmm, the topic is taboo, sure - but then again, I'm hard to faze. I can understand how some others might take offence.
@RachTheThingThe only way the Make-A-Reasonable-Wish sketch was offensive was in its complete inability to arouse laughter.
@ptsiampasIts funny in a bad way, we laugh because we are unconftable and so we should be.
@willemrt i'm more offended that they have censored it. A warning would be much better
@andreaparsons I thought it was hilarious. The overreacting mothers will forget about it by Bold & The Beautiful time
Hmmmm... Interesting that it has similarities to those other sketches, though not nessecarily a rip off, given that they touched on similar subject matter on CNNNN years ago. However Marc, I'd love your two cents on the Oscar Bait sketch, which is amazingly similar to the mock trailer "Oscar Gold" from the American Dad episode "TearJerker"... Having only seen the AD episode just recently on DVD I was pretty stunned at the similarities.
Time to start a Joe Rogan VS Carlos Mencia type feud/crusade to call out the imitators and find out the originator.
I guess it's just one of those "obvious" jokes. all good.
I think Onion Wins
And let's not forget the Family Guy gag where Peter performs stand up to sick kids, and bombs totally.
Sick little boy: Owwww...
Peter: Ah, looks like we got a comedian here...
Sick Little Boy: Dying hurts...
Peter (nervously tugging at his collar): Tell me about it!
Didn't see any lynch mobs coming after Seth Macfarlane for that one!
we need to remember that tragedy + time = comedy. All those out there, including KRudd, are all taking the sketch far too literally and need a reality check.
Why target this sketch anyway? The Inbrady Bunch sketch last night was far more offensive by a country mile than Make a Realistic Wish - are we saying that as a nation we’re far more offended by a joke against the terminally ill then people then we are against the vile people behind, and the suffers of incest, rape and abuse? That alone shows we as a nation need to get our priorities right.
Anyone with a grain of intelligence would have seen it wasn’t meant as an attack on terminally ill people at all, but let’s not have the truth get in the way of a good story.
This story is a case of ‘if it bleeds, it leads’, and the press have gone for the jugular without a good justification other than ABC-bashing.
The sketch used the plot device (the tragedy) of ill children to illustrate the need for us humans with our life ahead of us might want to exercise some restraint in financially uncertain times like these, and it was masterfully done. If you didn’t laugh at this sketch, then your funny bone is out of whack.
Sure, it was black humour but it was right on the mark. I made this comment earlier on the topic over at TV Tonight, that Mark Scott couldn’t be any happier with The Chaser’s performance last night.
Not only is the ABC and one of their shining light programs being mentioned everywhere in the mediascape today (which no doubt makes marketing very happy), but they’ve fulfilled their role as a public broadcaster and kicked off a conversation in the community about an important issue.
Every Australian got double or triple their return on the ‘8c a day’ spent on Aunty, and that was achieved solely from 30min of programming.
I really don't know where I stand on this one. I laughed at the Chaser sketch, but it was almost because I felt obligated to. I think that the problem was it seemed to be making fun of the terminally ill as opposed to making fun of the bureaucracy of an organisation or concept, which was more what the other two were doing. I think it was for this reason, I preferred the other two.
While I think the Chaser are amazing, talented, spunky and certainly have balls, I think sometimes they need to take a step back and put on somebody else's shoes before they make a sketch. It's definitely a fine line between pleasure and pain, and this particular instance sees that line, and tap dances on it very flamboyantly.
From Kim Dalton's blog:
"The Chaser’s popularity may continue to fall. Last night’s episode was 1.169 million, significantly down from the debut episode of 1.5 million last week."
State of Origin. That is all.
Oh, wait, that is not all.
The Mansion rules for its hilarious portrayal of the fiftysomething charity worker stereotype.
I did not take any offense to this sketch, however, I was surprised that no one had anything to say about the KKK sketch the week before. I found that one far more offensive.
Why isn't anyone complaining about that?
Because there aren't nearly as many black people in Australia than America? I am extremely confused.
It would make sense to critisise the one that was slightly more poor taste, would it not?
Post a Comment