The Chaser's War on Publicly Pre-Approved Topics

If you’ve paid any attention to Australian news recently, you’ll be aware that the ABC comedy satire series The Chaser’s War on Everything, its makers and those responsible for broadcasting it, have been crucified over one of their more recent sketches. (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, see here and here for further details.) To sum things up briefly, in a play on the very famous Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Chaser team poked fun at the organisation by darkly acting as the fictional Make-A-Realistic-Wish Foundation; a charity that sees little point in arranging celebrity meetings or expensive international trips for terminally ill children because they’re likely to die soon anyway.

While it’s neither hard to imagine this joke striking a nerve in the parents of sick children nor much of a stretch to label it as being in poor taste, the outcry following this episode seems to be somewhat misaligned. After the show’s airing, the real Make-A-Wish Foundation made a statement about this sketch potentially influencing parents with kids in this situation:

"[The families] won't make a wish because they do feel that psychologically they are signing something that says 'Now my child will pass away'"

As a counter-argument, I have to say that any rational, responsible adult should never make a decision (let alone an important one) based on a TV show’s comedy skit. I’ll be honest and admit that I’ve never particularly been a fan of the show myself. Not because I’m offended by any of the topics – as far as satire goes, they can go ahead and make fun of whatever they want – but, in terms of comedy, I’ve simply never found any of the jokes funny. Animated series’ like Family Guy and American Dad! have offended and grossed me out to the nth degree, numerous times. I also happened to think they’re two of the funniest shows currently in production. The Chaser’s War on Everything just never did it for me. I solve that problem by just not watching it, which some offended parties seem unwilling to do.

We do live in an approximation of a democracy, though, so it’s a little alarming that such a benign matter should explode like this. Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has stated that he didn’t watch the show and had the sketch described to him, while adding further:

"I actually don't mind the Chaser taking the mickey out of me or any other politician, at any time and any place. But having a go at kids with a terminal illness is really beyond the pale, absolutely beyond the pale."

Is it really so much of a shock that a show titled The Chaser’s War on Everything would screw with topics beyond just the political arena? Comedy is about what’s funny, not limits. Audience members don’t have to laugh at the idea of a Make-A-Realistic-Wish Foundation but why should the topic be completely censored? Especially since it’s making fun of the concept of such a heartless organisation existing and not of the sick children at all.

Comedian George Carlin once said about his craft: "I believe you can joke about anything, it all depends on how you construct the joke; what the exaggeration is. Every joke has to have one thing that is way out of proportion."

This blatant exaggeration is the entire dynamic behind this sketch and it’s this exaggeration that so many people don’t seem to be able to make sense of. The Chaser team has cast its glare on countless popular faces and ideals – those who love to scream ‘religious insensitivity’ or ‘sacrilege’ have been given plenty of ammunition – throughout the series’ run. Possibly the majority of buddy-cop films could be railed against as being racist in all essentials. A disturbing amount of both dramatic and comedic plotlines display gross amounts of homophobia. However, through everything, it’s this that sparks the outrage of Australians everywhere; never mind the fact that you’d need to be totally clueless about this entire issue to take the show (or the sketch’s scenario) seriously.