In October 2007 I wrote an article in defence of the 'Eulogy' song, a controversial comic sequence that featured on ABC TV's The Chaser's War on Everything.
The song poked fun at dead celebs such as Peter Brock and Princess Di. But, as I wrote at the time, more important, it made a joke of the cult of celebrity in the West. 'Welcome to the world of satire', I wrote, a comic form that 'thrives on putting people offside' in its efforts to make a point.
'Putting people offside' is an occupational hazard for The Chaser, and they've exceeded themselves once again. Their now notorious 'Make a Realistic Wish Foundation' sketch last week had irate viewers switching off in droves and picking up their phones to lodge their objections.
In case you missed it, the skit, a mock infomercial, featured cast member Chris Taylor offering actors playing sick children 'realistic' alternatives to their dying wishes: a pencil case instead of a trip to Disneyland; a stick instead of a meeting with Zac Efron.
Responding to complaints, the ABC and The Chaser issued an apology, the segment was edited from Thursday night's ABC2 replay, and The Chaser's War on Everything was pulled from the air for two weeks to permit a review of 'editorial processes'. The verdict seemed unanimous: this time, the Chaser had gone too far.
But let's put all this back in its proper context.
'The Chaser's War on Everything is a satirical program aimed at provoking debate and providing social commentary on topical issues, current affairs and public life in general,' read the apology issued after the sketch was aired.
'The ABC and The Chaser did not intend to hurt those who have been affected by the terminal illness of a child. We acknowledge the distress this segment has caused and we apologise to anyone we have upset.'
Surely no one thinks Taylor is such a cad that he'd begrudge a dying child their final wish. The Make A Wish Foundation, lampooned in the skit, provides a valuable service. The sketch was not designed, nor was it likely, to bring the Foundation down, or to incite hatred against the kids or families who make use of this service.
Admittely, the true intention of the skit isn't immediately apparent. Perhaps it was meant to imply that our materialistic preoccupation is so great that it pervades the minds even of children on the brink of death. That's a defensible argument. Still, if that was the intended subtext, it was too subtle compared with the confronting nature of the skit itself. In which case the problem is with execution more than content.
But satire needs to be bold. It risks making people angry, or causing offence, or failing to provoke laughter, in order to achieve its purpose. Pushing boundaries is what The Chaser do. It seems like strange behaviour to want to see how far they'll go, then become upset when they are deemed to have gone 'too far'. That the ABC's head of comedy, Amanda Duthie, should be demoted over the stunt seems harsh in the extreme.
It's easy to see that this joke missed its mark — it isn't even very funny. By all means, feel offended. But let's take it for what it is — a bad joke — and move on.
Tim Kroenert is Assistant Editor of Eureka Street. His articles and reviews have been published by The Age, Inside Film, the Brisbane Courier-Mail and The Big Issue.