Thursday, June 04, 2009
The Chaser does Pissweak Make-a-Wish World
I haven’t laughed hard at anything new (i.e. “Kath + Kim” repeats excluded) on TV for ages until last night’s The Chaser “Make a Realistic Wish” segment. I found it particularly funny because, consciously or otherwise, it extended the concept behind Late Show’s classic Pissweak World mock-ads. The genius of the “Pissweak World” segments was their wise-child point of view, elevated into editorial/narrator omniscience – an impossibility in real life, of course, but also perhaps the paradigm of that elusive beast, Truth in Advertising.
Somehow, last night’s The Chaser segment has been perceived by some (most?) as an attack on terminally-ill children. Sheesh – the thought that it was actually the adults depicted who were being satirised (rather savagely, I admit) seems to be a step too far for middle Australia. Such critics have a gaping blind spot, incidentally proving that there is not nearly enough good Australian satire being made and consumed. Get a grip, people.
I haven’t laughed hard at anything new (i.e. “Kath + Kim” repeats excluded) on TV for ages until last night’s The Chaser “Make a Realistic Wish” segment. I found it particularly funny because, consciously or otherwise, it extended the concept behind Late Show’s classic Pissweak World mock-ads. The genius of the “Pissweak World” segments was their wise-child point of view, elevated into editorial/narrator omniscience – an impossibility in real life, of course, but also perhaps the paradigm of that elusive beast, Truth in Advertising.
Somehow, last night’s The Chaser segment has been perceived by some (most?) as an attack on terminally-ill children. Sheesh – the thought that it was actually the adults depicted who were being satirised (rather savagely, I admit) seems to be a step too far for middle Australia. Such critics have a gaping blind spot, incidentally proving that there is not nearly enough good Australian satire being made and consumed. Get a grip, people.
