Offended... by the Simpsons!

[Nitefly]

Hello all,

Whilst returning from a hard day's lab to relax infront of the TV, I put on channel 4 for a bit of Simpsons relief. The episode involved an Irish parade (St. Patricks Day) with all your favourites there. Suddenly, alchohol got the best of them, and a semi-riot broke out.

Then, the camera cut to a building with the Union Jack on it, which then exploded as if a bomb had gone off inside. Then the crowd all cheered in unison.

Now, I'm a fan of 'close to the line' humour, but for some reason I was quite shocked by this. Obviously it was intended to be edgy, but I couldn't help feel it was pretty out of place in a Simpsons episode, poking fun at such past events. I was even more suprised that channel 4 didn't edit that scene out, being at 6pm.

Of course, I realise this makes me entirely hypocritical. I enjoy programmes such as Family Guy which frequently poke fun at the disabled, but I find poking fun at such terrorism maybe one step too far. I'm not going to complain of course. Maybe it made me feel rather defensive of my country!

So, did anyone else see it? Did you find it shocking? Do you think channel four will recieve any complaints?

And so on.

 

[Nitefly]

Get over it

People really need to get of their high horses and stop getting offended at the smallest of things.

Some people are too highly strung - or just like to whinge and moan for no reason.

I'm finding the majority of these responses absolutely hilarious.

I havn't even thought about it since I posted and I come back to find that I'm a fun killing, miserable, PC git! The forum continues to stun me with its knee jerking.

This is the exact reason I'm starting to partially loathe the anti-pc crowd. Someone finds something moderate offensive, BURN HIM AT THE STEAK.

It was clearly a joke, a harsh and offensive joke. I laughed when I saw it, I was merely pointing out I though it was rather insensitive for a programme such as the Simpsons, and was wondering if anyone else thought the same. Don't have a hernia over it!

To expand its not even something ridiculous to get offended by, Christmas songs in public places, baba 'rainbow' sheep are examples worthy of mocking. Its also totally understandable if someone got offended by a 9/11 joke.

It would be different if it portrayed a building in london being blown up, but really all it showed was a flag being blown up. It was obvious what it was hinting at though.

Actually it quite clearly showed an 'English' building being blown up, it wasn't just a flag.

I'm guessing the episode was pre 9/11, i.e. before the Americans thought terrorism was a bad thing.

Just I found it offensive for some Americans to make a quick joke over something they are a million miles away from in there big mansions.

Exactly. But then again we laugh at many American mishaps too.

 

[Nitefly]

I much prefer how you relate the Union Jack to England Why so? They've seen terrorism in their lifetimes too...

A slip of the tongue

 

[Nitefly]

havent read past page one, but seeing we are all in the mood for 'jokes'.

How do you fit 58 jews in a mini

2 in the front, 2 in the back and 54 in the ash tray?




Only a joke, how can that offend?

Hardyhar.

 

[Nitefly]

thank you!!

get a grip OP

What are you talking about, really? I found something mildly offensive, I understand it was a joke, I didn't make a big deal out of it, I didn't complain. I merely wished to see what other forum members thought. What exactly is there for me to get a grip of?

Heres some appropriate biology for you:

 

[Nitefly]

Oh noes that picture of that leg is offensive, it's white. Let's make a thread about it

You might of had a point if there was any reasonable logic why it could be offensive. But you don't.

 

[Nitefly]

edit @ OP, grow up.

You are new, so I will forgive you for not actually reading the OP. But then again quite a few others clearly failed to do so as well....

If you are offended by that don't watch Family Guy!

Of course, I realise this makes me entirely hypocritical. I enjoy programmes such as Family Guy

You either laugh or you don't I hate people who feel the need to complain about everything. Your comment here, I don't mind but those that write to channel 4 to complain. Come on more important things in life no? IF you let young children watch simpsons you are a bad parent it's not for children despite the time they air it.

Hooray, someone did read the OP after all.

Complaints like this are why we are in such a PC age imho

Please point out where exactly I complained?

 

[Nitefly]

personally i dont really care what a cartoon does, but really IRA bombings are far too recent to be taking the **** out of already. This sort of thing you expect by Southpark, not Simpsons

Exactly, I've never seen something so 'provocative' on the Simpsons before.

 

[Nitefly]

Why should there be? Is Pearl Harbor funny?

... so the IRA bombings are funny?

If someone makes a joke of it.....yes?

It depends on the joke. A skit of the japanese bombing a US battleship then the Japanese cheering would be fairly borderline, which is pretty much what the Simpsons did for the episode in question.

 

[Nitefly]

funny how american cartoons can take the **** out of the IRA but dont take the **** out of pearl harbor or Jews....

Actually I can think of one cartoon which relentlessly picks on the Jews, but then it picks on just about everything else as well.