How many of you knew that Andrew Bolt made an appearance in a shitty comedy pilot late last year?
Andrew’s complete lack of comedy nous makes me long for the days of jokes about terminally ill kids. I never thought I’d say this, but I hope he stays in “social commentary” because he has no talent here. To think everyone has been beating up on the Chaser when they could have been beating up on this shit.
Despite what some people say, this sketch isn’t making fun of children with terminal illness, but rather our attitudes towards them. Are the kids in this the target of ridicule, or the faux terrible charity?
In the end though, the sketch is a failure for comedic reasons, not for moral ones. Like most ad parodies, it’s very by-the-numbers. The moral outrage this morning is the result of the sketch failing to make anyone laugh. As a result, everyone missed the point and it appeared as though the humour in the sketch came from lambasting dying children, which it wasn’t supposed to.
It was clumsy comedy that they simply should have handled better.
Incidentally, it’s almost a virtual re-write of a McDonald’s House charity parody they did on CNNNN for Fungry’s, and I don’t remember anyone complaining then. Why? Because the sketch hit its satirical mark and there was no question as to where the comedy was aimed.
But to all the people complaining – how many of you even saw the sketch go to air? Mia Freedman didn’t. Like the obituary song, most of the outrage will be generated by the current affairs and morning shows who will gleefully replay it in a cheap grab for ratings.
Brendan Nelson is proving to be a real warrior in doorstop interviews. First there was this ominous warning to “just watch.” Then there was his notorious “I’m going nowhere” declaration. And then there was this awesome articulation of a “nothing” plan.
But this snippet of comedy genius that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Monty Python sketch is the “alternative Prime Minister” of the country fending off the hard questions.
QUESTION: Dr Nelson were you aware that in 2007 the Australian Defence Department hired mercenaries to work for it?
DR NELSON: No I’m not.
QUESTION: It’s your department, surely you’d, you would have been across it?
DR NELSON: Well I won’t comment on it.
QUESTION: So were you aware of anything?
DR NELSON : Well as I say I won’t comment on it and I’m not aware of it.
QUESTION: Why won’t you comment?
DR NELSON: Well I don’t have to. So I don’t need to.
What an absolute corker! He didn’t know about it, then he wouldn’t comment on what he didn’t know about, then he delivers a primary school knockout blow in, “Well I don’t have to. So I don’t need to.” I bet that poor reporter needed an icepack and a beer after that one.
At least when Nelson’s unceremoniously dumped from leadership in the next few months he can start rehearsing for his comedy festival gig next year.
