Brass Eye Special - Offensive?

Did you find the Brass Eye Special on pedophilia offensive or humorous? Personally I found the show very funny. How were the celebrities (if you can call a Labour MP that) duped?!

I found the whole spoof 'crimewatch'-like documentary idea very funny, but I'm not saying that the issue in hand is - because clearly it is not. It is likely, however, that there will be many complaints about that show because this is a very sensitive issue at the moment, and people are being brainwashed into believing that anything which has a contraversial issue is offensive.

I think that the celebrities were all playing along - Mr Linekar certainly seemed amused by some of the things he was uttering - especially the first clip of him regarding the photo of the kid which will be mentally attacked.

IMO this was not offensive, but it easily could be to those who have been, or are realted to, victims of paedophilia.

How could these people believe that someone on a computer with a special hand device could feel a child using another computer?

My local MP, Syd Rapson was in Brass Eye!
Hey, I get offended when they are cooking healthy stuff on Taste CFN, but I'm not moaning!

(Edited by Ashley Elford at 5:00 pm on July 28, 2001)

Most editions of Brass Eye cause complaints.
It just happened that this caused more complaints than any other Tv programme in history.
It's a fantastic programme and is so often taken out of context, it's humour and whilst a lot of people cannot appreciate that, they need find themselves a sense of humour.
No doubt Morris will go on to make many more, well after that one I'm not sure, even though I thought the programme was excellent.
I'm just waiting for him to release the GLR tapes!

It was typical of the Mail to blow the story up (page one lead, couple of pages inside & leader), playing their role as moral guardians.

The programme's exagerated grpahics and presentational skills were excellent. The idea of the sexy news journalist outside the prison was very amusing.
The show's content, however, was without a doubt sickening and not humourous. The show was not funny they way it showed children in the sickening way. It was not thoughtful to the families of children who have been raped or hurt emotionally by these people. The show, in my opinion should never have been shown.
How can you laugh at such a subject which is one of the biggest growing crimes in the UK and around the world. The crime may not be going up - but the number of people caught is. This nation is one of the worst for child saftey through paedophiles, and to show an unthoughtful show with celebrities conned into doing this, when they thought they were doing it for a legitimate reason is wrong, unfaithful, sick and unhumourous.
And for it to be shown after Big Brother - lots of children may still be watching channel 4. The prodcuers did not take care and consideration into putting this programme into a suitable schedule, and then kicking the victims of these people when they are down is to repeat it on Channel 4.
I have seen my fair share of sickening programmes, but this one should not have even gone into production. How can this tasteless comedy be so funny?
I have not written to Channel 4, or rung them but I back the people who have done.
This nation does not need to be reminded of a subject which is getting to common.

I thought Brass Eye was on the border of bad taste and pure sick. But, we have to realise that the subject of paedophiles is a very risky one to deal with on TV.

This was taking a light hearted look at the subject - but something makes me feel you can't take a light hearted look at such a controversial and disturbing subject.

I might not win many fans with my opinion of it, but it has to be said.

Well I did not see it.

But I did see an earlier one and thought that was funny.

I cannot see how this is the fault of C4.
Big Brother is shown after the watershed, if parents do not want their children to see post watershed programming then they should lock them away!
Big Brother is post watershed and there is frequent swearing etc etc, I cannot see how Channel 4 are supposed to cater for people who want to watch some post watershed material, but not others.
Morris is never going to appeal to everyone but that's just the way it is i'm afraid!
Go into the Channel 4 forums and see what sort of impact he's having over there.

(Edited by cheshirec at 8:30 pm on July 28, 2001)

Very very funny and made a lot of good points about media hysteria too. And fantastic graphics!

Controversial? I thought the the treatment of paedophilia was fairly tame compared to the 'when you fall over in the snow...' interview scene in the Sex episode. But there wasn't a lot of pre-publicity for that one so the moral minority didn't tune in to be 'outraged' in their droves...

Agreed! Although I personally can see how this could have been viewed as offensive, the same could have been said a few years back for swearing or nudity on TV. There always has to be someone who pushes the boundaries a bit further - and this time that duty fell to Chris Morris.

I think it would be interesting to find out the personal opinions of Mail journalists on this issue - I'd imagine most of them watched and laughed.