Oh Lighten Up Australia

A TV comedy skit making light of the issue of teen suicide and bullying has outraged mental health experts. (Ed note - everybody is outraged so easily now a days) Only months after ABC comedy The Chaser’s War On Everything was taken off air because of a sketch about sick children, (Ed note - another over reaction) Channel 7 series Double Take featured a skit last night about high school bullies. It was presented as a commercial advertising a fictional private boys' school, St Fillmore's. The sketch features a principal talking up the school as having the best bullies money can buy.

"Here at St Fillmore's, our school bullies have gone on successful careers as CEOs, professional football players and chief parking inspectors, (Ed note - all true) while our victims have mostly gone on to top themselves." (Ed note - we know the psychopaths go on to become federal politicians. That is a should out to you, Tony)

(Ed note - He, he, he)

The sketch also featured shots of bullies choking younger students, smearing sandwiches in their faces and sending death threats.

(Ed note - Gold!)

SANE Australia executive director Barbara Hocking said the sketch was "brutal" and had the potential to be very harmful. "It's tacky, it's tasteless and it's trivialising what is a very tragic and serious issue," Ms Hocking said. "Certainly it would be exceedingly hurtful for bereaved families and friends to see the issue treated in such an insensitive matter."

(Ed note - quite simple then, they shouldn't watch it)

Ms Hocking said the producers of Double Take deserved to be censored.

(Ed note - We'll be burning books, next)

"I think that 'comedy' writers would have been more sensitive following the experience with the Chaser," she said. (Ed note - this is comedy, which part of that don't you understand?) "Suicide should not be a topic for humour, especially with young people." (Ed note - everything is the topic for humour, that's the point of humour)

Psychologist Evelyn Field said that joking about suicide in comedy sketches could give victims the wrong impression. (Ed note - could, would, should. What you are trying to say, Evelyn, in the words of the great Pauline is, "I don't like it!")

Of course, anybody suffering from depression can, and should, call the usual numbers, Lifeline 131 114, or SANE on 1800 18 7263 to get help, to make you life better. You go to the doctor for anything else that is wrong with you, this is just another part of your body and should be treated in the same way.