Offensive? Poor Taste? Or Funny?

[Miss Spencer]

This may have been mentioned already, so sorry if I am repeating.

I am just interested in your feelings about the clip on CNN:

"A CNN news anchor was left bewildered after the diarrhea scene from the movie Dumb And Dumber was broadcast to introduce a story about a digestive disease.

After reading a short piece about a student protest, newsreader Ali Velshi pauses as a clip from the 1994 film is played.

Actor Jeff Daniels is seen pulling off his pants and then sitting on a toilet while comically loud defecation noises play.

When the camera returns to Velshi, he is clearly not impressed.

"We didn't just put that on TV did we," he says.

He goes on to introduce a story about ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.

"What would you do if that was your life? Ten to fifteen bloody bowel movements a day without a known cure," he says".

Video of the awkward moment has since gone viral, appearing on several news websites and Twitter.


Whilst I think the film Dumb And Dumber is funny, I think this was a very poor choice by CNN and I feel embarrassed and insulted that CNN are making fun of such a serious problem.

Maybe I am just getting old and set in my ways? I don't know. But I felt upset at the story.

 

[ameslouise]

Very tacky. Would they have played a "humorous clip" depicting chemo treatments to introduce a story about cancer? I doubt it.

Stuff like this only serves to feed the misconception that IBD is "just" diarhea.

-Amy

 

[Nica]

I agree that is offensive. As a community most people with IBD tend to joke about our bathroom trips, I like to laugh about it but I don't think that it should be played on CNN. Most likely they have no idea what the day to day life of someone with IBD is really like.

 

[katiesue1506]

RAWR!

The other day I had a coworker argue with me and tell me I didn't need to be spending money on a specialist for my "thing" because I've already been diagnosed and it should be fine now.

Ohhhh KAY.

Nobody knows what its really like till they deal with it. Even those around us don't KNOW what its like, they can guess, but they don't feel it or experience the firsthand loss of control or pain.

 

[tflock]

RAWR!

The other day I had a coworker argue with me and tell me I didn't need to be spending money on a specialist for my "thing" because I've already been diagnosed and it should be fine now.

Ohhhh KAY.

Nobody knows what its really like till they deal with it. Even those around us don't KNOW what its like, they can guess, but they don't feel it or experience the firsthand loss of control or pain.

This is a great comment. I am 16 and I know that people in my high school feel the same way. Even my friends (who I like but are the most unempathic people I have ever met) were making fun of the disease saying that everyone that has it always has projectiles of diahhrea. They even told me that Crohns is not a disease, it is a condition/syndrome. I cant believe that the media giant CNN is acting the same as everyone else. They would not make fun of any type of cancer (as mentioned above). I guess this is the result of the overly ignorant, uninformed, and unempathic population that is America.

 

[Nancy Lee]

Well said tflock!!

 

[Zalanicht]

I would have to see the video.

 

[lynx]

tflock im right there with you...its amazing how stupid people are becoming...how uncaring and a general "just don't give a eff about you" attitude the general public in the US seems to have. We can blame it on a lot of things but it is pervasive and rather embarrassing as most other countries I think, at least the developed ones, have a general care for each other regardless. Here its a definite dog eat dog mentality for the most part. Its sad.

 

[winemaker]

People tend to make fun of what they don't understand. It's ignorant, but in many cases, not malicious. CNN should be far more responsible.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

At least the anchor had the decency to be abashed and speak out!!!

 

[Mountaingem]

I agree, would they make fun of chemo patients by showing a clip of Britney Spears bald and then introduce a story about cancer?

We should check out the video, and get together a petition or write a letter of complaint to CNN. Circulate in on the forum, also it wouldn't hurt to contact CCFA.

Here's the link:
www.youtube.com/video/41w4-LIoldE

 

[lynx]

yeah pretty ignorant of CNN but hey doesn't surprise me given the caliber of that whole segment of programming. The presenter is not that great to begin with so not a huge shocker there. They should do a segment on men that are bald and look like the Penguin from the Batman movie. Just goes to show you how juvenile these people are and like the rest of cable news, will do anything to get a bit of ratings.

 

[crazycanuck]

Well said lynx anything to get their name out even if its at the expense of others. Just a rediculous clip and absolutely not needed for any reason. Did its job though we are all talking about CNN now.... Its sad what money will make people do.

 

[scifi-enthusiast]

RAWR!

The other day I had a coworker argue with me and tell me I didn't need to be spending money on a specialist for my "thing" because I've already been diagnosed and it should be fine now.

Ohhhh KAY.

Nobody knows what its really like till they deal with it. Even those around us don't KNOW what its like, they can guess, but they don't feel it or experience the firsthand loss of control or pain.

Your telling me, the other day a girl who for some reason likes to butt into our group at school and preach dogma said, "I don't know why people take medications. They're not natural and really don't help that much anyways."

I got mad and told her, "Bulls**t! The medication is the only thing that's keeping me from bleeding to death." I mean I don't mind her beliefs, but I don't like it when she preaches them to me and my group and expects to be seen as some kind of person who knows what she's talking about.


On Topic: I agree that it's kind of offensive. I remember watching that movie when I was younger and laughing my a** off but now when I watch that scene all I can do is remember the painful moments of my week. We don't need CNN to remind us of the pain we go through, we experience it everyday. Come on Ted Turner, get on the ball and be sympathetic to people with disorders.

 

[David]

The latest Daily Show with Jon Stewart made fun of CNN for this BS. God I love Jon Stewart.

 

[effdee]

I hope this was just a case of the video guy had a lapse of judgment and used that clip on his own rather than multiple people at CNN actually thinking it would be a good idea.

 

[tiloah]

I hope this was just a case of the video guy had a lapse of judgment and used that clip on his own rather than multiple people at CNN actually thinking it would be a good idea.

I'm guessing this is exactly what happened. One guy thought it would be funny, and CNN is getting the backlash (whatever there is of it). Someone probably got fired.

In any case, people with digestive diseases are stigmatized enough by films like this. (I'm thinking of Ben Stiller having IBS in a film a while back). We don't need news programs giving crap like this validation. It is definitely offensive.

 

[Jennifer]

Along came Polly or something. Sure make fun of bathroom issues, fine, but don't tie it to IBS or IBD. Its outrageously offensive. Ya, my disease sure is funny. My life of bathroom comedy. Too bad my bathroom issues are the least of my worries. Maybe next they could show Mr. Bean preforming a resection which results in a stoma. Oh the hilarity.

I have no problem voicing my opinion in a letter.

 

[Entchen]

David, I saw the clip on Daily Show and cheered!

 

[glum chump]

I want to echo David and Kelly's comments about the Daily Show's take of the CNN piece. It was really well done, and their satirical critique was pretty spot-on. I, too, cheered!

And my take on the anchor's "dismay" at the clip was that he seemed to be more dismayed in a humorous kind of way. I felt that he couldn't believe that they'd just shown a clip of a guy having explosive diarrhea and gas rather than being appalled that they'd just linked this clip of 'Dumb and Dumber' to a story on IBD. With my personal perspective, I was unimpressed with both the story producer's and the anchor. But others may have a different take on this...

But yeah for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart!

 

[rosie55]

There's a lot of ignorance in this world about a lot of things and it is up to us, the people in the know, to challenge and educate.

 

[bry33]

not one of cnn's proudest moments i think they should publicly apolagize on tv and about people not understanding i told my "best friend" in 8th grade that i have CD and then we got into a fight and called me a diseased w**** ever since ive been so afraid to tell my friends its on a need to know basis lol

 

[Nytefyre]

yeppers, that rings my poor taste bell.

 

[MADiMarc]

Appalling. Not only is there, at minimum, one scene per movie where somebody engages in puking, pooping, peeing now we have to see ourselves stigmatized on a supposed news program? Getta' rope.

I have never watched slap-stick comedy so this dumb and dumber movie passed by me (doesn't the title say it all? Why would I waste my time). But along came Polly really offended me. I am not a fan of Ben Stller but was in the mood for light hearted romantic comedy one night. Thought hey Jennifer Aniston, this will work. I cut the movie off. Disgusting!

 

[crankypants]

Inappropriate? Sure, if you don't have a sense of humor.
Laughter = less stress = less flareups.

Sorry to all who are getting riled up, but ya might just wanna laugh at what one backroom tech got away with putting live on the air rather than farting about on the matter [nyuk nyuk]...

 

[MADiMarc]

What some find humorous amazes me but then some watched public lynchings too.

 

[Sue-2009]

How about the Sopranos...remember one of the "girlfriends" is so stressed with worry..she ends up very sick with uc....S

 

[Miss Spencer]

The latest Daily Show with Jon Stewart made fun of CNN for this BS.

Is there a link to this or a clip on youtube?

I have looked, but can't find it.

I love Jon Stewart too, so would like to watch his response.

 

[tiloah]

I can't find it on Youtube, but the site Mediaite wrote about it and embedded the video here:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stew...dumb-and-dumberdiarrhea-clip-during-newscast/

 

[tiloah]

I have never watched slap-stick comedy so this dumb and dumber movie passed by me (doesn't the title say it all? Why would I waste my time). But along came Polly really offended me. I am not a fan of Ben Stller but was in the mood for light hearted romantic comedy one night. Thought hey Jennifer Aniston, this will work. I cut the movie off. Disgusting!

Oh, thank you! That movie came out long before I was diagnosed, but even then I thought, not only is that not funny at all, but it also alienates and stigmatizes the people who actually have that condition. Not cool.

 

[rjeatlantic]

I can't find it on Youtube, but the site Mediaite wrote about it and embedded the video here:

Haha! John Stewart is always funny and it's usually right too. He's able to be honest because he's the jester. More people should take him seriously, he usually speaks the truth.

 

[soiledshorts]

Im never really offended by this kind of stuff, I guess i just take everything with a laugh, however I can see how this can be offensive for some. Shame on CNN.