Comedians And Diabetes

Daphne917

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I can usually ignore most remarks made by comedians that I find offensive or non-funny but I was listening to the News Quiz on Radio 4 yesterday which I normally enjoy however one, supposedly funny, comment really annoyed me. One of the questions was about banning the sale of high energy drinks to under 16s due to the high sugar content and all the comments were fairly benign until one of the women panel members said ‘now you can go into Clinton cards and buy a balloon with ‘Diabetes today’ written on it’ which I felt trivialised the condition (all types as she didn’t specify) and re-enforced the blame culture prevalent in most media diabetes discussions. Whilst everyone else seemed to think it was funny for some reason that comment really annoyed me - perhaps I am getting ‘over sensitive’. Apologises for the rant but I felt that I had to go into print
 
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I can usually ignore most remarks made by comedians that I find offensive or non-funny but I was listening to the News Quiz on Radio 4 yesterday which I normally enjoy however one, supposedly funny, comment really annoyed me. One of the questions was about banning the sale of high energy drinks to under 16s due to the high sugar content and all the comments were fairly benign until one of the women panel members said ‘now you can go into Clinton cards and buy a balloon with ‘Diabetes today’ written on it’ which I felt trivialised the condition (all types as she didn’t specify) and re-enforced the blame culture prevalent in most media diabetes discussions. Whilst everyone else seemed to think it was funny for some reason that comment really annoyed me - perhaps I am getting ‘over sensitive’. Apologises for the rant but I felt that I had to go into print

Stupid is...........stupid does :rolleyes:
 
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kitedoc

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Yes, @Daphne917, Diabetes has been used as a scare tactic and butt of some jokes for ages.
I would rather the powers that be concentrate on tooth decay as a concern with consumption of high sugar content drinks.
Comedians seem to think that opposing and defying censorship, manners and good taste are part of their expected repertoire.
It takes a good comedian or comedienne to be skilled and subtle enough to ride close to the edge but maintain decorum, get their point across and make people think.
High sugar drinks, teeth stinks.
 
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Oldvatr

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I can usually ignore most remarks made by comedians that I find offensive or non-funny but I was listening to the News Quiz on Radio 4 yesterday which I normally enjoy however one, supposedly funny, comment really annoyed me. One of the questions was about banning the sale of high energy drinks to under 16s due to the high sugar content and all the comments were fairly benign until one of the women panel members said ‘now you can go into Clinton cards and buy a balloon with ‘Diabetes today’ written on it’ which I felt trivialised the condition (all types as she didn’t specify) and re-enforced the blame culture prevalent in most media diabetes discussions. Whilst everyone else seemed to think it was funny for some reason that comment really annoyed me - perhaps I am getting ‘over sensitive’. Apologises for the rant but I felt that I had to go into print
Surely the objective behind comedy is to trivialise matters that we find difficult to discuss or face up to. I say oversensitive.
 
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ickihun

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Well to be fair some do celebrate their diagnosis anniversary. Maybe a card should be made as a year in a diabetics life is worth celebrating.
 
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Well to be fair some do celebrate their diagnosis anniversary. Maybe a card should be made as a year in a diabetics life is worth celebrating.
I celebrate my diagnosis.
Not because I think having diabetes is something to celebrate but because being diagnosed is something to celebrate.
As someone with type 1, if I was not diagnosed, I would not be around 15 years later to type this.
I guess if I was diagnosed with type 2, it would give me the chance to do something about it.

I see nothing wrong with celebrating being given the knowledge to make a difference to your health.

[Sorry, rereading that sounds like a negative response - it is not meant to me. Perhaps a card is good idea :)]
 
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ickihun

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Wasn't other disabilities a butt of jokes years ago? .... but since disability Acts they seemed to have disappeared.
 

LittleGreyCat

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Reminds me that being ugly is also the butt of jokes and has no easy fix.

As in the Winston Churchill quote:

Landlady: Sir, you are drunk!
Churchill: Madam, you are ugly. But tomorrow, I will be sober.

Forgot where I started, now. Oh, yes, comedy does say the unsayable which is the opposite of Political Correctness. Usually I vote for comedy.
 

zand

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Yep I hate 'ugly' jokes too. Why should someone be judged by their looks?
 

Antje77

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I don't like ugly jokes, but I sure could use those balloons on my next birthday to remind myself and the others to keep it a bit sensible with the birthday food!
 
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Resurgam

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I might be getting oversensitive too - that Macmillan coffee morning advert on at the moment is really getting on my nerves.
 
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Yep I hate 'ugly' jokes too. Why should someone be judged by their looks?

Unfortunately, women still are :rolleyes:

"When a man get's up to speak, people listen.When a woman get's up, people look; then, if they like what they see, they listen" .Pauline Frederick (1908- 1990) American news correspondent
 
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I can usually ignore most remarks made by comedians that I find offensive or non-funny but I was listening to the News Quiz on Radio 4 yesterday which I normally enjoy however one, supposedly funny, comment really annoyed me. One of the questions was about banning the sale of high energy drinks to under 16s due to the high sugar content and all the comments were fairly benign until one of the women panel members said ‘now you can go into Clinton cards and buy a balloon with ‘Diabetes today’ written on it’ which I felt trivialised the condition (all types as she didn’t specify) and re-enforced the blame culture prevalent in most media diabetes discussions. Whilst everyone else seemed to think it was funny for some reason that comment really annoyed me - perhaps I am getting ‘over sensitive’. Apologises for the rant but I felt that I had to go into print

@Daphne917 , you are entitled to a moan or a little rant. You are not over sensitive, you didn't like what you heard and spoke about it, good for you. If other's are offended or don't like how you are feeling.............. tough and you have no need to apologise, goodnight :)
 
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lovinglife

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I might be getting oversensitive too - that Macmillan coffee morning advert on at the moment is really getting on my nerves.
I actually thought it was a little bit better one this year - alright it only says it once and I can't remember what it says but it does mention it can be anything - doesn't have to be cake - I go to one every year and take the orange and almond cake with a cream cheese frosting - it goes down really well - but I totally agree with you that the only fundraising food for any cause is cake!
 

Oldvatr

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I actually thought it was a little bit better one this year - alright it only says it once and I can't remember what it says but it does mention it can be anything - doesn't have to be cake - I go to one every year and take the orange and almond cake with a cream cheese frosting - it goes down really well - but I totally agree with you that the only fundraising food for any cause is cake!
On a similar vein..... I was shocked to see Diab UK holding a fund raising day in a well known supermaket forecourt. who held a free raffle to all who stopped to view their stand. The 1st prize was a food hamper full of georgeous and 'poisonous' goodies. Their third prize was a cream cake with butter icing. BTW I find modern comedians to be more in yer face and lacking the sublety that my generation grew up with. The double entendre has definitely been replaced with foul mouthed abuse.

As one who can make a matelot blush, I am no shrinking violet, and will use language that would turn the moon red, but I prefer to be entertained with nuance and implication, thus giving my grey matter an excuse to use my imagination. Far more satisfying IMO.

As was said in my youth, fornication is a 11 letter euphamism for a 4 letter euphoria.
 

Dark Horse

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Humour is often used to defuse tension when we feel anxious or uncomfortable about a subject. One comedic device is to take a small 'truth'and exaggerate it.

The comedian on The News Quiz said, "I understand that the child obesity crisis is a thing we need to worry about" (uncomfortable subject/true) and followed it by "You can go into Clintons Cards and buy balloons that say, 'Type 2 Today'" (uncomfortable subject/exaggeration of the tendency of Card Shops to find a card for every occasion). https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/b0bgmy02

I think the joke was aimed at Card Shops, not people with diabetes.
 

Pumped_Up

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Surely the objective behind comedy is to trivialise matters that we find difficult to discuss or face up to. I say oversensitive.

Maybe. But as a T1 for 45 years - and it nearly killed me when I got it - I get tired of being lumped in with T2’s and my kids being told that “your dad must be really fat” at school. It’s the same as making fun of people for Celiacs when they think they’re taking aim at people who profess gluten intolerance.
 

Safi

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Prediabetes
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Maybe. But as a T1 for 45 years - and it nearly killed me when I got it - I get tired of being lumped in with T2’s and my kids being told that “your dad must be really fat” at school. It’s the same as making fun of people for Celiacs when they think they’re taking aim at people who profess gluten intolerance.

Easy does it. Type 2's no more like being (or deserve to be) judged than Type 1's.
 
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Type of diabetes
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Reminds me that being ugly is also the butt of jokes and has no easy fix.

As in the Winston Churchill quote:

Landlady: Sir, you are drunk!
Churchill: Madam, you are ugly. But tomorrow, I will be sober.

Forgot where I started, now. Oh, yes, comedy does say the unsayable which is the opposite of Political Correctness. Usually I vote for comedy.
 

prancer53

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Insulin
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Professionals who know little about diabetes who generalise!!
I celebrate my diagnosis.
Not because I think having diabetes is something to celebrate but because being diagnosed is something to celebrate.
As someone with type 1, if I was not diagnosed, I would not be around 15 years later to type this.
I guess if I was diagnosed with type 2, it would give me the chance to do something about it.

I see nothing wrong with celebrating being given the knowledge to make a difference to your health.

[Sorry, rereading that sounds like a negative response - it is not meant to me. Perhaps a card is good idea :)]
I celebrated my diagnosis, a year after it happened, at age 9. I still have the diary in which I made a note about it. Why did I celebrate it? Prior to diagnosis at 8 years I was unable to run across the playground without feeling weak and breathless, I had absolutely no energy, I was ALWAYS COLD, I was 2 stone when I was taken into hospital for investigations, I ate more than any other child, because I was hungry all the time, but just continued to lose weight, my hair was falling out, I felt nauseous constantly. Post diagnosis, though I didn't relish a life of daily injections and counting carbs, I was sensible enough to acknowledge that insulin made me feel better, gave me energy, stopped me feeling sick, enabled me to put on weight etc and I was grateful for the benefits. I also swore to myself that I would always look after myself because I NEVER wanted to feel as awful as I had before insulin. 57 years later I am healthy, have no complications and have more than lived life to the full. I stopped celebrating after that 1st year with diabetes and instead always looked forward !!!!