IG-Calibre
comhalta
+226|7161|Tír Eoghan, Tuaisceart Éireann
THE world's most successful cartoon series has come in for heavy criticism over an episode that features Northern Ireland.
The twentieth season of 'The Simpsons' is currently airing to great acclaim in the USA, but the DUP's Gregory Campbell has said that people here will find some references in one of the episodes hard to swallow.

Controversy has surrounded an episode of the new series in which a brawl breaks out between the Northern Irish and Southern Irish population of the cartoon's fictional base, Springfield during a fight between superheros, the totally orange in colour, 'The Thing' from 'The Fantastic Four' and the completely green, 'The Hulk'.

Whilst critics are contending that the characters are representative of the Protestant and Catholic communities here, it is a comment from 'The Simpsons' main character, Homer (it's actually Bart) that has caused most offence.

During the cartoon rumble, Homer Bart asks: "Where are the IRA when you need them?"

And despite the episode receiving praise in the USA, East Londonderry MP, Gregory Campbell says the reference to the republican terror group is wholly inappropriate.

"The Simpsons is a humorous cartoon but the context of using a line like that about an organisation which caused so much death will lead people to have very mixed views," he said.

"Some people may take it as a light hearted reference, while others who were affected by the real life violence of the IRA and are still suffering with that legacy, will not."

Mr Campbell said that many people were still coming to terms with the aftermath of the 'Troubles'.

He added: "It's one of these things that had it been done many years after the events have been looked upon in a benign light, but there's still a generation out there dealing with the aftermath of the IRA violence which was so brutal.
http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/ne … 4589249.jp

the offending piece - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6wrxy_irish_fun


Does he have a point? what if we started making jokes about 9/11 and al qaeda here in some cartoon would Americans take offence? or making racist derogatory cartons about Black African Americans - you know just for a laugh about lynchings and burning crosses would that be acceptable?
AussieReaper
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
+5,761|6571|what

IG-Calibre wrote:

Does he have a point? what if we started making jokes about 9/11 and al qaeda here in some cartoon would Americans take offence? or making racist derogatory cartons about Black African Americans - you know just for a laugh about lynchings and burning crosses would that be acceptable?
South Park.

And it is accepted here\there.
https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7039|London, England
Most people in the US are pro-IRA anyway.
IG-Calibre
comhalta
+226|7161|Tír Eoghan, Tuaisceart Éireann
the "northern Irish" in the Simpson's cartoon are actually "Ulster Scot", bitter loyalists do not consider themselves Irish in any way, shape, or form - they are British (hence the union jack) or Ulster Scot.. to be pedantic..
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6708|Éire
Nothing should be off limits when it comes to humour... when comedy becomes subject to censorship all hope is lost.

It's just context and timing that is important. As Jimmy Carr once said, he considered it fair game to write a stand-up piece about the death of Princess Diana... but maybe it was a tad insensitive to perform the piece from an underpass in Paris the night after she actually died!
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7039|London, England

IG-Calibre wrote:

the "northern Irish" in the Simpson's cartoon are actually "Ulster Scot", bitter loyalists do not consider themselves Irish in any way, shape, or form - they are British (hence the union jack) or Ulster Scot.. to be pedantic..
Yes



But Northern Ireland is still called Northern Ireland and not "Ulster-Scotland" or whatever
M.O.A.B
'Light 'em up!'
+1,220|6641|Escea

Family Guy has pretty much taken a pick on everyone, including the Irish, Black People and 9/11, but it's still a popular show regardless. To be fair, if you can't leave the past behind, no matter how bad, you can't really move on.
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6708|Éire

M.O.A.B wrote:

Family Guy has pretty much taken a pick on everyone, including the Irish, Black People and 9/11, but it's still a popular show regardless. To be fair, if you can't leave the past behind, no matter how bad, you can't really move on.
Simpsons have to really pull something out of the bag if they want to top the Irish Family Guy episode.
notorious
Nay vee, bay bee.
+1,396|7165|The United Center
Honestly, if you can't have a laugh at things that have happened in the past, then what's the point?

9-11 was a tragedy, but people make fun of it.  Humor is one of the best ways to get over and get past a horrible event.
M.O.A.B
'Light 'em up!'
+1,220|6641|Escea

ThomasMorgan wrote:

Honestly, if you can't have a laugh at things that have happened in the past, then what's the point?

9-11 was a tragedy, but people make fun of it.  Humor is one of the best ways to get over and get past a horrible event.
Exactly, I'll agree things can sometimes be distasteful, but so far I've never really seen anything that went 'beyond the line' so to speak.

Except a bit of that Uwe Boll movie, to me I think that went a tad far, but then it was Uwe Boll as well, so it was bad enough.

Last edited by M.O.A.B (2008-10-16 14:54:21)

usmarine
Banned
+2,785|7180

well at least people didn't riot like it a certain cartoon caused.
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6829|'Murka

Mek-Stizzle wrote:

Most people in the US are pro-IRA anyway.
I call bullshit.

And as Aussie said: It's been done elsewhere. Done correctly, comedy about anything can be funny...in this case, I think it would be referred to as "black comedy" (not the race, but the mood).
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
IG-Calibre
comhalta
+226|7161|Tír Eoghan, Tuaisceart Éireann
for the record I thought the Simpsons hilarious, but none takes offence like an ulster loyalist (well maybe the you-know-who's) - by the by I hear Campbell is going to try and get Parliament to condemn "Hunger" which opened tonight in Belfast - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dmVPCX0LxN8  .The DUP don't like the sympathetic light it shows Republicans in apparently, heaven forbid Gregory!!
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6829|'Murka

Braddock wrote:

Simpsons have to really pull something out of the bag if they want to top the Irish Family Guy episode.
I agree with this one. To this day, we still throw around the occasional "Wifey McBeaty's" reference in the office.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
jord
Member
+2,382|7096|The North, beyond the wall.
Everything is open in comedy, but when I think of Simpsons I think "family show". People that don't find everything funny watch this show because it is rarely controversial. If they wanted to get offended they'd watch South Park.

Thus Simpsons is going after the South Park audience with that one. The bastards...
JahManRed
wank
+646|7046|IRELAND

To move on you have to look back and laugh at your past no matter how controversial. Every ones fair game for the Simpson's. I love it. btw Campbell is an arsehole.

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