Clean Comedy?

Does this even exist anymore?

My dh was watching an adult cartoon, that I won't name because I don't want to end up with a lawsuit and in today's day and age who knows what can cause someone to sue you, and it had a running joke, throughout the entire 30 minutes, about bulimia. Although I have never had this eating disorder, nor have I known anyone with it, this was deeply offensive to me. It is not humorous to take a serious, and potentially deadly, disease and crack jokes about it. While this cartoon is marketed to adults, it is ran during regular daylight hours, it was only 5 or 5:30 when we were watching it, which means teenagers watch it.

I know I am running into a potential debate here. Censoring television, movies, music, etc vs parents instilling values into their children so they know it is wrong. There is also the fact that my husband was watching this show. So allow me to state a few of my personal views here...

1. I do believe parents are ultimately responsible for what their children watch, read, hear, etc.
2. I believe that parents instill the values into their children about what is right and wrong. (A killing game or movie should not be held accountable because a teenager goes out and shoots a bunch of people. Nor are his or her parents necessarily wrong. Children chose whether or not to follow what is right and wrong)
3. I believe that as adults we can better understand what is and isn't meant to be taken seriously.

However I also feel that some things go outside the realm of what is funny. Just like making jokes about mentally handicapped people have become taboo, this to me should be. Saying that bulimia is hard on the internal organs but makes a person look great IS NOT FUNNY. I can't believe that anyone finds it funny, but they apparently do.

Eating disorders are a serious epidemic in this country. The self esteem of our young people have been demolished by unrealistic expectations. Watch 1 hour of TV, on almost any channel that isn't cartoons, and you will see diet commercials, weight loss commercials. Look at the magazines in the rack next time you check out at the grocery store. If the covers don't have a stick thin model on them, they have a celebrity with contemplation about "Is she pregnant or just putting on weight." Our younger generation is surrounded by an unhealthy ideal.

And so lets add in sick jokes on TV. While we may not let OUR children watch these shows, what about the kid who does and then goes to school and repeats it, maybe not even understanding what a hideous comment it is.

I want to be able to watch a comedian or a comedy that has CLEAN humor. That if my daughter were to walk into the room while it was on, I wouldn't be scrambling for the remote or the off switch. That my daughter could even curl up with me and watch it with me. Is that so much to ask?

God bless,

Ashley