What constitutes bad taste? What constitutes inappropriate dialogue? If the keepers of all things Politically Correct had their way, Australia’s larrikin spirit and self depreciating sense of humour would be locked away, never again to be unleashed upon the world and forgotten forever. We are one of the only nations that seem to be very comfortable poking fun at themselves and others at the same time, and in harmony.
I burred up when I heard the airwaves chattering recently about the Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott’s exchange on ABC Radio early one morning. Before jumping on his bike for a race, Abbott said that the chair he was in was more comfortable than a bike seat. The radio host replied, “It’s a lot easier on your nuts isn’t it?” Abbott shot back, keeping within the spirit, “Just let go of them will you.” Funny on all counts in my book – many journalists crave for the opportunity to control a politician and what better way than to metaphorically have the opposition leader by the you-know-whats.
From that moment on the media went into tattle-tale mode, but not before Mr. Abbott had commented on the capsizing of the Italian Cruise Liner (I have so many visuals of the Italian Captain ‘entertaining’ in his cabin whilst all hell was breaking loose) and then stating, “Well that’s one boat that did get stopped, didn’t it.” Almost a ‘bahahahaha’ moment. Pity it was only on the ABC and a few pensioners along with some academics and those with political aspirations were listening. But I’m sure they would have spat out their Earl Grey as Mr. Abbott’s ‘distasteful’ asides melted the airwaves like the latest Coles ad featuring Normie Rowe.
Now the media had the big one. Abbott has a set of genitals and hoped that the Italian ship’s Captain might be hired to take the helm of one of the next larger floating ‘free loader’ flotillas to our shores. “How dare he? He’s not fit to be a Prime Minister’s joke writer, let alone have designs on the tenancy at the Lodge.” We’re no doubt in the thoughts of the keepers of the PC chalice. Ms Gillard is obviously still looking for one – a sense of humour or a joke writer that is.
We are Australian. Not American. I am sure these poor simples invented PC. We can poke fun at ourselves and others because we don’t take ourselves seriously. That’s why we can still tell Irish jokes without being put on trial at a War Crimes tribunal – many of us come from Irish stock, as well as English, Italian, Greek, Yugoslavian etc etc. These immigrants assimilated so well because they knew that to survive they had to be as self-depreciating as we Australians and learn to laugh at themselves which opened the door to allow them to laugh at others.
I remember when, sadly, the Challenger space shuttle disintegrated before our very eyes on take- off in 1986. A female school teacher was on board, one of, if not the first, civilian to travel in such a machine and she tragically perished along with all the crew. However within days an account of the moments leading up to the explosion came to notice and apparently the last recorded conversation on board was the school teacher asking the pilot, “What’s this button for?” Those of you who don’t giggle are probably listening to the ABC as we speak.
Americans, they don’t get it. Watch Ricky Gervias carve up the ‘cream’ of American entertainment at the Golden Globes and the biggest laugh comes from the cameras spot filming the celebrity reactions to Gervias’ jibes. Priceless. So many just don’t get it or believe it is beneath them to laugh. You are actors. You are paid to be someone else for our entertainment so we can be distracted for two hours about the shifties and shoofties being pulled on the entire population by shadowy corporate thieves and corrupt ineffective politicians…..sorry, heading off on another tangent there.
Anyway, Americans might be firmly PC, when it suits, but the Australian DNA does not contain it. If Mr. Abbott’s genitals get an airing or some drug f*#&ed Italian Ship’s Captain stuffs up while he is exploring the possibilities of an Eastern Block incursion (or insertion to more to the point) – there is always a laugh in there somewhere, if delivered without malice and with the desire to amuse the humour seeking, even-minded majority.
