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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really upset by a video on ITV tonight?

49 replies

dreamingofawhitexmasteamgirl · 05/12/2009 22:50

I let DS (4.5) watch the end of a film on ITV today (was a star wars one at tea time and I knew he had seen before so didnt worry about monitoring) and after it finished a program came on that was videos of people with stuff happening to them for everyone to laugh at. I think it might have been called 'You have been framed', but I am not sure. 99% of the time DS watches Cbeebies and Nick jnr, and 99% of the time I watch Sky plussed Living etc, so we dont watch prime time tv like that very often.

It was generally in pretty poor taste IMVHO, but as DS and I were busy chatting I didnt pay too much attention till a video of a small child being given a gift came on.

The lad must have been about 6 YO and was handed a gift wrapped up. When the child opened it very excitedely it was a naked Barbie and you could hear the people videoing laughing their heads off.
The boy sat there for a few seconds looking thoroughly confused before bursting into tears. Which was also filmed with the person talking over it also laughing, and no-one stopping videoing or comforting the child.

Now is it just me or is it unbelievable cruel to actually set a small child up by wrapping a gift and videoing your child being given it just to be able to video their disapointment and send it to television show? I can see how it might be funny if you happened to video something and something funny happened, but this was blatendly staged.

I have never even come close to complaining about anything on the TV before, but I was literally gobsmacked by this clip. It also upset DS who was crying after he went to bed saying
'Why did the mummy & daddy give the boy a bad present and laugh at him? Was he a bad boy? Am I going to get a bad present?'

Thing is I just dont ever watch this sort of TV. Never have, so i dont know if this is normal or not and if I am going to look a real tit for complaining about it (I dont mean that to sound snobby, I watch trashy TV, just not this sort)

So, would you have been upset by this, or is it just me?

OP posts:
2shoes · 05/12/2009 22:51

oh please.....
yabu

pjmama · 05/12/2009 22:52

It's just you

halfcut · 05/12/2009 22:53

Its just you ....

LetThereBeRock · 05/12/2009 22:53

YABU.It is just you.

2shoes · 05/12/2009 22:53

it has been on tv for years............and years and years

Brunettelady · 05/12/2009 22:53

I wouldn't have been upset or I wouldn't bother comlaining but I have seen videos on this programme before about children falling over and hurting themselves, crying their eyes out while the person keeps videoing. I just don't watch it.

waitingforbedtime · 05/12/2009 22:54

ok maybe it wasnt the nicest thing to do but seriously, for you and your ds to get so upset - YABVU

Alambil · 05/12/2009 22:56

most of them are set-ups!

Did you make a big deal of it infront of DS? I'd think he'd have to be quite mature to "get" the disappointment / was he bad linked to seeing a 2 minute clip

chegirlwithbellson · 05/12/2009 22:57

Have you seen the one where they wrap up a dress and give it to a boy? Hilarious!

LetThereBeRock · 05/12/2009 22:57

The clip in question lasted about 10 seconds.

RoseBlossoms · 05/12/2009 22:58

YANBU

I hate you've been framed type shows, filming and laughing at children hurting themselves or falling asleep in their dinner?? Not cute not funny distressing is the the word that comes to mind.

Adults falling over being stupid fine (not that i'd watch).

2shoes · 05/12/2009 23:00

if a 4.5 year old can manage to watch star wars I am sure they can cope with you've been framed

Insider333 · 05/12/2009 23:02

I think you were watching "You've Been Framed" where contributors get £250 if their clip is shown.

I think ratings, however they're determined, show that the show is very popular.

Some of the clips are questionable, eg the one you have mentioned and others where young children might appear to be hurt, eg being knocked down/over by balls or clumsy dogs, or crashing powered ride on toys, etc. These "questionable" clips have been highlighted in the past to other television programmes such as the BBC's "Points Of View" and justifying reasons given by the producers.

As viewing figures are the overriding concern to broadcasters the content of this programme is not going to change.

My advice? Try to avoid this programme in future.

And just tell DS, if you haven't already, that the boy's mummy and daddy were having a joke with their son and gave him his proper good present later. One hopes that this actually happened.

chegirlwithbellson · 05/12/2009 23:02

I dont see the point in the people falling over, getting kicked in the nuts type ones. But I am not keen on slapstick. DH, DS1, DS2, DS3 crack up in unison though.

Is it a boy thing?

PixieOnaChristmasTree · 05/12/2009 23:03

Worse things happen.

If this upsets you then you must live a very sheltered life.

How do you cope when you see films of starving African children?

I take it this is your PFB?

BitOfFun · 05/12/2009 23:03

Chinny rack on

LetThereBeRock · 05/12/2009 23:05

I agree with 2Shoes. ROTJ is far more disturbing than a 10 second clip of a boy being given a doll.

2shoes · 05/12/2009 23:06

chegirlwithbellson dd lol at it, so not just a boy thing

ijustwanttoaskaquestion · 05/12/2009 23:07

i agree with the OP, the only time that those things are funny are when its animals doing funny stuff. Otherwise, people being arseholes isnt funny and children falling over - why is that funny? And why the hell dont the people videoing stop them from falling, or comfort them - fuckwits!

chegirlwithbellson · 05/12/2009 23:10

Oh must be me then.

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 05/12/2009 23:11

Yanbu - but these programmes have been around for absolutely years and are the epitome of lowest common denominator TV - probably why they're so popular.

It is shocking and vile that people film distressed children in this manner, and that others howl with laughter, but you'll just have to avoid them in future.

And re. Star Wars: okay, it's violent and has unpleasant scenes, but it's clearly a story, not a real child being tricked by its own parents for entertainment.

Tell your DC they put on some odd programmes, but sometimes people are just pretending - a good opportunity to bring out his inner critic maybe.

BitOfFun · 05/12/2009 23:12

You are obviously very sophisticated, Chegirl

nothingofthesort · 05/12/2009 23:14

I don't think it's funny either, the program is probably made for a stupidjuvenile humour type audience so isn't my cup of tea. But your ds getting upset and crying over it?? You must bring him up like a little flower .

LauraIngallsWilder · 05/12/2009 23:14

Op I think yabu sorry

My ds is 8 and has watched and laughed at programmes like youarebeingframed

He hasnt watched any of the starwars films though - and wont for a few years yet!

Though I agree the clip in question wasnt funny for the child concerned I certainly not complain about it

There are far more important things to complain about!

chegirlwithbellson · 05/12/2009 23:18

Hmm never thought about it like that BOF but now you come to mention it - obvious explanation!