To be really upset by a video on ITV tonight?

[dreamingofawhitexmasteamgirl]

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?

chegirlwithbellson
Assuming you arent being sarcastic then I take it this is a standing joke on the program, so maybe the child isnt really upset, OR they deliberately upset their child repeatadly for £250 a throw and 15 mins of fame

I think ROTJ must be Revenge of the Jedi? Which is the Star wars I let him watch the last 15 mins of? I havent seen it, it is something that he watches with his Dad when he goes there, but I wasnt aware it wasnt suitable for children- I assumed things on ITV at tea time probably were, but I will definately chat to his dad about whether or not he should be watching it, so thanks

Insider333 thanks for the info. i will do all I can to avoid it ! It was truly awful

PixieOnaChristmasTree How do I cope with starving children? I bawl my eyes out! Doesnt everyone? Ok, so I admit I probably massively hormonal, and yes the boy had food, but to be ritually humilated by those who should be loving him and caring for him to get a cheap laugh? Sorry but I dont get it

Interesting input from everyone tho, so thanks

I wouldn't let DS or DD2 watch Star Wars, and they are 8 and 11, but that's just my view.

I would let them watch You've Been Framed.

I think some of the YBF clips are horrible, but I wouldn't bother complaining - it's too much of an established program for your complaint to have much effect.

Assume away.

But I dont think they do it more than once. I think they just show the video clip over and over.

YANBU

OMG YABU.
was it the fact the doll was naked!?

chegirlwithbellson

Oh sorry- you mentioned that there was one where the child was given a dress, so I thought there was more than one clip? Sorry if I misunderstood

YABU.

Seriously? That really upset you? With all the real horror in the world.

lol at this....its all it deserves!! we saw the programme too,would be more concerned with your child of such a young age watching bloody star wars!!!

What's so bad about Star Wars? My 3 wathced it today while I slept on the sofa

I didn't see the clip myself; sounds a bit mean, but presumable they gave him a real present straight after and he's not been mentally scared for life.

nowt wrong with star was....but a 4.5 year old can't really understand much of it! aimed at older kids,we all watched for the millionth time too.

but to let her ds watch that,then moan about you've been framed???

I personally wouldn't want my hypothetical 4 year old to watch it,even though I am a Star Wars geek.
I think that's just a bit too young and there are a lot of deaths during the last half hour of ROTJ,and some other frightening scenes.

YABU.
"You've Been Maimed" is a national treasure.

That particular clip has been all over the internet. The little boy thought he was getting a DS or something similar, I can't remember which.

It is cruel. But all the videos on those shoes are cruel and I think you and your son over reacted.

And that you should pay more attention to what is on your TV.

Ugh, I hate YBF.

I can understand why it upset you. I can't understand the humour in anything that involves a child crying, particularly if an adult has deliberately made a child cry.

Best avoided really.

I watch YBF & yes some of the clips are a bit but on the whole we watch it as a family & have a laugh.

Our ds is 3 & there is no way i would allow him to watch Star Wars yet.

YABU.

I am still that you have never heard of You've Been Framed!

yanbu

I hate this kind of thing too. What's funny about making a child cry, and then getting 250 pounds out of it?

I think my children would not have understood this at 4,5 either. But I would probably have explained it by saying, "well, there are some people in the world, who think it's funny to give a bad present. We don't, so you wont get a bad present. And if anyone gives you a Barbie, just give it to ."

I thought of that riven, but I think the point is that the little boy didnt want it? therefore just adding insult to say that he should have wanted it.

oh my god bit of fun...nearly spat my porridge out when i read that...not heard it for years...and i have to add,chin spin!
are you from the north west, per chance?!

yanbu
I think this sounds utterly vile and am astounded that so many people are defending it. Deliberately setting up your child, humiliating them, making them cry, laughing at them with other adults, filming them all the while and then putting it on tv for money? I can not understand how anyone thinks this is ok? I think you should complain. I would be seriously concerned about any parent who could show such disregard about their childs emotional well being and actually exploit them in this way.

not a million miles away from the famiy that filmed their children fighting imo.

I'm with 2shoes -"if a 4.5 year old can manage to watch star wars I am sure they can cope with you've been framed"

Personally I wouldn't let my 5yo watch Star Wars.

OTOH both DC love watching You've Been Framed.

When she was younger DD used to call it "The Falling Over Programme".

Oh God, I love YBF, it's been a guilty pleasure since University! The kicked-in-the-nuts sequences are a bit tedious but the animals are fab.

I also let my 5yo watch Star Wars.

But then I am working class.