Lilley comedy under fire
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
Summer Heights High has come under the spotlight for its content again, after a plot involving an ecstacy death of one of the students, which drama teacher Mr G. uses as the basis of a musical production.
The name of the student, Annabel Dickson, is tragically close to that of Annabel Catt, a NSW girl who died of an overdose after the Good Vibrations concert in February. Her family has criticised the ABC for tackling the subject in the mockumentary.
ABC Managing Director, Mark Scott has apologised to the family, but is refusing to withdraw further eps as requested by the family. Instead it will bookend all episodes with disclaimers that the characters are entirely fictional.
“The ABC and the producer sincerely apologise for this extremely unfortunate coincidence, and in hindsight, we feel we should have alerted the Catt family to the situation in advance of the broadcast,” Mr Scott said.
In defending the show, Scott has said shooting ceased on February 7, eleven days before the death of Catt. Annabel’s older brother Antony, said, “Shock, disbelief, anger – I could use a lot of adjectives to describe how I felt.”
The attention on Chris Lilley’s humour follows earlier anger over some of his other subject matter.
Sources: The Age, Herald-Sun
5 Responses
Seems funny to make such a big deal of this. I would have thought a year 11 girl dating a year 7 boy would have been the big deal .. and illegal in most states (maximum 2 years age difference for under 16yo for penetrative sex) … though there was no suggestion of tongue let alons more!
It’s a strange world these days.
sounds like you guys havnt had anyone die in your ife due to drug overdose and seen how it can destroy a family. Let alone have it plastered all over TV for people to have a laugh at.
And if you beleive it was shot BEFORE the incedent, you got rocks in your head.
This guy just throws in stupid un thought jokes designed to shock. But people are allowed to stand up for themselves.
The guys a hack, go watch any CHristopher Guest docoumentary and you will see that it this summer heights crap has ben done before and a crap load better.
the fact that it was filmed BEFORE she died pretty much negates any suggestion that the ABC has done anything wrong.
I personally am looking forward to the musical being performed!
I don’t understand why ABC feels it had to notify the family in advance? Does this mean that before any scripted show goes to air, that it has to be combed through to find any possible coincidence to any living or deceased person and that person/family tracked down and notified? Was the death of the schoolteacher that well known that the producers/ABC are supposed to know that the upcoming storyline was a possible coincidence? The show is clearly fiction and this was so obviously just an unfortunate coincidence I don’t understand why the ABC had to apologise.
When I saw last week’s ep, I didn’t even think for a second it was based on a real life case.
Some people just like to complain. This is a good Australian comedy, which for the last decade is something of a rarity. Give it a chance without being so sensitive.