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No animals were harmed in the making of The Chaser

The ABC denies a dog used for a sketch was endangered or degraded after a Queensland's Guide Dogs association complains.

chaser 2In the latest furore about Chaser sketches, the ABC has denied endangering or degrading a Guide Dog used in the show on Wednesday.

The skit titled “Guide Dogs for the Blind and Munted” saw several of the Chaser team led by a dog as they staggered home from a night at their local.

In one scene Chas Licciardello smashed a bottle on the ground while being led by a helpful labrador.

But today Guide Dogs Queensland chief executive Chris Laine protested about the sketch including sketch title and the “incorrect and debasing suggestion that guide dogs can be used to accommodate irresponsible and drunken behaviour,” she said.

“Most alarming for us all was watching the wanton and dangerous smashing of a bottle near the guide dog – which is clearly seen to frighten the dog in harness.

“If, as believed, this is an actual working dog guide then it is grossly inappropriate.

But the ABC says everything was filmed under normal precautions.

Executive Head of Content Creation, Courtney Gibson, issued a statement saying: “Contrary to the statement released by Guide Dogs QLD, the guide dog used in a sketch on The Chaser’s War on Everything this week was not degraded, nor was there ever any potential for it to be harmed.

“All usual animal safety protocols were adhered to at all times during the filming of the segment and it was shot in a responsible and appropriate manner.

The name of the made-up service ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind and Munted’ is itself a play on the colloquial expression ‘blind’, as in ‘blind drunk’. The Chaser is a comedy program and we don’t believe any of our viewers actually imagine Guide Dogs could or should be mis-used; the idea that one could stop drunks texting ex-girlfriends or buying ropey kebabs is clearly a joke.”

Gibson also responded to the claims of endangering the animal.

“There was no glass bottle smashed near the dog in the shoot: it was a sugar bottle as is commonly used as a TV prop. There was a sound-effect added in post production,” she said.

“It never posed any physical threat to the dog.”

Source: news.com.au

24 Responses

  1. Last night the new 7 show, Double Take did a skit on the putting ritalin in coke to dumb down kids. It will be interesting to see if this gets complained about. I bet if the chaser boys did it there would be an uproar. By the way Doulble Take. “Lame” Nothing has changed in aussie comedy. Bring back the Chaser, at least I can laugh at them.

  2. I really think people need to settle down and take a joke, obviously this queensland business is just riding on the “quickly breach the chasers for anything you can, before they go off air” wagon.

    come on it was an honest and funny joke.

  3. Didn’t see it, but come on, what a beat up.
    It’s like that time Pete Helliar told his one funny joke about Pamela Anderson getting the gift of hepatitis for her birthday.
    Hepatitis Australia got great publicity out of that.

    Ah well, at least we can still make fun of bogans. (Until they create some kind of awareness campaign, and then we’re screwed).

  4. ok ive never seen the sketch, didnt see anything wrong wit it, im sure the Chaser boys were very careful not to get any smashed glass on the dog, if the animal folk want to get upset, what about the cats on the middle east TV section.

  5. Guide Dogs Queensland chief executive Chris Laine probably saw all the money The Make A Wish Foundation was suddenly getting and wanted his charity to get a piece of the action.

  6. I wonder what is wrong with people these days??

    Once again another case where people seem to be over reacting to the point of lunacy.

    All they should say is, it’s bad taste if they believe it is, then ask people to donate money to support blind dogs.

    I have to admit the bottle smash did seem a bit dangerous, but I would have to assume they used sugar glass.

  7. Does this guy not understand that the central underlying premise behind almost all comedy is mocking the absurd? Absurd, such as, say … the notion of guide dogs for drunk people! We saw the same sort of foolishness when the Make A Wish Foundation came out and said they were deeply concerned that the make a realistic wish skit portrayed children wanting wishes as greedy. How can be people be so blind?

  8. I enjoy reading that the Chaser is “a waste of tax payer’s money” on news sites across the country… “The War On Everything” would make the ABC a nice pile of coin.

  9. Who is stupid enough to not realise that it was a sugar bottle? You could clearly see the powder residue after it was smashed on the ground.

    Magic of television strikes again.

  10. “incorrect and debasing suggestion that guide dogs can be used to accommodate irresponsible and drunken behaviour”

    How could anyone seriously come away from that and think that if you are blind drunk, a guide dog would be a good solution. My god.

    “it was a sugar bottle as is commonly used as a TV prop…It never posed any physical threat to the dog”

    Oh snap. Maybe some people should seek the facts before making accusations, and not believe everything as they are presented.

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