Calls to cancel SBS doco Struggle Street
A participant is having second thoughts about SBS doco having seen a promo, whilst community leaders want it cancelled.
- Published by David Knox
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A participant in SBS documentary Struggle Street is having second thoughts about the series having seen a promo which includes her husband farting, whilst community leaders in Mt. Druitt have called on SBS to cancel the series.
“I called them (SBS) and was crying to them today,” Peta Kennedy (pictured second from the right) said.
“It’s like they’re saying this is who we are and this is where we live — it’s not true how they are portraying it, especially for the young ones that live here like they’ll never get a job.”
“Everyone farts but why put that on national television, we don’t want that,” she told News Corp.
“If I had known they’d filmed that I would never have allowed it to go to air.”
“They reassured me my volunteer work and other positive things will come into it by the third episode but there should be that balance in all of them,” Mrs Kennedy said.
“Really I think everyone who is on the show should get to see all the episodes before any of them are on TV.”
Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali called the series “just another trash reality program”.
“I think its bad right from the opening sequence with people frolicking and enjoying the sun and the camera pans and the voiceover tone changes and you end up at a graffiti covered underpass in Mt Druitt,” he said.
“More than 102,000 people live in postcode 2770 and they’ve picked nine groups of people. It’s atrocious and it’s a misrepresentation of these people.”
But Series producer David Galloway said people need to see the full context of the documentary across its three parts.
“I think some people might have taken the wrong end of the stick with the promo but I would say look at the whole documentary in context and you will see there is some incredibly inspiring and heartwarming stories about people sticking together with family to overcome difficulties,” he said.
Struggle Street premieres 8:30pm Wednesday on SBS ONE.
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17 Responses
To me it looks like someone watched Channel 4’s Benefits Street and thought “lets make an Aussie version”. Lazy commissioning.
My major problem is that the promo makes the series seem like it’s been made by the middle class for the middle class to have a gawk at those less privileged. It feels like a freak show. Hopefully the series will display more balance, empathy and insight, but I don’t hold out much hope given the heavy handed documentaries SBS has made over the past year.
It looks like a freak show!
I’d never watch it, no matter what! Hideous.
SBS can’t make promos to save their lives! This is a sizzle reel, and was probably done by the production company, not SBS.
Honestly, who doesn’t love a good fart 😉
I’d love to catch the miscreant who leaves air bombs in the lift in this apartment block. Boy they are foul!
LOL Susan P, the old fart in the elevator trick.
I don’t think you can judge a show without even watching a single episode. Promos are promos, that’s it. I remember the same thing happened with the show Housos.
I’m reminded of a narration Judy Dench offers at the end of Middlemarch. It’s about the ‘little lives’ and how they cement together to make the greater part of the fabric of society. I am a tracky wearing person who was born to working class people who so wanted education for their offspring. My dad built our first abode himself and it used to have water running down the walls inside. I’ve educated myself and have more than one degree but I don’t quite fit anywhere. If the show is analytical and reflexive there is nothing wrong with farting. If it uses that to shore up an ism then, shame on them.
I am going to watch this and be totally judgemental, in fact based upon their appearance and their responses so far, I am going to prejudge them and assume the whole suburb is full of very similar folk
I’ll now be tuning in to see just how impressive this fart is. Thanks Peta!
I have just seen the promo Bruce, and I would only give the fart a 5 out of 10.
Yes, you have to be sitting over someone’s face with a can in yer hand to get above 5. 🙂
LOL SusanP 🙂
She has a point, is there really a reason to film the farting scene other than to help reinforce the stereotype of a particular demographic? I will hold my judgement until I see it. I have been looking forward to this and SBS are generally pretty sensitive I feel.
This reminds me of reality contestants complaining about editing etc. If you don’t say it, or don’t do it, it won’t make it into the final cut. I’d be very interested to see this series.
As a general observation when the national broadcasters obsess over ratings instead of following their charter in the pursuit of excellence very bad choices can follow.
Makes a change from seeing Inner City Sydney on TV all the time, or comedies about the Outer Suburbs made by people from the Inner City.