Anger over ‘Make a Realistic Wish’ sketch
Jun 04
The Make a Wish Foundation says a skit on the ABC‘s The Chaser program might make families think twice about asking for help for their seriously ill children.
Last night’s ‘Make a ‘Realistic’ Wish Foundation’ skit purported to be from a foundation which “helps thousands of kids to lower their extravagance and selfishness.”
The skit signed off with the line: “Why go to any trouble when they’re only going to die anyway?”
The real Make a Wish Foundation uses donations from the public to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Foundation spokeswoman Janita Friend says the foundation’s phone lines have been “running hot” with angry callers since the sketch went to air.
And Ms Friend says the program could create barriers between the foundation and families who want help for their sick children.
“I would hate to think there are families out there that can apply for a wish [that don't],” she said.
“[The families] won’t make a wish because they do feel that psychologically they are signing something that says ‘Now my child will pass away’,” she said.
“That’s not always the case.”
She says that not all of the children involved in the foundation’s work are terminally ill.
“We’re also thinking of the children and the families out there that would be watching it and would be distressed by it.”
The sketch has been pulled from scheduled repeat episodes of the program, including tonight’s on ABC2.
ABC News, Mumbrella. Forum discussion in the Chaser’s War on Everything thread.
Related articles:
- Hungry Beast skit draws netballers’ ire
- ABC host charged over child porn offences
- Collectors to return without Muirhead
- Collectors host to be edited out of future episodes
TGIF June 4th 2009