Suicide Prevention Groups Boycott The Office
Credit: Justin Lubin/NBC
The Office's Oct. 29 Halloween-themed episode is no laughing matter for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
The organization and other mental health groups are taking NBC to task after the network aired an episode in which Steve Carell's businessman Michael Scott attempted to scare a group of children by struggling with a hangman's noose.
Afterward, Carell's character offers an exaggerated public service announcement: "Kids, just remember, suicide is not the answer. It is the easy way out."
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"We try not to be zealots about this," Robert Gebbia, the foundation's executive director, told the Associated Press. "But this one...kind of crossed the line."
An NBC representative did not immediately offer a response to Gebbia's organization.
The network is not the only one to face criticism over their programming this week.
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After promos for next Monday's episode of The CW's Gossip Girl hinted at a sexual threesome, the Parents Television Council requested that network affiliates yank the airing from their primetime lineup.
Airing the teen tryst, which is being teased in an ad as a "3SOME," is "reckless and irresponsible," the nonpartisan education group's president, Tim Winter, said in a statement Wednesday.
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5My mother committed suicide, so I know about it firsthand. This was tasteless, yes. But at the same time, people will do this kind of thing, and it is a waste of time and energy to get upset about it. People will never completely stop thinking suicide can be treated humorously. Better to put your time and energy into volunteering for a crisis hotline, suicide prevention group, etc. Put being upset about this to good use.
This character is supposed to be a fool who says thoughtlessly and often innocently flaunts any and every sensitive topic. Did they say exactly how this hurts the cause of suicide prevention?
If you are offended, change the channelâ?¦ yes its that simple. As for parents, there are so many devices out there to block channels and/or shows if parents do not deem them inappropriate. No reason to ruin good TV for the rest of us adult viewers that donâ??t take the world of TV to seriously.
ahem to that, bro
suicide is painless...