On the edge of a Cliff

2007-06-07 14:47

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Dear Editor,

I am so sorry I missed out on the opportunity to comment on Gareth Cliff.

I was absolutely appalled at Gareth's behaviour. I was hoping someone could tell me how to find this poor guy so we can try to help him out. He was absolutely desperate and that is where his tears came from - desperation.

I do enjoy Gareth's show but I found his behaviour completely unacceptable in this incident. It felt to me as if he did not regard this poor struggling man as a human being but rather as some or other thing he could simply discard.

It's disgusting to say the least. And I don't know what it says about a person who finds someone else's misery funny? Not a whole lot in my book, that's for sure!

Anna Robertson,
Johannesburg

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I bet we all laughed when we saw the jokes of the 9/11 attack ( proposals of the the new towers swerving planes or king kong smaking planes ), at those made of Steve Irwin's death, when Hansie died. I did. Don't critisize Gareth. This was no different. Maybe we should be putting our focus on to something more constructive like preventing crime. Maybe then we can rap Gareth. I can tell you who is having a bigger laugh than Gareth, CRIMINALS.

Surely you have seen someone do something embarassing or painful and you first response has been to giggle ? Have you never received one of those video clips where person A falls off their bike or person B slips and falls pulling bride down along with him in an horrendous dancefloor move ? We laugh at other's misfortune all the time - it is our way of dealing with what we have seen or heard and if we can not keep our sense of humour, then what exactly is the point ?

I fully agree with you Anna, We understand that there is heavy competition on the morning shows to either take the micky out of someone or insult people but in this case he crossed the line. I am sure if this affected his immediate friends or family he would have been outraged about it. It seems we are not able to have any fun anymore without hurting another individual in some way

The thing is, and I know I'm right, this man? Cliff most probably got everything in his lap from the first moment his nose was wiped for him. People like that just don't know how it feel to suffer. For Cliff it's just a watermelon, but for that poor guy that went through all the trauma a watermelon was what put food on his table. And he probably had a family to support as well. So Cliffie, whoever you think you are in other people's eyes, after this you've lost a listener and respect.

This kind of thing happens all over, the diference is that Gareth did it on the radio. Seeing the funny side of someones misery is not a good thing, but that is not a reason for suspension. Now everyone knows about it and I am sure that this guy will get help that he wouldn't have if Gareth didn't mention him in the way he did.

I completely disagree with the station's decision to suspend Gareth. I don't think he sat there and thought lets laugh at the person and the misery, but rather the situation. People stole Watermelons. That is funny. It just brings a giggle and a thought 'What is this world coming to'. Maybe Gareth shouldn't have laughed on air, but 95% of the population out there probably laughed with him. Its just human nature.

Gareth can say and do as he pleases when he is OFF air, but it is about time he realises that his show airs at a time when young children are travelling to school in their parents cars and often his irresponsible and obnoxious comments come without warning. A recent example is that of him playing interviews with teens who graphically described how hey have sex in parking lots. Imagine having your 6 yr old daughter hearing that! Gareth - be responsible or be gone!

I think that it is because we are not used to hearing a grown man cry - there is crying and there is hysterical crying - I heard a elderly man phone in to Cape Talk one day and he was completely hysterical about his dog that went missing and although I had empathy with the gentleman, it was so foreign to hear the hysteria which one would expect from a woman it sent me into bouts of laughter. Maybe these men are truly in touch with their feminine side - sorry about your watermelons dude!

The last thing we want is insensitive people without tact and control in the public eye...Think of a child that was listening to that, who would think that it is OK to laugh at other people's misery....

Bear in mind this is not the first time GC has been suspended for his 'on air' conduct-he always tries and justifies his actions and says people are way to sensitive-the sad thing is this type of behavior makes him more famous,because listeners are drawn to this distorted behavior-what a bad roll model for our youth-instead of trying to do something positive for the man-GC is so full of himself!-He doesnt deserve to have the privilege to be on air!

This isnt America's Funniest Home Movies where people make light hearted mistakes and we all laugh. Laughing at a persons loss, in terms of life or posessions is extremely insensitive. How would he like it if we laugh at him when he is at his most vulnerable.Just remember, what goes around comes around..

the only difference with him is, that he says what everyone else is thinking. you've never laughed at anybody else's expense??? we are all human. i say he should stay. he at least keeps us awake in the mornings...

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On the edge of a Cliff

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