But is this too edgy? Stuff reports:
A Valentine's Day promotion by an Auckland-based radio station to spring a divorce on an unsuspecting spouse has been slammed as "cowardly and disrespectful" by a relationship counselling organisation.
The Rock hosts Robert Taylor and Jono Pryor - who are also behind the aggravating Wind Up Your Wife stunts on the Drive show - are offering to "lend a helping hand" to a not-so-in-love couple on what is meant to be the most romantic day of the year.
The MediaWorks-owned station will pay for the divorce provided there are no children involved and the person being dropped only learns their relationship is over live on air.
Mary Gray, executive director of Home and Family Counselling, said the breakdown of a relationship was "no laughing matter" and should be taken seriously.
"We find the promotion a very cowardly and disrespectful response to a very serious problem between two people," she said.
"We would like to see anyone breaking off a relationship to do so with courage and respect."
The Rock station manager Brad King defended the stunt saying it was a "tongue-in-cheek promo on a male-targeted radio station".
We think it is. It's in exceedingly bad taste in our ever humble opinion, having been both married and divorced (and remarried!). Divorce is painful, and whilst all may seem well on the surface, it has an insidious effect on individuals.
We reckon that the team at The Rock should pull their heads in and can this promotion. There's nothing funny or even edgy about divorce, especially in a contrived manner such as this. It would be even worse if children were involved, because they inevitably suffer the reactions of their parents.
Do the decent thing guys, and pull the plug on this bad-taste episode.
4 comments:
Will they do a trans-Tasman?
WHAT? Its JUST a question.
I agree that divorce is far from a joke, I've been there and it was the most traumatic experience in my life.
Talking of bad jokes, there's been one running at Dim-POst which I've posted on:
Have you heard the one about men thrashing children?
Our culture of violence reaches further than many care to accept.
I find it hard to fathom how anyone, however irreparable their marriage may be, would be tempted to participate in such a cruel and humiliating stunt.
Having blissfully "lived in sin" for the past 18 years, I've always had little regard for the institution, although realise it's hugely important to some. But this is just piss-taking at its very worst.
If there were children involved it would be totally unacceptable but there won't be. From "Stuff":
..."The MediaWorks-owned station will pay for the divorce provided there are no children involved"....
So it will just be the normal couple who thought they were in love & drifted into hate. If the to be divorced woman is any good she'll meet someone better soon. If she's employed by the Dept of Wimmin's Affairs & a comfort eater it will take longer.
C'est la vie.
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