Offensive? Funny?
A publicist sent the below email to our music editor, who forwarded it along to me. Usually, when publicists send stuff, it goes out to a huge list of people, so I'm guessing it wasn't just Brian who received it. Which then begs the question: Is this offensive and stigmatizing? Or stupid and harmless? You tell me.
From: redactedDate: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 16:07:46 -0800
To: 'Brian McManus'
Subject: FW: Christmas Fun!
CHRISTMAS CAROLS* 1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?
* 2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are
* 3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas
* 4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
* 5. Manic - Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....
* 6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me
* 7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire
* 8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why
* 9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?
* 10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle,Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells , Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...
[Photo of pretty and obsolete iMac courtesy Apple Inc. Taken by Terry Hefferman.]
Comments
LS,
Generally I have thick skin, but I do find this offensive. I know someone who suffers from dementia, and I have Borderline Personal Disorder. Neither of us asked to have our respective situations. And neither is pretty.
Dennis
Posted by: Dennis | December 21, 2006 10:56 AM
i wouldnt be surprised if some may find this kind of thing offensive. but- i definatly see humor in this and i did crack a smile.
could this be a way for some to understand what its like to have a mental illness? or perhaps to open up dialogue between those afflicted and those who arent?
maybe its not so appropriate for this person to send it to people of a business orientation- but, if they are comfortable enough to share something like this with us, maybe we shouldnt give the impression that we could 'snap' because of a simple joke email. having a mental illness doesnt mean i dont have a sense of humor.
Posted by: jaclyn | December 21, 2006 11:22 AM
Actually, I found this hilarious. I don't know, maybe it's just me but I found manic sooo typical of me. My father had paranoia and schizophrenia so I found it to be a great summary of what he went through and I have a nephew who MAY have ADD and man, is THAT one spot on as well.
I can see some people being offended by it but I think a person just has to have a sense of humor and be able to laugh at themselves every once in a while.
For depression, they left off (aptly-titled), "Blue Christmas."
Posted by: Marissa Miller | December 21, 2006 01:44 PM
I'm thinking mostly harmless and pretty funny.
Posted by: sc | December 21, 2006 02:17 PM
My daughter, who is 16 and bipolar, thought this was hilarious, when she saw this last week. My son who has ADHD, thought is was just stupid, so go figure. Guess you have to be pretty comfortable with yourself and your "foibles" to be able to laugh at yourself. Of course last week, I would have cried over it because my daughter was laying on the couch feeling so sick from trying a different type of lithium. Think this all has to do with your state of mind when you read such "humor."
Posted by: sandy hope | December 21, 2006 09:48 PM
I had a friend who knows I have a mental illness send me this and I didn't really see any harm in it. I personally thought 8 & 9 fit me perfectly. I try to have a sense of humor about my illness otherwise I don't think I could handle it.
Posted by: Jocelyn | December 31, 2006 05:51 PM