American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Says ‘The Office’ Suicide Skit Crossed the Line
Posted by Monkey 1 in: All News,TV Shows
Season 6, Episode 7 of The Office, titled 'Koi Pond', was another hilarious episode. But not, apparently, to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
In the opening scene of the episode Michael Scott (Steve Carell) fakes a hanging suicide in order to scare some very young children at a makeshift Halloween party, thinking it would be funny. He then smiles, gives the thumbs up and explains to the children: "Kids, just remember, suicide is not the answer. It is the easy way out."
The foundation's problem is with entertainers using suicide in comedy. They're worried that comedic depiction of suicide might encourage mentally ill people to take their own lives.
"We try not to be zealots about this," said Robert Gebbia, the foundation's executive director. "But this one ... kind of crossed the line."
NBC haven't made a public comment about the issue, but I will.
