The CBC's Mark Critch is a D-bag and should be fired.

[Boges]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/michelle-rempel-calls-out-comedian-mark-critch-for-insensitive-instagram-1.3738412

On Friday, Critch put up a picture of himself in the closet Harper occupied during the Parliament Hill lockdown in 2014 with the caption, "Stephen Harper stepped down, here is me in his closet."

The Instagram post didn't go over well with Rempel.

Rempel was on the Hill when Michael Zehaf-Bibeau attacked the National War Memorial and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo before entering Parliament buildings.

During the attack, Conservative MPs pinned themselves against the walls of their barricaded caucus room while security forces exchanged fire with a gunman just metres away. Harper was hustled into a closetand spirited away by security as soon as there was an all-clear, leaving fellow MPs to remain in lockdown for hours.

Yeah because Justin Trudeau would have gone out and taken Bibeau down with his bare hands. NO! He would have talked to him and made him surrender with his advanced intellect.

Security has to protect the PM, I'm sure he didn't have a say in where he went to go for safety during the attack.

Is there a faction of people that would find this attempt at humour even remotely funny?

[dialamah]

I might agree the joke was in poor taste, but hardly a firing offense. I wouldn't want to start a trend of firing comedians for making fun of politicians. Do you really want to start down that road?

[Boges]

I might agree the joke was in poor taste, but hardly a firing offense. I wouldn't want to start a trend of firing comedians for making fun of politicians. Do you really want to start down that road?

Making light of terrorist attacks perhaps.

[Guest]

Comedy can be found anywhere, but if that statement was supposed to be funny it badly missed the mark. This piece by The Beaverton is far better. https://www.thebeaverton.com/national/item/2170-tearful-stephen-harper-boards-spaceship-for-return-to-home-planet

I like the Action Plan logo on the space ship. Funny is in the details.

[dialamah]

Making light of terrorist attacks perhaps.

Sorry, what? I thought he was making fun of Harper hiding in the closet.

Edited August 29, 2016 by dialamah

[msj]

Sorry, what? I thought he was making fun of Harper hiding in the closet.

Give them time to get their story straight....

[DogOnPorch]

I guess if taking cover isn't the correct answer re: our PM and terrorist attacks, he/she is expected to die trying to take down said assassin.

[dialamah]

I guess if taking cover isn't the correct answer re: our PM and terrorist attacks, he/she is expected to die trying to take down said assassin.

I agree, it's a pointless joke and that Harper did exactly as he should have done. But don't think it means the comedian needs to be fired.

[Boges]

Sorry, what? I thought he was making fun of Harper hiding in the closet.

In response to a terrorist attack.

[msj]

He should pull a Gilbert Gottfried who, upon receiving boos for telling a 9/11 joke [worried about a late flight because it had a connecting flight at the Empire State Building] he then began to tell a very long version of the Aristocrat joke.

So... a man walks into a talent agent's office.....

Edited August 29, 2016 by msj

[Smallc]

He wasn't making light of anything. He's a comedian. He makes fun of things. I actually think it was funny, even though I agree that Harper was where he belonged during the attack.

[msj]

But don't think it means the comedian needs to be fired.

Well, at first they were calling for his assassination but then decided to soften the call.

Anyhow: let me tell you about that family and their act....

[Smoke]

Hey, everything is OK in leftieland....but just wear a t-shirt saying "Hillary's a Bitch" and watch the unbridled outrage.

[PIK]

And puts the CBC is a bad light again. I guess since they have PM in their back pocket they can do whatever they want now.

[Argus]

He wasn't making light of anything. He's a comedian. He makes fun of things. I actually think it was funny, even though I agree that Harper was where he belonged during the attack.

CBC 'comedy' has always been smarmy and smugly superior, focusing on mocking and ridiculing conservatives and Americans and sucking up to Liberal and NDP politicians in a kind of 'buddy-buddy' attitude. Since the only people who watch these shows are their fellow progressives I guess it goes over well among them. I don't watch the CBC myself except for the news or the odd political panel while I'm eating dinner, and haven't watched any CBC show or listened to CBC radio in decades. I'm in favour of closing the place down, or selling it off, or at least making it depend on licences, like in the UK, sold to those who wish to watch them.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Argus

[capricorn]

In the days following those horrifying events, Harper haters worked overtime to portray Harper as a coward. Critch's sick joke only serves to reinforce that warped sentiment among those same individuals.

I wouldn't call for his firing. I do think he should be reprimanded. Perhaps then Critch would think before joking about events that traumatize individuals, in this case our Parliamentarians.

[The_Squid]

So comedians should be censored if conservatives don't find them funny?

You guys are the true comedy geniuses!!! Very funny...

[?Impact]

Poor attempt at humor, but a firing offence? If you want to fire Critch, a comedian, for making a bad joke then what do you suggest for the multitude of CPC back room boys and even front line MPs for their absolutely terrible statements about Justin Trudeau? I guess you want to bring in the firing squad for them.

[Argus]

So comedians should be censored if conservatives don't find them funny?

You guys are the true comedy geniuses!!! Very funny...

I'm not calling for censorship, but I fail to see why I should pay for the CBC when I have no use for it. If you like it YOU pay for it. Let them exist on licences. See how many people are actually willing to fork over real money for the 'pleasure' of their 'high quality' entertainment.

Poor attempt at humor, but a firing offence? If you want to fire Critch, a comedian, for making a bad joke then what do you suggest for the multitude of CPC back room boys and even front line MPs for their absolutely terrible statements about Justin Trudeau? I guess you want to bring in the firing squad for them.

Critch is a paid public servant. The others aren't.

[dialamah]

CBC 'comedy' has always been smarmy and smugly superior, focusing on mocking and ridiculing conservatives and Americans and sucking up to Liberal and NDP politicians in a kind of 'buddy-buddy' attitude. Since the only people who watch these shows are their fellow progressives I guess it goes over well among them. I don't watch the CBC myself except for the news or the odd political panel while I'm eating dinner, and haven't watched any CBC show or listened to CBC radio in decades. I'm in favour of closing the place down, or selling it off, or at least making it depend on licences, like in the UK, sold to those who wish to watch them.

I'm one of those progressives so I guess I also see them make fun of Trudeau. Note the first comment at the bottom decrying the lack of comedy and respect for Trudeau.

And here's Mercer tearing a strip off Trudeau over the Saudi deal.

[SpankyMcFarland]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/michelle-rempel-calls-out-comedian-mark-critch-for-insensitive-instagram-1.3738412

Yeah because Justin Trudeau would have gone out and taken Bibeau down with his bare hands. NO! He would have talked to him and made him surrender with his advanced intellect.

Security has to protect the PM, I'm sure he didn't have a say in where he went to go for safety during the attack.

Is there a faction of people that would find this attempt at humour even remotely funny?

The criteria used here to define what constitutes an adequately argued OP will be forever beyond my understanding.

[segnosaur]

So comedians should be censored if conservatives don't find them funny?

Keep in mind that one complaint that people have is that Critch was employed by the CBC, which is a broadcaster which is supported through taxes. So, in effect people are seeing their money go to mock someone that they may have supported politically.

Calling it "censorship" might be a bit of a mislabeling. I don't know if it should be considered 'censorship' if you're saying "Don't let MY tax money go towards supporting him". Many people wouldn't be complaining if he were working for (for example) CTV, or Global, or a private Youtube channel.

If the CBC were privately owned/funded, then it would be less of an issue. People could complain about Critch's humor, but at the end of the day whether he remained employed would depend mostly on his popularity.

Some comedians can be "edgy", controversial or politcal and still be successful... Steven Colbert, Jon Stewart, or even McLean and Mclean. Those acts did well even though the humor might have turned off large numbers of people. But the quality of their performances still brought in enough fans to keep them viable. Nobody knows if Critch would find similar success, but as long as the CBC continues to receive public funding we will never know.

[SpankyMcFarland]

CBC Radio and CBC Newsworld contribute considerably to Canada. Look at what passes for news reporting and analysis on the other Canadian channnels - pitiful stuff. Anglophone Canada is in danger of being obliterated completely by US TV.

[Boges]

CBC Radio and CBC Newsworld contribute considerably to Canada. Look at what passes for news reporting and analysis on the other Canadian channnels - pitiful stuff. Anglophone Canada is in danger of being obliterated completely by US TV.

But they don't get taxpayer money, above and beyond what's available to all broadcasters.

I also don't really think it does contribute all that greatly.

Certainly a comedy problem doesn't ad greatly to the nation's fabric, not to mention "new reporting and analysis".

[Argus]

CBC Radio and CBC Newsworld contribute considerably to Canada. Look at what passes for news reporting and analysis on the other Canadian channnels - pitiful stuff. Anglophone Canada is in danger of being obliterated completely by US TV.

I have been a news junky all my life. I don't notice the CBC being any more Canadian or of any higher quality than anyone else. In terms of local news, the local CTV outlet at least HAS a dedicated local news show, where the CBC does not.