'Bad taste' carols storm

Exclusive Neal Keeling

December 20, 2007

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Zinette Camille

A BAD taste top ten of Christmas carols poking fun at mental illness has been slammed as 'degrading' after it was published with the backing of a social services department.

The booklet contains a list titled 'Christmas Carols for the Mentally Disturbed'. It then names psychiatric conditions and suggests festive songs which would suit the illness.

They include:

* Multiple personality disorder - `We Three Kings Disorientated Are';

* Paranoid - 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Me'; and

* Dementia - 'I Think I'll be Home for Christmas'.

Zinette Camille - who has a family member who suffered with mental illness for 19 years - made a formal complaint after picking up the magazine at the Meadowbrook psychiatric care unit which is in the grounds of Hope Hospital, Salford.

She said: "I could not believe what I was reading. I was astonished that it could be so insensitive."

The publishers have now withdrawn the magazine to remove the offending article. What do you think of them? See the full list here .

The magazine, called Marooned, is issued four times a year.

It is for users of mental health services and is produced by users of Cromwell House in Cromwell Road, Eccles, which is staffed by Salford council care workers and others employed by the Bolton Salford and Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust.

Angry

Ms Camille, from Cheetham Hill, Manchester, said: "I was angry that they could belittle people in that manner. I phoned up the council to express my concerns and someone at the magazine asked if I would like to write in and say why I found it offensive."

A spokesman for the magazine's editorial board said: "No offence was intended by the feature and we apologise sincerely for any distress. The magazine will now be recalled and the article removed. We have spoken to Ms Camille and have invited her to meet the editorial board which is made up entirely of mental health service users.

"We have also said we would be happy to include her response to the feature in the next edition."

A spokesman for Salford council said that future editions would be subjected to closer vetting.

Click here to see the full list of the Christmas carols.

Offensive or humourous? What do you think? Have your say below.

Articles

Christmas carols for the mentally disturbed

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Dooby (20/12/2007 at 08:28)

This is hilarious!! Unfortunatly humour will always offend someone!!

Stuie (20/12/2007 at 09:39)

My Grandfather had Alzheimers for years before he died but never lost his sense of humour and would have found this hilarious. If you can't laugh at yourself who can you!!!!!

p-woodhouse, gorton (20/12/2007 at 09:51)

i think its very funny. but in saying that. i might not find it funny, if one of my family had any of these problems. so i feel you need to see the comments of people who has had to deal with any of these problems. and if they are offended, then please except my apology...

CrankedUpReallyHigh, Tameside (20/12/2007 at 09:57)

Personally I laugh at even the sickest jokes. A joke is a joke.
And I have family members who've had some of these afflictions.

reppick, salford (20/12/2007 at 10:05)

This is all about getting mentally ill people confident about themselves.I think it is working the carols are very funny very clever.

alvinlwh (20/12/2007 at 10:50)

It is well funny. It is only the PC people (not normal) that will find it offendsive. No apologies here.

p-woodhouse, gorton (20/12/2007 at 11:08)

that should have been accept not except.

think i might have something wrong with me...

Leo B (20/12/2007 at 11:56)

Being "offended" or "concerned" on somebody else's behalf usually betokens either inappropriate Political Correctness, or a need to impose one's own opinions. Both are divisive: the former is patronising, and the latter is self-importance. The people who scripted this magazine understand what makes them laugh, themselves: let's leave it at that.

Matthew Wright (20/12/2007 at 12:20)

Well that shows you how the vunerable and elderly are looked after. Ever thought of getting ill in this country.

Dont forget our taxes pay these peoples wages to look after the mentally and physically ill. Backing of Social Services. Tells you quite a lot really.

Matthew Wright (20/12/2007 at 12:22)

Humour!! at our taxpayers expense. Says a lot about the readers of Manchester Evening News these comments do.

Matthew Wright (20/12/2007 at 12:23)

And my God if it was We three Man U players disorintated far and lost a game when youve all travelled a far youde all be burning the author

gillykins, urmston (20/12/2007 at 12:28)

Its a joke that a few find offensive. I personally would rather laugh at my illness than cry about it. There are far worse things in life - moan about them! Its hardly front page news. I think the vote on the right shows what people think about this!

Pandora (20/12/2007 at 12:32)

These parodies have been doing the rounds on the net for years, and they were included in the magazine by someone using the mental health facilities - so what´s the problem?

Eric Brook.the legend 178 mcfc goals (20/12/2007 at 12:44)

my mother in law has had to live with parkinsons disease for over 10 years now and she is the first to crack a joke over the condition and will laugh her head off when a comedian pokes fun at the condition as well. she always says just because you have to live and suffer with it doesnt mean you cant poke fun at it and laugh it off.

my sister also suffers with severe depression along with other mental problems, yet she to can see the funny side of things like this and if it puts a smile on her face then i say its gotta be ok.

they are two brave ladies who are getting through life as best as they can and if they can accept a bit of lighthearted fun then i dont know why these pc pests have to put their noses in and decide what is and is not acceptable for everyone else. lets get back to living life the way we want to.

D Vader (20/12/2007 at 13:26)

My brother suffers from schizophrenia and he found them hilarious. Admittedly, 10 minutes later he wasn't amused but now he is again.

And Matthew Wright, get a life and sense of humour. What on earth has the taxpayer got to do with it? Typical.

Matthew Wright (20/12/2007 at 13:27)

Which bit of the following are people having problems with. Now listen very carefully

1. The NHS hasnt got enough money to treat people effectively (apparantly) this leads to people dieing in their own excrament just because they went into hospital with a broken ankle.

2.WE the TAX PAYER have spent God knows what publishing this degrading material if it had been paid for from the pockets of the a private company it may be better.

3. These "carers" are forever going on about their love for patients. Threatening strikes over their pay (see last weeks MEN if youve got over the football resuly)and then they publish this

Their off to let you die. Anf Im not politicaly correct.

We are paying for this JOKE

Timberman, MANCHESTER (20/12/2007 at 13:28)

If you don't laugh you cry, from my experience the sense of humour is the last thing to leave this world when you go to meet your God.
Have laughing Christmas.

Paul in Manchester, Manchester (20/12/2007 at 13:55)

Some people need to be stop being quite so sensitive and perhaps get a sense of humour. Isn't life supposed to be fun? Granted, mental illness isn't fun, but why try and remove the last remnants of humour from the situation???

D Vader (20/12/2007 at 13:58)

Matthew Wright, which part of a joke do YOU fail to understand?

Also, taxpayers money has been spent on more degrading material than this small document. Have you never heard of an election manifesto?

Also, please sort your spelling out, I find it offensive.

BeckyBoob, Blackley (20/12/2007 at 14:11)

lighten up people i plenty of people with mental health issues and they would find this really funny

And Mathew Wrighty
Its got nothing to do wiv the tax payer
Why do people always bring tax payers up
Im a tax payer and i dont think there is anything wrong with thos caroles
every wants to stop bein so sensitive

Rob Kay (20/12/2007 at 14:32)

Just awful...I thought we recognised a long time ago that poking fun at disability was offensive - all those "crippled kid" jokes, ugh!
Anyway the title is also offensive and in breach of journalistic protocols - please use people first language i.e. not "the mentally disturbed" but "people with a mental health problem".

Connor Barrett, Heywood (20/12/2007 at 16:46)

stupid, would you want fun poked at you?
I think not

timothyrawlinson (20/12/2007 at 17:36)

heya this is my sister here on this here article, i was adopted and recently met up with her. So you think making our mum upset by this article was a good thing then? I study media and even I know what may be deemed as insensitive or offensive and I myself would have personally never even printed it. My sister has a right to do this as Ive learnt if one persons offended other people will be too. Love the picture, can I have mine done like that please? lol.

Garfield (20/12/2007 at 17:39)

its not that bad............there are worse things in the world to get worked up at.

Guten Tag (20/12/2007 at 18:59)

Ms Camille looks like she needs a bit of Christmas cheer, or a dress and make over!

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