Tragedy, how soon is too soon?

[Mathonwy]

Real world tragedies are common fodder for various media, film, games, books etc. but how soon after an event is acceptable?

News I consider is exempt, and arguably documentaries, though both are media, however for fictionalised versions, I would personally think that without explicit consent of the affected any distance in time that is measured in months not years is clearly going to cause upset, and likely offence.

The reason I got onto this...

I'm sure most of us recall with sympathy for those affected the Norway tragedy of 22 July 2011, in which 77 people, largely members of a youth organization lost their lives.
Already an American director (Vitale Versace) has started filming his version, the trailer is on youtube (if you must see it search for Utøya Island, not linked as I at least found it offensive). The trailer appears to me to present a simple cash in on the story style film, with no real point or any sympathy towards those affected.
Unsurprisingly this has upset people in Norway who have seen it, to the point that the police there have received requests for assistance getting the promotion stopped (Article from Norway International Network [http://http://www.newsinenglish.no/2011/10/09/film-about-ut%C3%B8ya-upsets-survivors/]).

This all got me thinking along the lines of the title, how soon is too soon? Does that vary with the nature of the tragedy, or the scale? Does the tone and intent of the finished product make a difference?

 

[ZeroMachine]

22.3 years.

Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

 

[spartan231490]

There is no too soon. we must be able to examine those events in our lives that cause pain.

 

[PunkyMcGee]

@ZeroMachine: AIDs? south park said it.

OT: too soon is more for how close to people around you are to it and how comfortable they are about it.

 

[scorptatious]

22.3 years.

Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

South Park? I believe it was the Subway episode.

OT: I guess it depends on the tragedy really.

 

[PunkyMcGee]

22.3 years.

Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

look at my above post. I hit reply not quote. not relevant to discussion but, I want that cookie dammit.

 

[StrixMaxima]

Why would we even think in terms of soon, too soon? Some of the best comedy acts I've seen were mocking the WTC fall literally days after it happened.

You may not like it, but that doesn't give you the right to tell if something is ok or not. Just don't be part of the audience, and move on. Protest, if you will. But never get self-righteous enough to say "you can't do this".

 

[loc978]

As far as I'm concerned, so long as you're not standing over the corpses, it's not too soon.

...so I suppose for me it's more a matter of proximity.

 

[StarCecil]

Not to sound so callous or like a total dick, but it happened to Norway, not to America or any other country or to anyone I know. I can see how Norwegians would find it offensive, but I don't really care if a movie about is made for release in markets outside of Norway.

Why would we even think in terms of soon, too soon? Some of the best comedy acts I've seen were mocking the WTC fall literally days after it happened.

Gilbert Godfried managed to do this epically at the roast of Hugh Hefner, just days after 9/11. Cracking a joke about having been delayed due to his plane's stopover at the Empire State building elicited cries of "too soon" - so Gilbert launches into his own rendition of The Aristocrats, a joke so dirty and so raunchy the entire point is to take it so far past okay it can't help but be funny and he brought the room down laughing.

 

[Dags90]

As far as I'm concerned, so long as you're not standing over the corpses, it's not too soon.

...so I suppose for me it's more a matter of proximity.

So dancing on Lizzie Borden's grave would be a "no" then?

 

[I.N.producer]

It depends on how far the joke goes. With fresh tragedy, you have to go so far that nobody could possibly be offended. I think any time is okay, as long as there's the proper amount of audacity compared to the magnitude of the tragedy.

For example, I remember seeing a joke on here yesterday about how Apple plans to replace Steve Jobs's coffin with a slightly better coffin in a few months. I was laughing for a long time.

Bigger tragedies, like terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other things on a larger scale take some serious audacity to make funny, even a long time after.

Proximity is a factor too, like other people have said.

 

[loc978]

As far as I'm concerned, so long as you're not standing over the corpses, it's not too soon.

...so I suppose for me it's more a matter of proximity.

So dancing on Lizzie Borden's grave would be a "no" then?

Eh, she's covered up with dirt, so it's cool. Dirt acts as sort of an insulator for tasteless revelry.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Unless you or your "product" is directly aimed at the victims or victims' family, there shouldn't be a "too soon".

This seems at least semi-relevant.

 

[Tonimata]

I remember hearing an INCREDIBLY dark joke after the Oslo incident, but something tells me telling it here is going to warrant a warning.

 

[Esotera]

Some guy created a mod of an FPS that let you play the whole Oslo incident. That will always be too soon. I suppose two or three years is usually a good waiting period if you're planning on being respectful?

 

[Zoe Castillo]

--

 

[Aetera]

I'm a bit of a desensitized heartless asshole(akay, a completely desensitized heartless asshole), but it is never too soon for me. I... may have made a DA:2 Anders/real life Anders joke within hours of it happening that I won't repeat for fear of the banhammer.

However, that said, I always stay aware of the company that I'm in before making any such jokes. I'll keep my mouth shut if I know that I'm with people that will/might be offended by such things. So... I'm a considerate desensitized heartless asshole, I guess?

Spoiler: I have a similar mindset to that of Dean from this clip from Supernatural, I'll just say. I would have done the same thing.

Embedding disabled, so just click the link. Sorry.​

 

[Rabish Bini]

I remember hearing an INCREDIBLY dark joke after the Oslo incident, but something tells me telling it here is going to warrant a warning.

I'm interested, mind messaging it to me?

OT: For me at least, I wouldn't bee to bothered. But surely at least a year for something like the Oslo incident.

 

[NotSoLoneWanderer]

22.3 years.

Cookie to whoever gets the reference.

Thank you kind sir for the cookie