Why funny business must stop on TV

 

 

A screenshot of Sukan Tak Sentral hosted by Azizul Ammar Abu Hassan

Primeworks Studios, the production arm under Media Prima has issued a formal apology to former national sprinter Watson Nyambek over an insensitive joke made about his late father during its Sukan Tak Sentral programme.

Primework Studios CEO Datuk Ahmad Izham Omar and the parties involved in the production of the programme met Watson Nyambek in a closed-door meeting to apologise over the matter. 

“On behalf of our station’s management and also TV3 and TV9, I am here to apologise to Watson and family and the people of Sarawak for the offensive remarks that were made by our TV presenter.” 
 
“We admit our mistake. We should have been more sensitive and not made jokes that can offend any race. We will review our programmes and scrap such form of comedy if necessary.” Izham told The Star.

He added that the presenter Azizul Ammar Abu Hassan had personally apologised to Watson and Azizul along with the whole production crew has been suspended. 

The case is now in the police hands as Watson had lodged a report over the incident. 
Izham was quoted in New Straits Times saying that the network had decided to pull the plug on the on the ‘Sukan Tak Sentral’ programme, which spoofs sports news. The programme was produced by Primeworks Studios and aired on TV3.

This incident is not the only case of a host going overboard on air, earlier this month Singapore-based network Mediacorp and Singaporean comedian Najip Ali issued an apology for a comedy segment that poked fun at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najip Ali had later been dropped from the panel of judges on the Malaysian reality TV programme Astro Warna Maharaja Lawak Mega 2017, produced by Astro.
 

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