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- The Commission on Human Rights or CHR has called the attention of noontime show It’s Showtime to stop the cruel and inhumane jokes
- CHR stated that being adopted is not a matter of ridicule and being an orphan doesn’t define one’s personhood
It’s Showtime has received a memo from the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) stating that the show should be more responsible in expressing jokes.
In the June 7 episode of the show, GirlTrend Erin Ocampo joked about being an “ampon” or adopted during their Purokatatawanan segment.
At the segment, Ocampo asked Jimboy Martin on “how to make an ugly child” wherein the boy threw back the question to Ocampo and suggested to ask her mother about it instead.
Ocampo then clapped back that Martin should “ask his true parents” since he is an orphan.
The joke has caused an online commotion and the hosts, in behalf of Ocampo, have made a public apology.
“Kahapon po, sa aming pananghalian, yung ‘Puro Katatawanan’ ay nagbitaw po ang aming kasamang si Erin Ocampo ng hindi magandang biro tungkol po sa mga ampon, na nakasakit po sa damdamin ng publiko.”
Ang buong programa po ay humingi ng paumanhin at hindi po namin intensiyon na mawalan ng respeto at gawing katawa-tawa ang marami pong tao.” said host Amy Perez during a live airing.
CHR has the called on the management and the producers of the show to stop the cruel and inhumane jokes for the sake of entertaining their viewers.
“We call on ‘It’s Showtime’ to be more responsible in providing entertainment. Being funny at the expense of people under less favorable circumstances is inhumane and cruel,
Being an adopted child or ‘ampon’ is not a matter of ridicule. A person’s birth circumstance does not diminish his/her dignity, nor does it define his/her personhood,
The Commission advises everyone, especially the entertainment sector, to refrain from promoting discrimination against, or perpetuating the stigmatization of, persons, especially those brought about under special circumstances of less privilege”
Moreover, the Department of Social Welfare and Development also condemned the show for the offensive joke delivered on the episode.
