Article by Cameron Spink

Catherine Deveny, atheist comedian, has been sacked from The Age after some remarks that she tweeted on Logies night. The most notable of these were “I do so hope Bindi Irwin gets laid” and “Rove and Tasma look so cute...hope she doesn't die, too”.

“Live by the sword, die by the sword” (Matt 26:52) is the most apt description of Deveny's situation. In reality sometimes when you are intending to insult someone you just might. Even in an attempt to be humourous. Obviously being a comedian may give you some leeway in regards to derogatory remarks, however, one cannot expect to escape all the consequences for off-colour comments that are generally considered outrageous. The Age must be commended for their actions in taking a stand against these offensive comments and dealing out a punishment that is more than a slap on the wrist.

There is the question as to whether the measures taken by The Age were too strenuous as Deveny's comments were posted on Twitter, a purely social networking site. Deveny raised this in her defence comparing her actions to "passing notes in class, but suddenly these notes are being projected into the sky and taken out of context”. But even this explanation has taken heat from her fellow Age writers. Twitter does not keep any comments confidential and comments cannot be considered private messages. Regardless, applying Deveny's own metaphor, if the teacher catches you passing offensive notes under the table at school you are indeed in for a rude awakening and swift punishment. Besides Catherine you're past forty and not a school child anymore. You can't expect the consequences of the school yard to remain the same.

Another point Deveny raises in her demise was that perhaps The Age succumbed to TV tabloid pressure. If this is true it is not inherently a bad thing. It would mean that The Age was paying attention to the overwhelming public opinion and putting common decency above one person's perceived right of expression. Furthermore Deveny can claim that humour is “deeply subjective” all she likes it does not change the fact that some comments go beyond humour and become incredibly hurtful.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing is that not once in this whole saga has Deveny put her hand up and apologized. Instead she maintains that she has been hard done by and unfairly treated. She has no consideration for the effect her words have.

At the start of this article I mentioned that Deveny is a professing atheist. While this article may seem like an attempt to kick a fallen atheist all I have mentioned above is relevant to anyone no matter what world view. However, it is ironic that Catherine Deveny has been condemned because of some hypothetical standard. It's almost as if she has not maintained an ethical standard that is objective and beyond her power to change.

No doubt Catherine Deveny will continue insulting people on her comedy tour. Hopefully, though, even if she can't understand the effect her words have she will think twice about whom she targets and how she expresses herself. You don't have to be a Christian to have some common decency.