The Muriwai community is disgusted by a US TV shows that
pokes fun at New Zealand shark attack victim Adam Strange.
The show, the Jeselnik Offensive which airs on the Comedy
Central network, "gives thanks" for the death of Mr Strange
with a "shark party" featuring scantily-clad women.
Host Anthony Jeselnik is given a lap-dance by a woman in a
full shark costume before a photograph of Mr Strange is
displayed on a screen behind him.
"But let's not forget the man that made this all possible,"
he said.
"Smile, you son of a bitch. And that brings this year's total
of people killed by sharks - 1, sharks killed by people - 17
million."
Mr Strange was killed as he swam off Muriwai on Auckland's
west coast a fortnight ago.
The chairman of the community's Surf Lifeguard Service, Tim
Jago, said locals he had spoken to about the video were
"disgusted".
"The fact that it's in incredibly poor taste isn't in
question. I couldn't find where the humour was in it for a
start, so it was pretty lame in that respect.
"I guess what's also disappointing and what shows how far off
the mark these people are is the comments around shark
finning and killing sharks, which is an issue that is really
distressing to Adam's family because he was a conservationist
and totally respectful of sharks."
Mr Jago said trying to force humour out of somebody's tragedy
was "pitiful at the best of times".
"I guess the thought that ran through my mind was if a New
Zealand comedy act tried to make fun out of something like a
high school shooting in America, they'd be on our backs and
condemning us straight away."
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