Porridge - use of OCD for laughs. Right or wrong?

[Ashley]

We have all seen TV and the media misrepresent OCD and I am coming up with 7 examples to highlight, one for each day of OCD Awareness Week.   I came across this and I wondered what people thought of this clip from the recent Porridge reboot (not just because of the OCD stuff, but it was woeful compared to Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale).

http://www.ocduk.org/porridge-use-of-ocd

The character is not mocking OCD, nor belittling it really (compared to Abi’s comment in EastEnders the same week)  but the character uses OCD in a counselling group to help him find something hidden under a chair.   My question is this, in this clip OCD is being used for cheap laughs.   So is this acceptable (should we laugh it off) or does it belittle OCD?  Is this worse than Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners in how the public might misperceive OCD?

Should this be on 1 of the 7 media misrepresentations about OCD?

Thoughts?

[snowbear]

I agree, the old Porridge was better, but for a generation who didn't have the privilege of seeing Ronnie Barker to compare it to, I guess the new one isn't bad. (Showing my age...) 

Regarding the portrayal of OCD in the clip being a misrepresentation...hmm. Tough call.

I think it was done for laughs, but not to make fun of OCD. He had a purpose for the pretence and it was clear (I think) that he was making it up for the moment in order to pull off one of his schemes. It was exactly the sort of trick Ronnie Barker would have thought up back in the day. I guess what I'm saying is it was 'in character' and not just for cheap laughs. 

And tbh it was a more accurate representation than most comedy shows manage. 

I'm tempted to laugh this one off because my thought when he started the walks was 'that would be pretty disabling' and that kinda is what we want people to realise. 

See what others think.  

[Ashley]

7 minutes ago, snowbear said:

And tbh it was a more accurate representation than most comedy shows manage. 

I'm tempted to laugh this one off because my thought when he started the walks was 'that would be pretty disabling' and that kinda is what we want people to realise. 

This is my gut feeling too, although done for laughs it was more realistic than Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners.

[Gemma7]

I'm glad I didn't watch it because it looks pretty bad. It's not the worst use of OCD I've ever seen but I do get sick of rituals that would actually be incredibly stressful being laughed at. As a sufferer these things don't offend me but they wear you down over time. 

[Ashley]

I guess this is my concern, although it did not offend me, I was a little disappointed they chose to make laughs out of OCD.

[snowbear]

I know what you mean, Gemma. I spent much of the last decade getting stuck at doorways and needing to do a half hour ritual to get into the room followed by another half hour ritual to walk back out of the room - one hour to take 12 steps. For around 18 months it was so hard to get into the kitchen I kept emergency supplies of water and chocolate in the hallway in case I went over the maximum three days of not eating (so much mental effort to get to the fridge it was easier to go hungry.) I lost a huge amount of weight and my bones stuck out through my skin like an anorexic. But the mental strain was far greater than the physical strain. It wears you down. 

Yet even at my worst I was able to laugh at myself (except on a bad day or during the ritual itself.) I sometimes wish they'd show a realistic portrait of OCD in a TV show, including how we laugh at ourselves while crying inside. Would take one heck of a good actor to convey the complexity of the scene methinks!

[Gemma7]

When you've been the person doing rituals, feeling highly anxious and self conscious because you know you're acting a little strange it is hard to laugh at. 

[Gemma7]

4 minutes ago, snowbear said:

Yet even at my worst I was able to laugh at myself (except on a bad day or during the ritual itself.) I sometimes wish they'd show a realistic portrait of OCD in a TV show, including how we laugh at ourselves while crying inside. Would take one heck of a good actor to convey the complexity of the scene methinks!

I agree, we can and do laugh at ourselves and if it was portrayed well I think there would be real honest humour even when we're feeling our worst. 

I think if you have other worse contenders Ashley then go with them before this porridge clip. 

[Ashley]

Around the same time in August, the BBC also made this reference to OCD in EastEnders.  This one I was far more annoyed about, whilst it's the type of misuse of OCD people make, nobody corrected Abbie in the scene so EastEnders have added to misuse of the term.

http://www.ocduk.org/eastenders-use-of-ocd

(although don't watch if eating lunch!)

 

[Gemma7]

You're a bit late for lunch!

[snowbear]

I remember that clip, Ashley, but not from Abi's comment, just from the yuk factor of how he pulled that mass of hair out of his mouth. I'd not registered or forgotten she said 'I'm almost OCD'. 

I see why you might be annoyed in that there's an implication OCD is just about checking.On the other hand, Babe's reply 'That's a terrible thing to say' was open-ended and could have been referring to the OCD comment or to the accusation. 

I think if Abi had said 'I am OCD about checking the plates' I'd be annoyed because she doesn't have OCD. But 'almost OCD' implies she's aware OCD isn't just about checking the plates thoroughly, it's something more. If anything does that not help our cause more than it hinders it?  

[Ashley]

30 minutes ago, snowbear said:

If anything does that not help our cause more than it hinders it?

Not sure I agree with you on this one Snowbear.  I don't think it helps our cause at all, it was a flippant use of OCD to suggest OCD is about 'checking/cleanliness'.  That's the way I viewed it at least.

[Gemma7]

I haven't watched the clip because mobile data is expensive but I get sick of OCD being brought into casual conversation to describe something that isn't it at all. Scriptwriters seem to be becoming incredibly lazy about its use and drag it in when they've got nothing better to say. 

[snowbear]

If that's how you perceived it, Ashley, then a fair number of others will have perceived it the same way. I have been known to be wrong before...(just once or twice LOL) 

References to 'excessive checking =OCD' doesn't bother me one bit because my OCD has always involved a lot of checking as far back a I can remember and those checks have indeed always been excessive.

I get more upset about the 'OCD = cleaning' references because contamination fears aren't always about germs and liking order is obsessive personality disorder and nothing at all to do with OCD. 

My gut says we should be chasing up the OCPD mis-references and programmes that suggest cleaning is a good thing while not getting too hung up on minor references to checking *which is a recognised problem for many sufferers even if its impact in terms of being disabling is missed or played down.)  I accept you want to show it isn't all checking doors and gas knobs either, so it's your call. 

[snowbear]

14 minutes ago, Gemma7 said:

I get sick of OCD being brought into casual conversation to describe something that isn't it at all. Scriptwriters seem to be becoming incredibly lazy about its use and drag it in when they've got nothing better to say. 

How do you think they should portray OCD, Gemma? If we had a consensus on that among OCD-UK members maybe we could give the broadcasters  positive tips instead of only nagging them when they get it wrong.

OCD should be on TV because it's prevalent in the population, so how we want to see it represented isn't a moot question.

Edited September 20, 2016 by snowbear
moot question, not mute! argh!

[Gemma7]

I think they should portray OCD in a realistic way, what other way is there? I don't think it should be used as a colloquial term for being over tidy or over clean. 

What do you think Snowbear?

[Ashley]

13 minutes ago, snowbear said:

If that's how you perceived it, Ashley, then a fair number of others will have perceived it the same way. I have been known to be wrong before...(just once or twice LOL) 

To be honest this is where I struggle.  Usually most of these things don't bother me personally, and don't offend me. But with my role for the charity I have to act if many others are offended, so balancing my personal/professional sensitives is hard sometimes.

I will see what other people think about the clip, if everyone agrees with your Snowbear I can remove it from my list of 7 media errors about OCD.  

At the moment I have 10 media/celeb misuse of OCD which I don't think are helpful for our cause.  What do you all think?    These are (not in any order), I have included my thoughts on why we should highlight them (7 of the 9):

1. OCC Cleaners:  NOT OCD (people don't enjoy cleaning, and therapeutic wise people would not challenge their OCD by cleaning a mess, they would be encouraged to confront mess in some way).

2. EastEnders Babe/Abbie in kitchen  (screenshot of OCD comment or video) - we are discussing this one

3. New Porridge  (not acceptable to laugh at OCD)

4. BBC Sport byline headline (from same week as EastEnders and Porridge) - see below

5. Mirror article about Paul Hollywood (no evidence these traits are OCD) - http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/paul-hollywood-opens-up-secret-6551226

6  One of those Kardashian women have misused the OCD term few times of late, found this example - https://themighty.com/2015/09/woman-urges-khloe-kardashian-to-reconsider-her-use-of-ocd/ 

7. Katie Perry  OCD/CDO comment via twitter -

8. Good Morning Britain/Michelle Mone from last OCD Awareness Week. (She said not diagnosed, believes she has OCD because really organised, and she loves having it, good for her business.)

9 The Sun. OCD Radar a new one from this week - https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/1810836/how-sensitive-is-your-ocd-radar-take-this-odd-one-out-quiz-to-find-out/#comments

10 Mirror again - Article about Ian Poulter being neat and tidy, but no suggestion it is OCD - http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/golf/ian-poulter-brutal-ocd-would-3844951

[snowbear]

1 hour ago, Gemma7 said:

I think they should portray OCD in a realistic way, what other way is there? I don't think it should be used as a colloquial term for being over tidy or over clean. 

What do you think Snowbear?

That's my point. How do you portray OCD realistically in a TV drama or sitcom? How do you make it informative but not boring or off-putting, accurate but not so narrow or case specific that people with alternative OCD themes can't relate to it, and show the funny side in a 'laugh with me not at me' way? 

I've tried writing TV scripts (and failed!) It's not easy to get ideas across in a few lines of dialogue without basing the characters on some easily recognised stereotypes. It takes a very skilled writer to turn a stereotype on its head and still produce a relatable, likable and believable character. A show like 'Monk' has the best chance of accuracy and realism because the main character has OCD so it can be introduced carefully and developed over the 6-10 hours of a series, but sitcoms and dramas that use OCD as a sub-plot or minor character's trait don't have that luxury. 

I agree OCD shouldn't be used as a colloquialism for 'clean and tidy' and that's why I think we (the charity) should concentrate our efforts at influencing the media when it ignorantly suggests OCPD is the same as OCD, reinforcing the false stereotype. 

And why (in my view) we should chill a bit when stand-up comedians take the mick or fairly straightforward references are made to checking and rituals. Underplaying the disabling aspects of the disorder isn't as heinous a crime as getting it totally wrong what the disorder is. 

[Gemma7]

41 minutes ago, snowbear said:

That's my point. How do you portray OCD realistically in a TV drama or sitcom? How do you make it informative but not boring or off-putting, accurate but not so narrow or case specific that people with alternative OCD themes can't relate to it, and show the funny side in a 'laugh with me not at me' way? 

I agree it isn't easy, I think it would take a good in depth knowledge to portray OCD well and when the charity has collaborated with writers I think the portrayal has been the better for it.

I also think that OCPD is often confused with OCD but I find it hard to judge whether what they have referred to is OCPD or not since my knowledge in OCPD is limited. I would imagine that's why the charity doesn't tend to focus on it,  although I don't know for sure. 

[snowbear]

OCPD is the liking things tidy, lining up your CDs alphabetically stuff (among other things) and the confusion between the two disorders is where most of the OCD myths originate, I think. It's not made any easier by the fact you can have both OCD and OCPD in the same person, as some of our forum users have - that clearly confuses the sufferers and it also confuses the issue for non-sufferers. Sigh. It's the sort of conundrum only chocolate can solve...