Grandparents Put Baby in Oven to Teach Dad a Lesson (no babies were harmed)

[Liberal_in_LA]

Okay, don't freak out; no babies were harmed in the production of this photo. It was the joke of some grandparents who set up this shot of their grandbaby in the oven to make a statement to their nervous son ... and it certainly makes a statement.

It's all sorts of disturbing at first glance, especially because there have be a few horrific cases involving children and ovens. But this one I honestly find pretty funny -- especially because of why the grandparents took this picture.

According to MSN, it was the first time the new dad had left his little baby, and he was all sorts of nervous, even though he was leaving grandparents in charge. Having raised him (or his wife?) and likely pretty confident in their abilities, grandma and grandpa had a little harmless fun and cooked up this joke to mock his mistrust.


You can just imagine how shocked the dad was to get it, and I'm sure some people will be outraged. But hopefully dad had a good laugh and realized the baby was in good hands. And side note: how cute is that baby?! You just want to eat those cheeks up ... okay, scratch that in this case, but he is adorable.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/146314/grandparents_put_baby_in_oven

[LisaL]

1. I don't find this funny at the least.

There have been children killed in microwaves, washing machines, dryers.
If I were the father I would not feel good leaving my child with people who stick him in the oven.

[lalalu]

6. OK

I am glad to see I am not the only person finding this disturbing.

[vaberella]

41. You are most definitely not the only one. This was so not funny. n/t

[seabeyond]

49. asked hubby. he glanced... nope. not funny. didnt take him a second. nt

[Tumbulu]

98. frightening and should be taken off

I feel like alerting actually!

Not funny at all.

[dixiegrrrrl]

165. uuggghhhh...no, you are not alone.

very creepy.

[snooper2]

169. It's not like they put some sliced potatoes and carrorts around the babies belly

[liberalhistorian]

100. Absolutely agree, there

is NOTHING funny about this whatsoever. In fact, it's pretty sick and the grandparents who thought it'd be a neat joke are sick.

[Lucinda]

108. Agreed. Not funny.

[stevenleser]

130. Agree not funny. I would have been very, very angry that this was done...

Good thing no one ever did this with my little girl. She is 18 now and I still might not be out of jail.

[Lightbulb_on]

175. It might not be that funny...

... but I fail to see what danger the child is in.

[quinnox]

2. Grandma and Grandpa also have a secret room in the basement

where bizarre satanist rituals are performed. Seriously, WTF?

[lalalu]

3. They would never see my baby again.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. seriously?

[lalalu]

8. Yes

I usually appreciate dark humor but this makes me feel very uneasy.

[vaberella]

39. I second that. I would never let my child near these people again. n/t

[Tumbulu]

99. me too!!!!

not at all funny.

[Care Acutely]

26. +1. They would never see me or my child again.

[Liberal_in_LA]

94. I can see being upset, but totally cutting yourself off from otherwise loving parents?

Warn them not to do it again. explain why it wasn't funny. Monitor them. But to cut off all contact?

[demhottie]

4. And THAT'S why you never saw grandma an grandpa again

[Happyhippychick]

5. If those were my parents they would never be left alone with my children again. Not fucking funny.

[LisaL]

10. I remember a case where a woman stuck her child in microwave and actually microwaved the baby.

Seriously, this shit could be dangerous and people shouldn't be making jokes like that.

[SpartanDem]

14. It's not dangerous, if you're sane

[LanternWaste]

177. Correct.. because sane people don't put babies in an oven.

" It's not dangerous, if you're sane..."

Correct.. because sane people don't put babies in an oven.

[Barack_America]

89. Yep. Not the least bit funny. Horrifying. nt

[Tikki]

9. NOT FUNNY...

in any reality.



Tikki

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Wow. That's not the least bit funny.

It's actually quite disturbing.

[HERVEPA]

12. I'm guessing you're not a grandparent or a parent

And i sure wouldn't leave my grandkid with you if you thought this funny.

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. pic was weird but then read Grandparents reasoning - They didn't mean any harm

[Mira]

24. I'm with you. I can see the humor without any trouble to my conscience N/t

[WinkyDink]

34. Well, thank God they aren't Nazis! That really isn't the entire point, though, "not meaning harm."

[vaberella]

38. Amen...there is no logical reasoning for this behaviour.

I'm sure Romney meant no harm by putting his dog on the roof of his car.

[JVS]

96. "Not meaning harm" usually checks out ok when people also haven't done harm.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. 9 Years For Man From Kansas Who Put Kids In Dryer

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) - A man from Kansas has been sentenced for a third time for putting two young children in a hot clothes dryer to punish them, and his attorney says he plans to appeal the sentence again.

Aron Pritchard, from Hutchinson was convicted in March 2008 of child abuse and endangering a child for putting his girlfriend's 3-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter in a dryer and turning it on.

The Hutchinson News reports Pritchard initially was sentenced to 124 months in prison.

The case was sent to the Court of Appeals because of the lengthy sentence, but a new judge sentenced Pritchard to the same 124 months last year.

http://www.ktts.com/news/178549731.html

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. cruel

[vaberella]

37. Did the kids die? Wouldn't they die from that treatment? n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

58. I believe they survived.

[redqueen]

116. The difference is he turned the dryer on, and the point was to actually cause them pain and distress

This is just a photo shoot. Oven not turned on. No pain. No distress. Maybe some mild discomfort.

I'm surprised at the outrage over this picture.

[proverbialwisdom]

148. Not the point, it's a child porn genre.

Last edited Wed Nov 21, 2012, 09:40 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/07/28/led-innocent-into-web-evil/Sk9VoLSnM9uQqZQAggmQJL/story.html
Sorry. See several paragraphs near end of article above Justice Abroad.

See http://protect.org/ on 'the Florida puppeteer story.'

Sorry again, third case:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/11/nj_man_charged_with_luring_tee.html
N.J. man charged with luring teenager discussed child cannibalism online, authorities say
By Jason Grant/The Star-Ledger
on November 21, 2012 at 9:51 AM, updated November 21, 2012 at 7:53 PM

[muriel_volestrangler]

155. You're accusing the father of putting child porn on the reddit 'funny' pages?

Jesus, your post is the most ridiculous, outrageous and offensive one in this whole sorry thread. You can't just go around calling a picture of a baby in diapers 'porn'. The grandfather took the photo to make his son laugh. It worked. The son put the photo on reddit to make others laugh. It worked - though we now find there are many people who get outraged when others laugh. If you call that 'porn', you diminish the real problem of child porn.

[proverbialwisdom]

159. Never said that, didn't read about the photo's context either. Not interested.

Just posted 2 relevant MSM links I came across in the recent past quoting a pair of recent FBI ICAC investigations. Obviously, the diaper makes the photo technically legal. Other disturbing aspects of the subtext remain.

Don't like it? Too bad.

[4th law of robotics]

160. Whoa . . . that's a huge accusation

and in no way accurate.

[proverbialwisdom]

162. Whoa... making up crap.

"and in no way accurate."

[4th law of robotics]

163. Oh so you didn't actually write:

148. Not the point, it's a child porn genre.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/07/28/led-innocent-into-web-evil/Sk9VoLSnM9uQqZQAggmQJL/story.html
Sorry. See several paragraphs near end of article above Justice Abroad.

See http://protect.org/ on 'the Florida puppeteer story.'

Thank goodness. That was a weird post.

Who wrote it?

[proverbialwisdom]

172. The PROP of an open oven with a baby or toddler inside was cited in both child porn arrest articles.

The context of similarly staged photos found on the computers of arrested child porn traffickers matters, even as in this case there is no allegation of illegality whatsoever because of the diaper.

What about a hypothetical photo of baby in a diaper with a ball gag? Restraints? Or otherwise by OVERLAPPING PROPS resembling the illegal photos found on the computers of extremely depraved individuals? I think you're sheltered and naive to defend any of it.

[4th law of robotics]

174. One is a sexual situation

I don't think an oven is a sexual prop in the same way a ball gag is.

Do you?

[4th law of robotics]

158. I actually agree with you here

I think this is a first.

[4th law of robotics]

185. Had they turned on the oven that would be comparable

and they would deserve a lengthy sentence as well.

Since they didn't . . .

[NV Whino]

17. I don't even like kids, and I find it wrong.

Not funny in the least.

[lalalu]

27. "I don't even like kids, and I find it wrong."

That was funny

[seabeyond]

18. both sets of kids grandparents were sensitive enough to understand our trepidation as new parents.

especially my mom ensured i felt positive about leaving baby with her, not strike fear, for an immature funny.

[magical thyme]

19. No wonder the father was nervous about leaving his baby with them

Not in the least funny. I wouldn't leave my kids with them again.

[jmowreader]

20. Looks pretty sick to me

"Look how well we treated your baby! We made a roast out of him! Yeah, this is how Jeffrey Dahmer got his start and Jonathan Swift recommended Catholic babies as especially nourishing..."

Who the hell thinks this is a good idea? You're worried about your baby coming to harm so we'll simulate cooking him? What's next, the kid on a platter with steamed potatoes and a gravy boat?

[forestpath]

21. Anybody who could even THINK of such a thing is a sick ticket.

[GaYellowDawg]

22. I don't think I'd find that funny.

Obviously the grandparents didn't mean any harm, and I don't think they particularly put the baby in danger, but sometimes practical jokes just aren't appropriate and new parent fears really shouldn't be made fun of. And that joke's in pretty poor taste. I know, I know, but I can't think of a better way to put it. Were I the dad, I wouldn't have gone ballistic, but I wouldn't have found it funny, either. I would just ask that my kid not be used in the course of a practical joke until he was old enough to actively participate.

[LisaL]

23. I personally wouldn't leave my child alone with them ever again.

Who knows what joke they might think of next.

[lillypaddle]

25. That's seriously fucked up

no joke.

[chloes1]

28. call me sick then

but, I found this to be pretty amusing.

Part of what makes liberals a little less fun to be around is their inability to laugh! Lighten up a little! Jeez people...

[WinkyDink]

33. This is quite possibly the stupidest post ever on DU. Yeah, Liberals have an " inability to laugh."

Well, we're laughing AT YOU AND MITT AND ANN AND RYAN AND WHOEVERTHEHELL HE'S MARRIED TO AND ROVE AND O'REILLY AND BECK AND TRUMP AND .....

FRANKLY, WE'RE HAVING A LAFF-RIOT!!!

[vaberella]

36. Then you must have found it funny when Romney put the dog on a roof of a car?!

That was not funny and this is not funny.

[uppityperson]

45. Putting a baby in a squeaky clean over for a photo shot does not = dog on roof for 12 hrs

One is a photo shoot, the other abuse.

[vaberella]

120. Both are abuse.

That image is frightening and revolting. Not funny.

[uppityperson]

122. OMG, so are THESE!!!!!

Creeeeeeeeepy


Unsafe for any age baby.


Poor babies!


What if this baby is allergic?


This is just cruel. Hypothermia sets in fast!



OMG, this poor baby has been forced into an unnatural position!


Child marriage is WRONG!!!!

[Liberal_in_LA]

188. those are darling pics

[gollygee]

168. No, that's not the same at all

If Romney had put the dog in its carrier strapped to the top of the car and posted a photo of that on Facebook joking that they were ready for their trip, but then taken the dog out and put the dog in the car for the trip, THAT would be the same thing, and it would be funny.

[seabeyond]

42. i laugh at a whole hell of a lot of stuff. ugly isnt funny to me. what an absurd observation.

if ALL do not have your sense of humor, then there is something wrong with all the people. really? you dont see the ridiculousness of that statement.

[uppityperson]

44. In this context, I find it funny also.

"you were afraid we wouldn't know what to do with your precious baby? We do. see?" Reading the article, as a joke between parents/kid, it is funny.

[laundry_queen]

61. I agree.

I feel like so many here are missing the point. The way people here are reacting you'd think the oven was on, FFS.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

77. No. We get what they were doing. We just don't find it amusing. My mother's side of the family did

shit like this and I didn't find it funny then and I don't find it funny now. There's a nastiness underlying it.

If the parents enjoyed the gag, then fine. I don't think the grandparents are necessarily bad or dangerous. I just think mocking your child for being nervous about his baby is not very empathetic.

[laundry_queen]

111. Well, as someone who has had 4 kids

and was once a nervous first time mother, I just don't see this as mocking necessarily as much as it is just teasing. In our family, teasing was common. Now, maybe it was because teasing happened a lot, I wouldn't have thought much of this kind of thing and BTW, my mother did tease me a bit with my first, and i wasn't offended in the least. I KNEW she knew what she was doing, I was just being a bit overbearing. Now that I've had 4 I can definitely see that I was, and my mother was actually pretty understanding. I was a freak about breastfeeding and cloth diapers and if there would've been social media back then, and she'd have posted a picture of my daughter in disposable diapers and pretending to feed her formula, I'd have laughed knowing she wouldn't REALLY do that and she was just being cheeky.

I remember once my (now ex) h and I had dinner at his boss's house. His wife laughed at me for hovering over my then-only child and freaking out when she fell. This mother of 5 said, "Oh, boy can you tell this is your first child!" Well, I was totally offended and pissed off. 3 more kids after that I see that she was totally right. Sometimes we just need to get over ourselves. And this is coming from someone who believes strongly in validation and empathy. I just think the reaction here is a bit OTT considering there was no harm done at all. I just don't see it as being on par with, say, a grandmother who thinks her grandchild doesn't need a carseat because 'she raised her kids without them and they are fine' and against her daughter or son's wishes drives her grandchild to the store without one to prove a point. Not the same thing - at all. I don't think the reaction here is in line with what really happened, YMMV I suppose.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

132. I get what you're saying. Two things, though. I'm not going to call it Stockholm syndrome exactly,

but there is something similar in that in families that use a lot of teasing--most family members are going to adapt it, whether or not they like it.

Some who grow up in this sort of atmosphere may just never have a problem with it. Others come to accept it, though they would much prefer one in which teasing wasn't so prevalent. Yet, they have no power to change it. They grow up and maybe perpetuate it in their own families.

Others don't like it and never learn to like it. They never adapt to it. They are forced to accept this treatment that makes them feel awful. They get ridiculed as a sissy or whatever is the equivalent female pejorative.

We each have our own level of tolerance. Something I might consider mild teasing, someone else might find mocking or even abusive. We don't get to decide that for others. Especially not for children, which is where the cycle can start.

We each have our own sense of humor. I am positive that some of the jokes my husband and I make when we are alone would be wildly offensive to some others. So, I have not, in this thread made any comment accusing anyone who finds this photo amusing of being sick, or creepy, or whatever. I have said I find this photo creepy.That's different.But I have been attacked, told I don't have a sense of humor because I expressed the fact that the photo does not amuse me, personally. Now that I find offensive.

If whoever posted it didn't want feedback, and they obviously knew there would be some negative feedback, why'd they post it? I understand the idea of overreaction. I think most people would even agree on roughly where that line is. But, looking at the responses here, I think this photo crosses that line. Doesn't make those who laugh at it evil, but it certainly doesn't make those who don't "pearl clutchers."

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

81. You don't know these grandparents. Maybe the guy had good reason to be a little nervous about

leaving the baby with them.

From the article: "It is funny how new parents can be so nervous to leave their children with the very people who raised them."

What if the "very people who raised them" didn't do such a great job? Oh, right, I guess that never happens.

[uppityperson]

84. You don't know these grandparents either. Maybe the guy was just nervous without a reason

What if the "very people who raised them" did a great job? Oh, right, I guess that never happens.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

87. Fail. And you know it.

[uppityperson]

88. Nope. It could go either way. Unless you know them personally, it could go either way. Fail back

at you.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

93. Your post was pointless because you *failed* to recognize and/or acknowledge that your point was

the very same point I had just responded to--the one I quoted from the article. I never said nor implied that it was not possible that they were fine parents/grandparents. Quite the opposite, in fact. So why would you respond as if I did?

Also, they could have been fabulous parents/grandparents, and I still would not find their creepy photo amusing. And no, that does not mean I need to get a sense of humor. I have one already. The fact that it doesn't' mirror yours does not negate that.

[uppityperson]

101. Why did I respond by copy/pasting your words and deleting "n't"? To quote your same words

back at you with that one minor difference.

You:

What if the "very people who raised them" didn't do such a great job? Oh, right, I guess that never happens.

Me:
What if the "very people who raised them" did a great job? Oh, right, I guess that never happens.

And you then say "fail" and "pointless".

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

126. Why? 1.Because you deluded yourself into thinking you were being clever, and 2. You can't seem to

grasp the inanity making the very same point of which the person you are addressing is obviously already aware.

The author of the article was accepting it as a given that the grandparents were good with children since they'd already raised a child. I made the point that that assumption is not necessarily so. In other words, I asserted that there are two possibilities.

So you coming back and asserting the existence of one of the two possibilities I'd just acknowledged was pointless. Really not that complicated.

[Luminous Animal]

149. I chuckled.

A friend of my did something similar when she babysat for my 2 year old. I laughed then, too.

[4th law of robotics]

161. Yep

out of context and among a different crowd most jokes are terribly unfunny.

Context and audience both matter.

Ask any comedian. Well, any *successful* comedian.

/and there does seem to be a contingent on here for whom "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" is a life motto, rather than a cliched expression of faux-outrage.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

75. Yeah, if only liberals had a sense of humor Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert might have their own

hilarious, award-winning tv shows.

[msanthrope]

92. Your concern is noted. Please feel free to share more of your concerns, and enjoy your stay. nt

[Whovian]

29. Not funny. Too many tragedies.

[yellowcanine]

30. Exactly what lesson were they teaching the dad?

That they are both friggin idiots and not to be trusted with a child?
Because that is the "lesson" I got out of it.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

83. Right. That "teaching him a lesson" bit made it even worse. We don't know if the grandparents said

that or if it was just a headline the publisher stuck on it, but it's creepy. "I'll teach you not to be concerned about the welfare of your child?" That's a sentence I can only imagine said in the same voice that said, "I'll get you my pretty!!!"

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

31. I am not amused.

[WinkyDink]

32. THIS proves "the baby was in good hands"?! These G-Parents are SICKOS.

[vaberella]

35. This is terrifying to me and NOT funny at all. OMG.

This can't even be called morbid humour. This is just tasteless.

[lpbk2713]

40. Granma and Granpa must have gotten into the cooking sherry

Either that or they didn't have a whole lot going for them to begin with.

I tend to lean toward the latter.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. Hey Grandma and Grandpa- how about we stick you on an ice flow? Just for fun.

Photo shoot!

[seabeyond]

46. this really goes much deeper. these adults were making a point to the new parents. they do not

respect them and the parental decisions and they are letting the parents know. i would not expect them to respect any of the decisions i make as a parent, from here on out. and i would not trust them, from here on out, to honor the choices i make for my kids.

that is a really sad thing for a family adult to lose with another.

i would have the kids around the grandparents as much as before, i would just make sure i was there, while the kids young enough not to be able to stand up for self, speak up for self, or kids do what they know the parent wants.

[lapislzi]

125. Thank you

I couldn't figure out why I found this so disturbing, but you make perfect sense.

[Warren DeMontague]

47. People who say "But the oven wasn't (...even) ON!" are missing the point.

I'd be like, Mom, Dad, don't put my kid in a fucking oven. Not as a "joke".

[undeterred]

48. I wouldn't even do that to a turkey.

[left on green only]

56. Hear Hear! Back when I was married, our traditional Thanksgiving dish was......

moussaka.

[MadrasT]

50. I hate babies... and this is not funny.

Not even a little.

[Quantess]

51. That's really demented.

Not child abuse, but just sick.

[KarenS]

52. Sorry,,,, This is not funny.

This is hugely disrespectful to their son as a new parent.

I think the son was correct to be nervous about leaving the baby with this set of "grandparents".

One has to wonder what their next "joke" will be.

[LeftyMom]

53. I think maybe you need a bigger pan for babies. Looks a bit cramped to catch all the drippings.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

69. Yes, I am outraged. Improper pan size!

ROFL

[Progressive dog]

54. I see no humor in this

[notadmblnd]

55. You can tell they wern't serious

there's no seasoning on that baby.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

59. he looks chilled

do ya think they kicked the oven on to keep him warm?


some people on this thread don't have a funny bone
that's sad

[notadmblnd]

70. I know, right?

[woo me with science]

65. +1

[mnhtnbb]

57. Harmless fun? That is sick. Just sick. Who did it? Romney?

Seriously, this "prank" is the product of a twisted mind. Wouldn't surprise
me in the slightest if Romney saw it and would think it was funny.

[kestrel91316]

60. NOT funny in the least.

[NYC Liberal]

62. I find this funny too and am most certainly NOT outraged.

[gkhouston]

91. It's funny to me because I know neither set of grandparents would actually mistreat my child.

If I had doubts, it wouldn't be amusing.

[frogmarch]

63. Horrible!

How can anyone think this is funny?

[The Midway Rebel]

64. Hilarious private family joke and a harmless one at that.

Pearl clutching on DU, even more hilarious.

[Go Vols]

121. yep

pretty funny.

[AverageJoe90]

66. Goddamn, man, this wasn't funny at all.

Shame on CafeMom for trying to make light outta this tasteless (even if not intentionally malicious) joke. This kind of thing gives me daymares.......

[RainDog]

67. creeps me out n/t

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

68. Sorry, that's hilarious. Outraged? Dang, get a sense of humor

I could see my grandparents doing that as a gag.

I think if you got yer panties in a twist about this... you need some serious help.

It's akin to the good ole' "Let's take a photo of the sleepin' baby with his hand on a beer" gag.

Why? Because, why not. It's funny. Lighten up, sheesh.

[morningfog]

73. Have you had a baby? Dad was nervous about it. Bad joke, not funny.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

78. Just because someone doesn't share *your* sense of humor does not mean they don't have a sense

of humor. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert crack me up. I have a sense of humor. This borderline sick mocking of a nervous parent does not appeal to it.

[JVS]

97. Knicker twists are valid evidence of lack of sense of humor.

It's one thing to think something isn't funny, but quite another to be outraged that someone might think something truly harmless is funny.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

123. Arrogant, pompous bullshit.

And as for myself, I expressed nothing regarding anyone else's reaction.

[JVS]

136. Opinions are like assholes. You've made yours clear.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

137. Please proceed, douchebag.

[JVS]

144. Bless your heart.

[stevenleser]

131. There's lots of different kinds of humor. Some people like macabre humor, some dont. Some like

slapstick, some dont. The types of humor that appeal to humans at various ages changes.

It's pretty arrogant to appoint yourself the arbiter of sense of humor.

[JVS]

135. And it is also arrogant and reminiscent of Bill Frist to diagnose mental disorder...

based on producing a photograph like that in the OP.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

139. Please point to the post in which stevenleser or I diagnosed anyone.

[JVS]

143. Oh, I didn't realize we were in the talking about each other personally phase of the discussion.

If the shoe doesn't fit, it's not yours.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

138. +a million!

[LanternWaste]

179. Or merely a different standard of humor.

"Knicker twists are valid evidence of lack of sense of humor...."

Or merely a different standard of humor.

[gollygee]

71. I think it's funny too

[morningfog]

72. Shame on the grandparents. I wouldn't trust them with my baby again.

[JI7]

74. This is one of those things where it depends on who did it an the relationship

they have with each other.

[uppityperson]

85. Exactly. The reactions here seem based on our personal experiences.

which is interesting to me.

[RedCappedBandit]

76. Not 'outraged' by this, but it's just dumb. nt

[Robb]

79. I'm delighted by this.

I'm delighted we get to argue and be upset by things like this -- instead of some GOP presidential-win nightmare.

[riderinthestorm]

80. An interesting factoid: the oven used to be a kind of primitive incubator, keeping babies warm

in the cold months.

Anyway, carry on. Just had to interject that.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

82. Scary

yuck!

[noamnety]

86. I can see my folks doing that.

We'd have been laughing about it for years.

But we're kind of weird about humor. We were talking about the election today and I brought up whether he was better off today than four years ago. He started laughing really hard, and said that made his day. The thing is - four years ago, he was in a coma: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7864072

[Chan790]

90. Well, I think it's funny.

I mean the child is not traumatized, there is no intentional malice, nobody was hurt. If this was my family, this would be a Christmas card photo.

[truegrit44]

95. I agree, funny........

No problem with it, baby is fine can't see what the big deal is?

Xmas card ya, maybe

[Tsiyu]

102. Hedwig and the Angry Inch

That's what I thought at first. Maybe these were his early years...



And with the right bizarre family, it's kinda funny. I'd never do that to a grandbaby myself, mind you. ***Note to self- Edit out sick punchline here***

Yes, I have worked with abused kids, yes it's horrible.

Yes, moral outrage has been reached over yet another vital issue....






WE shall forever be defined on DU as one of two sorts of people: a person who thinks the baby in the pan is funny, and one who most surely does not












Oh yeah: Old Italian family saying:

Il sangue si rosta ma no si manga

[kath]

103. Wow.Lighten up people. There's an Italian restaurant out here whose motto is"We put a little Italian

in everything we make". That's been their motto for decades, and their newspaper ads have always included some version or variation of this photo:
http://www.papadiosokc.com/

When our older child was a baby we took a similar photo (I'm not sure if we were aware of the Papa Dio's ad photo at the time or not): baby sitting in a big stockpot, me (or my hubby - my memory sucks these days) standing next to the pot, wearing a chef's hat and apron and pretending to shake a big salt shaker into the pot. We thought it was a funny photo then and still do.

Did so very few of you grow up in a family where there was (and still is) lots of teasing and joking around?? Geez Louise. I think the story of what the grandparents did is a hoot, and I know my sibs, parents, nieces, now-deceased uncles, etc would think the same.

FWIW, in my previous career I had plenty of contact with abused and neglected children. I have no problem with this JOKE photo.

This thread reminds of the people who were all in an uproar about the wonderful children's book "Good Dog, Carl", saying that it advocated child neglect. (see Amazon for synopsis of the book, and this great review by a children's librarian chiding the can't-separate-reality-from-fantasy(or humor) crowd: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1AMKPBR1LC4XZ )

I feel like I've fallen through the looking glass when I read this thread.
Wow.

"That's a joke, son!" - cue Foghorn Leghorn

[kath]

104. Hey guys, do not, I repeat do NOT read Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" - it'll make

you positively apoplectic. Swift should have been lynched for that piece, the fucking asshole.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

129. Swift was, through satire, addressing the evils of society. It was not meant to be laugh out loud

funny. The "joke" was aimed at those in who participated in making the lives of others miserable, not at a nervous parent.

Also, no actual, individual child was identified as the one headed for an oven. For me, that's a big difference. So, although this photo doesn't amuse me, I can appreciate "A Modest Proposal."

[WinkyDink]

145. I TAUGHT "AMP" for decades, and this photo isn't remotely similar in intent.

[shanti]

106. NOT

good grief

[EmeraldCityGrl]

107. The baby's head is pushed up against a hard pan...

No blanket or anything to cushion it. The child looks uncomfortable and stressed.
Shit like this gets stupid people in alot of trouble. Wouldn't pass this around if you
know these people.

[Monk06]

113. Yeah the baby doesn't look comfy or amused. I'll side with the baby. WTF ASSHOLES !!!

[kath]

141. Actually, if you look at the photo closely, you can see a blanket or towel behind the baby. So they

did line the pan with something to cushion it.

[fadedrose]

109. These grandparents would give most parents a heart attack....

Not funny because it's too scary . . .

[gollygee]

171. Do you think parents would see it and think the grandparents

were actually planning on cooking the baby? I can't imagine it would be taken in any way but as gentle teasing about "what's the worst that's going to happen if you leave him with us?"

[demmis19566ie]

110. not funny at all

absolutely sickening. Those grandparents are monsters.

[fadedrose]

112. I think I'll trash this, never did before, because the picture makes me ill.....

[muriel_volestrangler]

114. It seems to have been the parent who put the photo on the web, as 'funny'

See http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/12src9/ .

So do all the DUers reaching for their blue pencils condemn the father as well as the grandfather?

[uppityperson]

115. Thank you for that link that it was the parent who thought it funny and posted it.

[Luminous Animal]

151. Yes! Thanks for the link...

[slackmaster]

117. Gross. I wouldn't allow a baby to come into contact with my cookware.

[Blue_Tires]

189. THANK YOU

^^^^^^^ This guy gets it

That baby is a germ matrix and doesn't belong in the same place where I prepare my food

[Cleita]

118. Sometimes you can joke about stuff like this in words.

However, when you make pictures of it, it crosses the line into disturbing. I think the grandparents kinda showed that they don't know where to stop sometimes, no matter how well intentioned, and could point to why the son was nervous about leaving them alone with the baby to begin with. By trying to so something to inspire confidence in their reliability, they succeeded in doing the opposite.

[CBGLuthier]

119. They Should have put a big fat fucking Apple in his mouth.

Then it would have been funny. So close.

[Brickbat]

124. Bwaahaha! I find this hilarious.

I also find this thread hilarious, unless I missed the part where the grandparents actually turned the oven on and then ate the baby. But I'm pretty sure that's not what happened.

[libodem]

127. I'm at that age where

Our parents are dropping like flies. MA, has had to put her mom in a care facility. While she was helping clear out the house for renters she found a letter she had left 30 years ago for them.
She and her husband were going camping and leaving the baby for the first time with her mom and dad. She said her all inclusive, a to z, litany left little doubt that she figured her own mother, had zero knowledge of baby raising.

[Kaleva]

128. Is it too soon to post a double coated baby with corn flakes recipe?

[ManiacJoe]

133. That picture is hilarious and

so are all the responses in this thread.

[Brickbat]

134. It's a double win.

[Whisp]

146. after reading through the thread, I have to agree.

it was the kid's dad who posted this and thought it was funny.

It wasn't a belly laugh funny to me when I saw it, just a bit amusing is all.
but it sure wasn't vein popping sparks of child abuse accusations and keeping the kid away from his grandparents forever.

good grief.

[MrSlayer]

140. Wow, you'd think the oven was on and they left him in there.

Instead of being something absolutely harmless that lasted probably ten seconds. The outrage here is beyond ridiculous.

Get a grip people.

[frogmarch]

142. What if they’d posed beside the baby

with big kitchen knives in their hands, pretending they were going to stab him? Or how about if they’d put a noose around his neck and pretended they were going to hang him? Or rigged up a makeshift guillotine and put the baby under the blade?

Putting the baby in the oven isn’t funny except to people who’d find those other scenarios funny too.

[uppityperson]

147. Isn't playing "what if" fun? Doesn't add much but it does exercise imaginations.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1799908

[frogmarch]

150. big difference between those and

putting a baby in an oven.

[Luminous Animal]

152. Each of your scenarios could end up with an accident.

It is highly unlikely that they would mistakenly turn on the gas, then mistakenly close the oven door, then mistakenly forget that they left the baby in the oven.

[frogmarch]

153. I understand that. My point is that each

of the scenarios, including the oven scenario, depicts a threat of intentional physical harm to the baby, whether or not the threat is real or just a sick joke.

[Luminous Animal]

154. No. Your scenarios pose a risk. A mistake could result in harm or death.

Placing a baby in a cold clean oven presents no risk and a chance for an accident is nil.

[frogmarch]

156. I said I understand that. I also

said it depicts a threat, whether or not the threat was real or just a sick joke.

I don't believe the baby was actually in physical danger when his grandparents put him in the oven. That isn't the point. The point is that they thought it would be funny to put the baby in the oven as if they were going to roast him. Real-life atrocities are committed against children all the time. Anyone who would even pretend to roast a baby has to be sick in the head.

People have a right to think that putting the baby into the oven was a funny thing to do, but if the child were mine, he wouldn't be seeing these grandparents of his for a very long time.

[Luminous Animal]

190. And "Home Alone" was just a movie. It is not that difficult to separate fact from fiction...

The grandparents presented a fictional scenario with no harm done. Children are depicted in sketchy situations all the time. In the Carl books, a baby's "adult" supervision is a dog. While the books are delightful, I think we can all agree that leaving a baby alone with a dog is not a good idea. In fact, it would be neither fun or funny.

I am glad the son found it amusing enough to post on the internet.

[4th law of robotics]

157. I knew a couple that for Halloween had their kid stand inside a recently carved pumpkin

(he was kind of small at the time) and wear a pumpkin hat.

What if instead of a pumpkin it had been a lions mouth. And what if instead of a hat it had been a fresh bloody steak?

NOT SO FUNNY OR CUTE IS IT!?!?!??!

[frogmarch]

176. No. A bloody streak

instead of a hat wouldn't have been funny at all.

When my eldest granddaughter was born, a hospital orderly injected her with lidocaine. His intention was to take her to the brink of death and then revive her so that he could be thought of as a hero.

Some of the newborns he injected were damaged for life. Fortunately, none of them died. My granddaughter was larger than these other newborns and turned blue for only a day. Maybe it would be funny to some people if I were to pose for a picture holding a shot needle over my granddaughter's baby daughter, as if I were going to inject her. I am sure my granddaughter, her husband and other members of my family would be highly amused. Right.

[4th law of robotics]

178. What an entirely comparable scenario!

In no way is that different from what the OP is about.

/if their kid had almost died in an oven then they sent the dad this pic that would be more comparable.

[frogmarch]

182. The OP is about

grandparents pretending to prepare to harm their grand-baby. My posing with a syringe over my great-granddaughter would be me pretending to be getting ready to harm her. Even if my granddaughter hadn't been injected with lidocaine as a newborn, such a picture wouldn't be funny, just as the oven picture isn't funny.

I'm through with this thread. Those who find the oven picture funny probably always will.

[4th law of robotics]

183. "Those who find the oven picture funny probably always will. "

Those who find outrage around every corner probably always will.

They weren't preparing to harm their grandbaby.

Comedy often revolves around statements/acts that if taken literally would be horrifying.

If your standard for what is funny is something you'd only laugh at if it were actually carried through then you must not enjoy a lot of comedy.

/the three stooges, in real life, would be mutually abusive sociopaths and likely all crippled or dead at this point. There is nothing funny about abuse or physical disabilities. Anyone who laughed at those three is sick. Just sick.

[Liberal_in_LA]

187. that's really horrible. Glad your granddaughter survived. Orderly is in prison?

[Coyotl]

164. I just hope the little guy understands humor

better than he understands ovens

[kath]

186. The baby is a girl.

[Waiting For Everyman]

166. Reminds me of the Mitt Romney school of humor. n/t

[LisaL]

170. The dog on the roof?

I wonder why people weren't falling over themselves laughing about that around here.

[uppityperson]

181. If he'd put the dog on the roof for a photoshot, then took it out and let it ride in the car, then i

it would be similar.

[adamuu]

167. Not even close to funny

[noamnety]

173. halloween costume (posting for outrage)

[uppityperson]

180. That's not safe at all. Someone might pick up their electric knife without noticing!!!!

OMG OM GOMGOM GOM GOM GOMGOMGOGMOMGOGOGMGMOGOGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What WERE They THInkiING!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111111

[4th law of robotics]

184. Post a warning next time

I saw that and didn't have any pearls handy.

WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO CLUTCH NOW!?!?!