The BBC comedy show “Revolting” turned out to be a bit ... revolting for many viewers who watched its spoof reality skit “The Real Housewives of ISIS.”
Hijab-wearing glamorista characters in “luxury homes” of bombed-out apartment complexes was just the beginning. One of the giggly housewives wonders what to wear to a beheading, and two others shows off twin suicide vests to their pals (“Awkward,” says one embarrassed character, referring to the surprise matching outfits. “Hashtag matchymatchy.”) Another “housewife” talks about how “Abdul seduced me online ... he had me at free health care.” One boasts about her new chain: “Ali bought me a new chain, which is eight feet long. So I can almost get outside, which is great!”
Some viewers didn’t find the satirical sketch funny. The United Kingdom’s broadcasting watchdog Ofcom confirmed it was investigating 39 complaints from viewers, The Times newspaper reported Friday. Others lashed out at the show on social media, calling it insensitive, racist and sexist.
But others gushed about it.
Some didn’t know what to think.
The skit creators defended the spoof, saying they were deliberately addressing the Islamic State militant group’s targeting of young women.
“It’s important not to pull your punches in satire. You have to be fearless or it undermines your credibility,” comedian Heydon Prowse told the British newspaper i.
You “can’t go after” former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron for five years like the comedians had on a previous show and not target the Islamic State, Prowse added.
The target is online grooming of girls and young women, co-creator Jolyon Rubinstein said. “It’s about people who are vulnerable to these kind of approaches,” he told i.
The two-minute clip was viewed more than 21 million times by Thursday, night after its posting on Facebook on Tuesday.