Njoki Chege to MC Jessy: Don’t insult your audience, you are who you are because of them

Comedian MC Jessy sparked uproar when he publicly shamed a man old enough to be his father during Churchill Show live recording in Nakuru.

The comedian made an unpleasant joke about the old man which didn’t go down well with many people, he directly referred him as a sponsor and suggested that he is ugly.

MC Jessy was forced to apologize to the old man after facing criticisms on social media. The Churchill Show comedian admits his joke was in bad taste.

Also read: MC Jessy finally apologizes to the elderly man he disgraced live on Churchill Show

Never insult your audience

Nation columnist Njoki Chege has come out ‘teach’ MC Jessy some manners about treating audiences with the respect they deserve.

“The greatest lesson I have learnt as a columnist is “never offend your readers” — a lesson I got from a former friend. It is a lesson that everyone in the media business ought to learn; don’t offend your audiences in either of these two ways — by insulting them or by insulting their intelligence. The audiences (readers, viewers and listeners) are much more intelligent than we in the media give them credit for,” wrote Njoki Chege in part.

Njoki insists that the old man didn’t deserve to be shamed that way. The scribe reminds MC Jessy that he is what he is today because of his audience.

“A local comedian is giving a joke on how women should forget their obsession with handsome men and give more attention to ugly men who have a more “personal” face.  I feel sorry for the old man. He did not deserve to be publicly shamed for his looks nor be falsely accused of being a “sponsor” – jokingly or otherwise. You do not make the audience your joke; neither do you approach them with such a condescending attitude. You are because of your audiences,” wrote Njoki.

Njoki is also unsatisfied with MC Jessy’s apology, she also calls on the Churchill Show’s producers to issue a public apology on the incident.

“The legal ramifications of such televised embarrassment aside, I think whoever runs the show needs to publicly apologise to the mzee. A public embarrassment calls for a public apology and an avowal that such a thing will never happen again.”

The Nation columnist also apologized to her readers about previous columns that offended many people, especially Subaru owners.

“Finally, let me take this opportunity to unreservedly seek forgiveness to any reader who read any of my columns and felt offended. We are because you are, dear readers.”