August 04, 2022

68. The Letterman: When does dark humour go too far?

35 minutes

During an operation in 2013 a nurse sends the surgeon, Dr Simon Bramhall, a sharp look. He shrugs it off and tells her “this is what I do” and continues to burn his initials into the patient's newly transplanted liver. Later, Dr Bramhall argues that dark humour is a way to take the pressure off when working in a high-pressure hospital job.

On this episode of Bad People, Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss the nature of dark humour and how an unusual crime was eventually prosecuted. Where should we draw the line between “funny” and “harmful”? And was Dr Bramhall’s explanation plausible?

CREDITS

Presenters: Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Producer: Louisa Field

Editor: Erika Wright

Music: Matt Chandler

The Open University: Dr Sarah Laurence and Dr Ailsa Strathie

Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland

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Bad People is produced in partnership with The Open University and is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds.

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