Support NeoGAF

[Ripclawe]

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1105331&format=text

Parade mocks gestation sensation
Beverly Farms event mocks Gloucester woes

By Laurel J. Sweet | Monday, July 7, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage

A “repugnant” Fourth of July parade spoofing Gloucester’s teen baby mama drama has touched off a class war on the North Shore between toney Beverly Farms and their working-class neighbors in the nearby fishing village.

Allowing insulting floats in the annual Beverly Farms Horribles parade - including one tossing condoms with candy - has taken the baby bump to a new low, said Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk.

“I’m deeply offended, and there but for the grace of God go your daughter or daughters in any community,” said Kirk when told of the salacious satire.

Even after three Beverly Farms judges walked off, the July 4th pregnancy-pocked parade marched on with men in diapers crawling from between a woman’s legs propped in birthing stirrups and a giant phallus sprayed the crowd as parents and their tots were confronted with signs like, “GHS Girls Went to Band Camps, Came Back Pregnant Tramps.”

And that’s just what can be printed.

Gloucester High School made headlines around the world last month when Time magazine reported several of the 17 expectant high schoolers had intentionally become pregnant as part of a pact.

The parade depicted pregnant teens wedged into tiny school desks and dancing a bump and grind at a baby shower.

Kirk said she won’t waste her time seeking an apology from Beverly Farms, but said, “It basically triggers a class war between this well-to-do enclave and a working-class city.”

Beverly Mayor William F. Scanlon Jr. refused to get involved because the parade is not a city-sponsored happening, but conceded, “It’s a horrible story.”

Gloucester activist Leslie Sarofeen called Beverly Farms’ attempt at humor “disgusting.”

Footage of the lewd, rude, rolling raunchiness has been posted on YouTube.

“I’ve been involved with this for 40 something years, but I won’t be a judge again,” Gail Townsend told the Herald yesterday.

“I get it, it’s a Horribles Parade, but it was overkill with the Gloucester pregnancies,” said Townsend. “The thing that upset us more than anything was they were throwing condoms. There were 5- and 6-year-old kids picking them up and saying, ‘What kind of candy is this?’ ”

Maura Curran, who abruptly “retired” as a Horribles Parade judge, said, “I just felt it was a little too horrible for a family event. They needed to be a little more discreet. Lines were crossed.”

But Don MacQuarrie, a member of the Farms-Pride 4th of July Committee, doesn’t agree.

“It’s a Horribles Parade,” MacQuarrie reasoned. “It’s designed to poke fun at different events.”

Indeed, seven remaining judges went on to award the phallus float second prize, Townsend said.

“That one was really over the edge - totally,” said Townsend.

One parade-goer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “People didn’t know what to do. You either had to laugh or leave. If you’ve lived in Beverly Farms your whole life, you know the Horribles Parade is about that very thing. They’re usually politically incorrect.”

Curran hopes the annual Horribles Parade won’t suffer as a whole because of a few insensitive buffoons.

“Like anything,” she said, “a few people can make bad choices and change the whole perspective of an otherwise fun day.”

 

[Count Dookkake]

How repregnant.

Seriously, though, it is okay to laugh at stupid shit in public. In fact it is good for a society to do so as it reminds people to not emulate such behavior.

 

[vas_a_morir]

This is kinda silly.

 

[Jim Bowie]

this is hilarious and parents are silly for bringing their kids to a horribles parade

 

[Limedust]

Sounds like the entire point of the parade is to be as politcally incorrect as possible. Success!

Why go to something like this NOT expecting to be offended?

 

[bishoptl]

No footage of the event? Internet, you've disappointed me for the last time.

 

[gkryhewy]

Good - those idiots should be publicly ridiculed as much as possible.

 

[Ripclawe]

No footage of the event? Internet, you've disappointed me for the last time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwlDoUSyktI

 

[M3wThr33]

She smelled liked tuna. I should have pulled out soona

Wow. This is top notch shit.

Although I do like how they made fun of Amy Winehouse.

 

[laserbeam]

Seems more like Politically correct people are too busy attending a well established Politically Incorrect parade.

Personally I find the whole thing funny myself but I can enjoy off colored humor.

 

[The Blue Jihad]

It's genius. Stupid people need to get called out on their stupid shit, and I applaud the people in that parade who did precisely that: illustrating how fucking stupid society has become.

 

[Brobzoid]

"She smelled like tuna, I should have pulled out soona"??? damn that's some lyrical shit. I'd be hard pressed to not find that fucking awesome. Good on ya, poets of Beverly Farms!

 

[dabig2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwlDoUSyktI

What an interesting parade.I chuckled a couple times

 

[WickedAngel]

"She smelled like tuna, I should have pulled out soona"??? damn that's some lyrical shit. I'd be hard pressed to not find that fucking awesome. Good on ya, poets of Beverly Farms!

50 Cent has just found his next big hit.

 

[infiniteloop]

Good - those idiots should be publicly ridiculed as much as possible.

yup

 

[Frank the Great]

I'm all for ridiculing idiots in public, but I think putting a giant ejaculating penis on top of a parade float when there are MANY little kids running around is pretty fucked up, and perhaps a step or five too far.

 

[M3wThr33]

I'm all for ridiculing idiots in public, but I think putting a giant ejaculating penis on top of a parade float when there are MANY little kids running around is pretty fucked up, and perhaps a step or five too far.

Yeah. They need to strike a balance between condemning teen pregnancy but still being mature about it.

It's at an all-time low supposedly, but I don't know how long that'll last after the Jamie Lynn Spears shit. Media is just glamorizing getting knocked up.

 

[Ela Hadrun]

Right! Nothing funnier than a bunch of rich kids making fun of the poor kids in the town next door!

What I find ironic is that the float judge is MOST OFFENDED that they threw condoms. Jesus Christ people.

 

[starchild excalibur]

It's genius. Stupid people need to get called out on their stupid shit, and I applaud the people in that parade who did precisely that: illustrating how fucking stupid society has become.

Yeah, because a bunch of high schoolers writing "Jamie is a thug, she's tried every drug" and having a giant penis spray water is definitely trying to elicit societal critique.

Mock someone publicly for making a mistake w/ consequences they're already having to deal with. Yeah, that'll teach 'em!

 

[laserbeam]

I'm all for ridiculing idiots in public, but I think putting a giant ejaculating penis on top of a parade float when there are MANY little kids running around is pretty fucked up, and perhaps a step or five too far.

Maybe parents should do their job and not bring little kids to a Politically Incorrect Parade. Offensive material to people will always be present at events that are entirely based on being Politically incorrect

 

[NetMapel]

I cannot support this mock that only concentrates on the females. Crappy double standard FTW.

 

[Crumpet Trumpet]

The next town over should mock this parade...and it'll go on and on until every town in America is mocking other towns and starting the Civil War 2

 

[echoshifting]

Maybe parents should do their job and not bring little kids to a Politically Incorrect Parade. Offensive material to people will always be present at events that are entirely based on being Politically incorrect

...eh? Did you watch the footage? A big part of the parade is little kids riding their bikes and wagons in the parade. Parents should be able to reasonably expect their kids won't be exposed to things like the aforementioned phallus when their children have been invited to participate in the parade.

 

[malek4980]

I cannot support this mock that only concentrates on the females. Crappy double standard FTW.

The float isn't simply mocking teenage girls who get pregnant, but teenage girls who think its a good idea to get pregnant on purpose. And unlike the girls from Gloucester's high school, boys can't make a pact to get themselves pregnant. So thus your double standards. Why treat unequal things equally?

 

[cryptic]

Yeah, because a bunch of high schoolers writing "Jamie is a thug, she's tried every drug" and having a giant penis spray water is definitely trying to elicit societal critique.

Mock someone publicly for making a mistake w/ consequences they're already having to deal with. Yeah, that'll teach 'em!

I believe the girls said they had no remorse for their whoring.

 

[jamesinclair]

.Parents should be able to reasonably expect their kids won't be exposed to things like the aforementioned phallus

Oh no, a penis!

Good heavens, shield the children!

 

[LuCkymoON]

That's so awesome.

 

[M3wThr33]

I believe the girls said they had no remorse for their whoring.

That's the problem. Today's society is too supportive of idiotic mistakes people make. They don't even understand what a burden a child is and what a disservice they're doing.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

Good - those idiots should be publicly ridiculed as much as possible.

I'm glad somebody gets it.

 

[starchild excalibur]

I believe the girls said they had no remorse for their whoring.

Right, because I'm sure you'd apply that same standard to any of your male friends who bragged about hooking up indiscriminantly.

I'm not saying what the teenagers did wasn't stupid, but unless you have a crystal ball and can see that they'll be bad parents, there's no rationalizing such an absolute lack of tact. We're not talking about someone making fun of someone else on a Facebook wall, here. Even if you feel that they deserve to be mocked (I wouldn't blame you), it's baseless to think they need to be mocked in such an obscene way at a public event with children.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

Right, because I'm sure you'd apply that same standard to any of your male friends who bragged about hooking up indiscriminantly.

If they knocked the girl up I fucken would

What the hell is wrong with society these days? It's okay to be against teen pregnancy! It's not at all like hating gay people!

 

[laserbeam]

Right, because I'm sure you'd apply that same standard to any of your male friends who bragged about hooking up indiscriminantly.

I'm not saying what the teenagers did wasn't stupid, but unless you have a crystal ball and can see that they'll be bad parents, there's no rationalizing such an absolute lack of tact. We're not talking about someone making fun of someone else on a Facebook wall, here. Even if you feel that they deserve to be mocked (I wouldn't blame you), it's baseless to think they need to be mocked in such an obscene way at a public event with children.

Bad parent is all but assured. I mean one of them fucked some random homeless bum on a street corner so theyd get knocked up.

The Whole pact was theyd all get knocked up and raise their kids togeather. Such brains and intellect there inspires confidence in their ability to be a parent.

 

[DiscoNaldo]

I bet the parade foreman was that college chick who induced repeated pregnancies/abortions to make that fetal/blood splotchy bump painting.

Wasn't she from somewhere up in New England.

Is New England the new Florida??

 

[VeritasVierge]

I bet the parade foreman was that college chick who induced repeated pregnancies/abortions to make that fetal/blood splotchy bump painting.

Wasn't she from somewhere up in New England.

Is New England the new Florida??

As if. We have our share of nutcases (see Brockton, Ma) but we are no where near the insanity that happens down south.

 

[starchild excalibur]

If they knocked the girl up I fucken would

What the hell is wrong with society these days? It's okay to be against teen pregnancy! It's not at all like hating gay people!

Who here isn't against teen pregnancy? I'm against the way they conducted themselves at a public parade and that people are pretending like the goal of the paraders was anything else, but to have fun at someone else's expense.

Bad parent is all but assured. I mean one of them fucked some random homeless bum on a street corner so theyd get knocked up.

The Whole pact was theyd all get knocked up and raise their kids togeather. Such brains and intellect there inspires confidence in their ability to be a parent.

I don't disagree at all with you, but if people are legitimately concerned about the well being of their children they wouldn't express this by acting like a bunch of 13 year olds. Again, I agree that these people are morons. But I disagree with the way the other teenagers chose to express this.

 

[acidviper]

Wow I get a bunch of drunken guys doing this, but young teens and stuff. Girls and boys. That's messed up.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

Who here isn't against teen pregnancy? I'm against the way they conducted themselves at a public parade and that people are pretending like the goal of the paraders was anything else, but to have fun at someone else's expense.

as far as I can gather, that's pretty much the point of the parade. that is it's raison d'être

 

[starchild excalibur]

as far as I can gather, that's pretty much the point of the parade. that is it's raison d'être

when one of the judges (who's judged it years prior) along with a handful of other judges walk off, I think we can pretty much assume that the parade was never meant to go that far. If parents were bringing children to this, it's pretty unlikely that this sort of behavior was the norm whatsoever.

 

[jamesinclair]

I bet the parade foreman was that college chick who induced repeated pregnancies/abortions to make that fetal/blood splotchy bump painting.

Wasn't she from somewhere up in New England.

That was a hoax.

Right, because I'm sure you'd apply that same standard to any of your male friends who bragged about hooking up indiscriminantly.

I'm not saying what the teenagers did wasn't stupid, but unless you have a crystal ball and can see that they'll be bad parents, there's no rationalizing such an absolute lack of tact. We're not talking about someone making fun of someone else on a Facebook wall, here. Even if you feel that they deserve to be mocked (I wouldn't blame you), it's baseless to think they need to be mocked in such an obscene way at a public event with children.

I think you missed the part where they got pregnant on propose.

One of them, was a sophmore in high school...AND WAS PREGNANT WITH NUMBER 2.

 

[The Blue Jihad]

Yeah, because a bunch of high schoolers writing "Jamie is a thug, she's tried every drug" and having a giant penis spray water is definitely trying to elicit societal critique.

Mock someone publicly for making a mistake w/ consequences they're already having to deal with. Yeah, that'll teach 'em!

Look, if the "pregnancy pact" is true, and these morons all got pregnant intentionally, they're fair-game for brutal mockery and public humiliation because everyone should be pointing out how stupid their antics were. They deserve no sympathy whatsoever. I know I don't give two shits about the "mistake w/ consequences" because they sure as fuck didn't; had they given two shits about the consequences, they never would have made this asinine pact to begin with. Bottom line.

Had it been one girl who accidentally got pregnant because the condom broke, then yes, I'd take issue with the float.

But come on, man. This bunch of girls did not accidentally get pregnant.

 

[Count Dookkake]

One of them, was a sophmore in high school...AND WAS PREGNANT WITH NUMBER 2.

Sometimes I feel like I'm pregnant with number 2.

 

[HokieJoe]

Right, because I'm sure you'd apply that same standard to any of your male friends who bragged about hooking up indiscriminantly.

I'm not saying what the teenagers did wasn't stupid, but unless you have a crystal ball and can see that they'll be bad parents, there's no rationalizing such an absolute lack of tact. We're not talking about someone making fun of someone else on a Facebook wall, here. Even if you feel that they deserve to be mocked (I wouldn't blame you), it's baseless to think they need to be mocked in such an obscene way at a public event with children.

They DO need to be mocked and ridiculed, but I can't say this parade was an ideal venue. It was pretty funny (IMO), but quite burlesque with youngsters running about.

 

[starchild excalibur]

They DO need to be mocked and ridiculed, but I can't say this parade was an ideal venue. It was pretty funny (IMO), but quite burlesque with youngsters running about.

Everybody - please read this post, because it's entirely what I've been saying this entire time.

Let me repeat this again: I do not care if they are mocked, but a public parade with children running around is simply not the place to do it. I don't care if you think the girls are complete scum, we're no longer living in the 1800s and mocking them during a town parade is simply not classy or appropriate. It doesn't undo their stupidity. It doesn't help their unborn children out. It's simply a show of self-assumed superiority. You want to criticize people for having no class? Why not try and exhibit some yourself?

"A giant penis shooting water when kids are around? Not cool."

"Oh wait, it was meant to mock a few kids most of the town didn't even know? Let the giant phallus commence!"

c'mon.

 

[whitehawk]

I'm all for ridiculing idiots in public, but I think putting a giant ejaculating penis on top of a parade float when there are MANY little kids running around is pretty fucked up, and perhaps a step or five too far.

It's just a penis.

 

[Mr. Spinnington]

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[The Blue Jihad]

we're no longer living in the 1800s

Uh, if we were living in the 1800s, these girls would be treated far far far far worse than a mere float in a parade. If we were living in the 1800s, these girls would have been thrown out of their homes for getting pregnant (aka being whores), then likely would have resorted to prostitution to feed themselves and their child (ruined women generally weren't able to do anything else), eventually would contract a nasty venereal disease or maybe one of the many respiratory catastrophes (TB was all the rage), and die a few years later often around the ripe old age of 20 if they were lucky.

The 1800s were immensely fucked, man. Victorian England was especially scary. We're not living in Victorian England.

Plus, I don't see this float as somehow touting any type of "self-assumed superiority." I see it as pointing out how blatantly stupid and absurd the situation is.

 

[Atilac]

only if true safe sex where taught in schools.

 

[Joe Molotov]

Footage of the lewd, rude, rolling raunchiness has been posted on YouTube.

You forgot to bold the important parts.

 

[Hunter D]

That was awesome.

 

[starchild excalibur]

Plus, I don't see this float as somehow touting any type of "self-assumed superiority." I see it as pointing out how blatantly stupid and absurd the situation is.

Just take a look at this thread. You and several others are pretty much condoning the eradication of privacy just for the sake of pointing out how stupid people who have absolutely nothing to do with you are. These girls aren't public figures. These girls committed no crime. These girls aren't celebrities. If you have a problem with what they do, fine. That doesn't make it alright to express in 1) such an obscene way in 2) such a public event.

Yet somehow, other people committing personal acts that other people disagree with is suddenly grounds and justification for acting like a complete moron. If it was an ultra religious town and the same thing occurred, but it was mocking a non-Christian, would you be cool with that, too? Probably not, but given what you're saying, as long as the population thinks that it's someone worth mocking (just like you do, with these girls) it should be alright to publicly do so. I just don't get that rationalization and can't respect that hypocrisy.