"thug Puts Ant In Headlock And Deck His Mother"

[sandyRoe]

Is this example of thuggery really a suitable base for the punning skills of sub-editors?

http://tv.uk.msn.com/news/ant-mcpartlin-assaulted-outside-pub

[Baldric]

"Everyone's a Critic!"

;-)

[ludwig]

No. I don't think it's funny.

[sandyRoe]

Nor do I. But the lines further into the story about him accidentally chopping off the tip of a finger with a kitchen gadget raised a smile.

[ludwig]

If it'd been the other way around, ie his mum 'decking' the thug, that'd be great - it's always good to laugh at aggressive thugs who come unstuck - pun away. As it is it's two innocent people being assaulted in the street, so not funny.

[andy-hughes]

No, I don' think turning assault into puns is really big, or clever.

[Jomlett]

Wot pun? Have the sub editors edited?

[ludwig]

// Yet legally the same thing, so why is one funny and one not to you? //

Because as I already said (in the very same sentence as the one you quoted)...

"it's always good to laugh at aggressive thugs who come unstuck"

Just my opinion of course, but I'm sticking to it. In this story, irrespective of any considerations about legality, there are clearly aggressors, and clearly innocent injured parties. I'm on the side of the latter.

[sandyRoe]

Jomlett, Ant's television partner is Dec. Isn't using the word 'deck' in their headline a pun of sorts?

[Jomlett]

Sandy, I thought you were quoting from the MSN link which isn't there.

[sandyRoe]

Ah, ok. Maybe one of the subs had second thoughts about that line and took it off the story.

[ludwig]

I think some of the other usual tabloid suspects have used the same pun though.

[Mamyalynne]

The 'joke' of a headline has even been removed from Sickipedia.

[Zeuhl]

Are we sure it was his mother with him and not Dec in his 'hobby' clothes?