Air Traffic Controller Joked About Dead Cat Moments Before Hudson River Helicopter Tragedy

Written by PETA

Posted 08-20-2009

examiner / CC

Funny: Cartoons about cats on a lazy Sunday.

Not funny: Making jokes about barbecuing cats when you're supposed to be working.

We're relieved that the Federal Aviation Administration apparently agrees that making jokes at a dead animal's expense is inappropriate. It has removed the "jokester" from duty.

Written by Karin Bennett

Tags:

vegetarian, funny, tofu, Leonard Cohen, The Exorcist, PETA Europe, 10 dollars, cheap, affordable, stylish, dead cat, Hudson River, helicopter, not funny

Recent Comments

Johnny commented:

Aug 23, 2009 7:26 PM

You people are more concerned about talking about a dead cat than REAL abuse!? What about military trauma? People are more calm about military trauma abuse than this! What kind of world do we live in when bad jokes are worse than military torture!?
Karyna commented:

Aug 23, 2009 12:12 PM

I totally agree with Edward. While its good to care for animals it appears that the majority of people commenting didn't even read the article...lol. Whatever.
anne commented:

Aug 23, 2009 3:57 AM

the world would be a much better place if we did not have numbskulls like that moron everything comes around lets hope he keeps his silly gob shut in future and learns from his mistake and thinks about how offensive and cruel his remark was
REBBCA 214 commented:

Aug 22, 2009 11:18 PM

edward dude you know what you should back off ok what if you were that cat ok you know you would have wanted somebody to bring justice to your murder so peta did and if you can do better then go ahead
viola commented:

Aug 22, 2009 11:51 AM

The big question is how is it possible that idiot people do jobs in which they can play and risk other people's life? Idiot people think is funny to kill cats dogs defenceless animals and also people I must think considering the importance they give to their job!!!
Mohase commented:

Aug 22, 2009 8:00 AM

Really GiJoe? You turned off the tv? Yet several other incidents in family guy which include jokes about racesex or death of humans but when the CAT died you turned off the tv. I mean of all things to offend you an ANIMAL dieing. My god if that offends you you basically shouldn't be watching family guy because I mean thats one of the least offensive things I have seen.
david commented:

Aug 22, 2009 2:50 AM

NICE JOB FAA Meg I saw that episode I am a hardcore FG fan seriously. It was quite disturbing... actually some of their recent episodes have shown a lot of animal slaughterdeaths... I dunno what's going on with Seth... he needs to go back to the way he did things... humor wo animal slaughter.
Buddy commented:

Aug 21, 2009 10:43 PM

Let's look at the big picture. PEOPLE were killed in this horrific tragedy and all that some of you are thinking about is what the worker said on a telephone! I myself love animals especially cats but can look at the big picture! People are important too you know.
Rev. Meg Schramm commented:

Aug 21, 2009 5:29 PM

Aqua Teen Hunger Force is not the only adult cartoon that shows killing cats as funny. There was an episode of "Family Guy" in which Quagmire's friends kill his cat. As soon as I saw what was coming I turned it off. Normally "Family Guy" is my favorite guilty pleasure especially Brian and Stewie but I excercised my freedom of choice and changed the channel that night.
GIJoe commented:

Aug 21, 2009 1:22 PM

Some of you are getting SERIOUSLY carried away. "Never be able to work again?" "Charged with manslaughter?" because of the topic of his conversation? First of all the investigation is still ongoing but last I heard whether or not his personal conversation had any impact on the air crash has yet to be proven. As far as the contents of his conversation though perhaps inappropriate after the fact it was a PRIVATE conversation. It was only made public due to this tragic air crash. I'm sure all of us at one time or another have said things in private that we'd rather not make publicly. Unless he's actually killing cats in this manner joking about it is not a crime. If it turns out that his conversation WAS a factor in the crash then he should be punished accordingly. But punished based on having a private conversation while he was supposed to be working not because of the contents of his conversation.

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