Joke using tragedy is most unbecoming

Talk shows are often about having fun using offense. Even so, American-Singaporean Jocelyn Chia seems to have gone too far with her insensitive joke alluding to MH370, the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight that went missing in 2014 and has never been found.

She cracked the joke in New York's Comedy Cellar Club in April. It was when the club posted a video of the joke on social networking sites that it sparked an uproar in Malaysia, forcing Singapore's foreign affairs minister to issue an apology "to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks".

Talk shows are a welcome stress buster for people who lead high-pressure lives. Yet that doesn't mean such shows should not be governed by rules to ensure the players do not offend someone.