Comments on: Video: Merry Christmas, here’s your Xbox box

By: kerrhome

kerrhome — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:45:55 +0000

It’s sick. Why put his “winter clothes” in THAT box? The only reason was to torture. I thought Dems were against torture. Horrible parenting. I’m a dad of two that would never do this to a child. The only reason was to get a good laugh at the little boy’s expense. What misery.

By: TheSitRep

TheSitRep — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:08:29 +0000

That was cold blooded!

Damn near made me cry.

I wish I could adopt that kid.

By: bour3

bour3 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:11:12 +0000

And when was it exactly you realized you were born into a completely messed up family?

Note to self: never use a box for a thing that’s cooler than the gift put in it.

By: Zaire67

Zaire67 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:01:23 +0000

The sad part is someone actually posted this on the internet. And then someone else linked to it. I watched the video hoping that the Xbox would eventually be revealed. I’m ashamed of all parties involved in the perpetration of the act recorded on this video as well as all those involved in its production and distribution. This whole thing just sickens me. There is claim that he eventually received the Xbox, but video evidence to that end.

Its being the victim of insensitive acts such as this that motivated at least one young man to leave home at 18. Then only visit his “family” less than 10 times over the next 30 years. Would not let his children come in contact with them until they were teenagers.

By: Amendment X

Amendment X — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:46:51 +0000

This reminds me so much of the left: they never deliver what they promise, they always package their message in nice sounding boxes and they can’t afford what they say they’ll be giving us because WE can’t afford to pay for the gifts.
But unlike this child, the American public keeps opening Xbox box after Xbox box believing the left will finally deliver on THIS Xbox box. Lucy and her promises, a football, and Charlie Brown.
And it’s been going on for over 90 years and five generations of voters.

By: traderdfw

traderdfw — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:22:35 +0000

And the kid was so ticked, he went to live with Matthias and The Family, then came back later to kill them all.

(five points to whoever gets that)

splink on March 2, 2008 at 7:24 AM

Omega Man – With Charlton Heston! Where’s my 5 points? And a pony.

By: ScottMcC

ScottMcC — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:03:24 +0000

splink on March 2, 2008 at 7:24 AM

Close, but I don’t think that kid’s name is Richie.

By: Cold Steel

Cold Steel — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:29:19 +0000

JS on March 2, 2008 at 9:57 AM

Good points JS. Posters laughing this off as a “prank” are also missing the obvious major component: youtube. Punking your child in this manner is reprehensible, but then posting this idiocy on youtube goes beyond the pale. Projecting your dysfunction out for the whole world to see and laugh at goes into parent of the year territory. It makes me warm and fuzzy to know that there are some that can so readily dismiss this and draw on similar comparisons in their own festivities. BTW, for the post calling me and other link-minded people LIBERAL: please enlighten. Is it conservative to jerk your kids around for the holidays? Is it conservative to piss yourself laughing while your child sits in stunned silence? Is it conservative to post your cinematographic feat on a viral media website? I’m not calling for government regulation, control, definition, or anything like it. I’m weighing in on the court of public opinion. This isn’t a legal or governmental discussion, this is a morality discussion.

By: JS

JS — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:57:11 +0000

Sorry folks, this isn’t just a prank, it’s psychological abuse. Some of the comparisons that have floated in the comments here would qualify as genuine jokes; having several wrapped presents for a child, and one of them is something silly like broccoli. Or wrapping up a small present in a big box. But that’s not what happened here. They made this gift look like a specific thing — a thing which most kids desperately want and is often hard to get — and then made it the worst gift they could think of. They made it look like he was getting the best gift of his life, and then took it away and laughed in his face. That’s not funny, it’s cruel. If you think he’s going to get over this soon or laugh about it next year, I really hope you’re right; but I’m placing my bet on the opposite side.

By: madmonkphotog

madmonkphotog — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:07:41 +0000

why do i have a feeling that the Dumbs will use this in an ad showing how cruel the GOP is to children?

By: splink

splink — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:24:26 +0000

And the kid was so ticked, he went to live with Matthias and The Family, then came back later to kill them all.

(five points to whoever gets that)

By: tommylotto

tommylotto — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 11:00:37 +0000

Does not look right to me. I think it was staged. We are in a youtube era where people are competing for their 15 minutes.

By: Fizzmaister

Fizzmaister — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:17:05 +0000

I feel bad, but I would probably do that. In related news, two years ago for Christmas, I gave my little brother a big box, with a cinder block, stuffed with newspaper, and a Gamecube game hidden in the side.

By: traderdfw

traderdfw — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:49:44 +0000

THAT, was too funny! That kid needs a haircut…BIGTIME!

By: amkun

amkun — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:37:27 +0000

This is what America will be feeling should we elect Obama.

By: kickstar1

kickstar1 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:19:29 +0000

Oh man that's soooo funny! Yeah, listen to 'em laugh! "Hey kid, don't get your hopes up for anything but just resign yourself to always live in the ghetto and not dream for anything! Just like us!" Yeah real funny. And the talking heads all wonder why these kids never grow up and get the hell out of that world -it's because they get STEPPED ON and told there is not point in TRYING, HOPING OR BELIEVING. Great work parents. Whatever. Keith

By: SuperCool

SuperCool — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:10:35 +0000

…that and then putting the tape of it up on the net for the entire world to see.

This kid’s parents are moral degenerates.

By: SuperCool

SuperCool — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:07:50 +0000

…and with that, a serial killer was born.

Duh-duh-DUUUUUUUUH!/sinister music

All kidding aside, the look on that kid’s face…WTF is wrong with this kid’s parents? What kind of demented freaks would continue to play a kid out after seeing how crushed he was? WTF did those scumbags find so funny about the look on the kid’s face?

If that kid grows up to be a menace to society, twenty bucks says THIS will come up in session with the social worker/psychologist/court appointed attourney at some point.

By: ihasurnominashun

ihasurnominashun — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:06:38 +0000

That hurt my heart. That was abuse. If the kid peeked you deal with the action right out, you don’t humiliate and treat the child cruelly. How harsh.

By: 52Ranger

52Ranger — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:28:32 +0000

No matter how many crappy arguments I hear about how this is a prank and the kid will probably have a sense of humor about it someday, and further, how viewers both on site and the original site had worse childhood traumas and survived them, ONE ITEM should be considered over and above all others... This kid had his personal life crapped on by his family in public. Not a little crapping in house...Not an in front of the neighbors crapping...This ia an international, first order, Tom-Bergeron-might-be-getting-this-for-the-end-of-season-100K-some-day-soon-so-back-up-the-truck-and-let-it-fly dump-o-rama. Did any of the people whose families played a form of the prank before have thatdone to them? Play a prank? OK fine... Fail to respect your child's feelings out before the world? I don't think so.

By: 29Victor

29Victor — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:23:03 +0000

Hey, the kid had hope that he was getting a new Xbox, so what if he didn’t. It’s the hope that matters, not the contents. So what if that hope is in a box stuffed with shirts.

/sarc off
poor kid

Half the country is putting it’s hope in a stuffed shirt. If they get the chance to open it, imagine how disappointed they will be.

By: Captain Scarlet

Captain Scarlet — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:17:19 +0000

My heart hurt watching that video, especially when everyone walked away. There needed to some payoff to show that he wasn’t left with that feeling, otherwise it’s just pointless anguish porn, perpetrated on a child no less.

(p.s. we have one child and a blissfully game-system free household – so far)

By: Tzetzes

Tzetzes — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:14:57 +0000

Psyche!

By: nottakingsides

nottakingsides — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:06:44 +0000

Good grief! You people must raise some spoiled kids. Some families (including mine) have been doing this for generations.

It sometimes derives from being raised economically poor and having fun with Holidays/birthdays and such….box of rocks, potato in the stocking, big box with just a card/underwear/tie. We made the most out of what we had and learned to joke around and laugh at yourself and not expect too much.

“Emotionally traumatized”….give me a break!

By: unseen

unseen — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 04:48:09 +0000

Rational Thought on March 1, 2008 at 9:50 PM

couldn’t agree more. from the comments it appears that our country no longer remembers what true child abuse is. You know getting beat with a bat, locked in a cage, having your mother use your arm as an ashtray, starvation etc. Yes, the child was sad. Yes he got his feeling hurt, yes he was disappointed, and yes it appears that his parents are classless. However that is very very very very far from child abuse. Getting ones feeling hurt, being disappointed, and being sad is NOT child abuse.