Why one particular father needs to rethink his disgusting behaviour

A YouTube video which is currently doing the rounds has left me, and countless other parents, somewhat dumbfounded.

If you haven't yet come across it, I advise you to steer clear.

For the purpose of this blog piece, I'll explain it, but believe me, you can live without actually seeing it.

What myself and millions of other YouTube users have been exposed to is one man's vain attempt to maintain an online following at the expense of his significant other, and I for one can barely stomach his justification for it.

Simply put, one incredibly 'mischievous' comedian and father in the States went to extreme lenghts to make his girlfriend think their young child had been killed in a freak accident.

I know, sounds like a real keeper, right?

While the vast majority of Roman Atwood's YouTube subscribers have condemned him for going too far, a worrying number of others suggested that we all lighten up and see it for what it is – a joke.

But here's the thing – jokes are meant to be funny.

And I sure as hell wasn't laughing.

Would those same YouTube users be as entertained if Roman uploaded secret footage of himself simply telling his wife upon her return home that their son had been diagnosed with a terminal illness that morning?

No, they wouldn't, but why not?

The premise is the exact same so what makes one a joke and the other a sick and twisted decision?

Is it the theatrics? The elaborate set-up? The use of a child-sized dummy going up in flames?

Roman's hiding behind remote controls, gimmicks and his desire for validation from an incredibly critical online community.

He justifies his behaviour by insisting that it makes people laugh.

The more followers he gets, the easier it is for him to disassociate from his actions.

He's doing it all in the name of entertainment with scant regard for his partner's feelings, and what does that say about him exactly?

Remove the props and remote controls, and then ask him to film his wife being told, for the entertainment of others, that their child had just died.

Would he be so quick to do so then?

I don't think so.