ABC's 'You Can't Ask That' producer reveals the most UNCOMFORTABLE question he ever had to ask their guests: "It felt insensitive"
​

Over the course of seven seasons, the ABC show 'You Can't Ask That' has provided misunderstood and marginalised Australians with a voice by putting them in the position of having to answer some of the most difficult and in-depth questions imaginable.

The most recent season of the show includes guests such as bogans, gay men, models, porn stars, and people who have experienced postpartum depression, juvenile detention, dependency and addiction to prescription drugs, and dementia.

Here in this article, the co-creator and producer of the show has revealed one of the most uncomfortable questions that he's had to put to guests on the show.

Kirk Docker, who hails from Sydney and has worked on the show for seven seasons and counting, has recently disclosed the most "uncomfortable" and "confronting" questions he has ever been expected to ask their guests on the show.

There is almost no topic that hasn't been explored, from asking bogans "what's with the mullet?" to investigating how people with dementia go about their daily lives — practically leaving no stone unturned.

He admitted that certain subjects such as postpartum depression, juvenile detention, and suicide, are, quite understandably, more challenging to discuss than others.

You Can't Ask That producer Kirk Docker, behind the scenes. Credit: ABC.​

In the episode about dementia from the seventh season, Mr Docker said that the question he asked one of the guests was the one that made him feel the 'most uncomfortable'.

The question that was asked was, "Do you want to kill yourself before you become a vegetable?", which Mr Docker referred to as an 'insensitive' question.

"This person knows that they're deteriorating and the idea of calling them a vegetable, which is what they are going to become, and that you ultimately want to end your life before you become this thing that no one wants, that's the most horrible thought," he said in an interview with ABC.

Fortunately, the guests took the question in stride and laughed it off. They continued their conversation by discussing the final stages of their lives and whether or not they would be interested in euthanasia if it were an option.

This response brought to Mr Docker's attention that people possess an "incredible resilience" within them.

"I'm often wowed by people, by their honesty, by what they've experienced, by how full-on some people's lives are and how they still have the courage to get up and keep going," he said.

According to Mr Docker, the show's guests and their stories are always treated with respect on his show, despite the fact that it has a rather blunt and straightforward tone.

The guests are not coerced into opening up about their pasts; rather, they are encouraged to discuss what they have been through. The interviewees are also given the opportunity to bring up anything that they do not want to be aired on the show before the interview is over.

You Can't Ask That airs on ABC TV every Wednesday night at 9 o'clock, and the entire series is available to watch on iview. What the show's trailer below:

Credit: ABC TV & iview.​

 

[lozat54]

ABC's 'You Can't Ask That' producer reveals the most UNCOMFORTABLE question he ever had to ask their guests: "It felt insensitive"
​

Over the course of seven seasons, the ABC show 'You Can't Ask That' has provided misunderstood and marginalised Australians with a voice by putting them in the position of having to answer some of the most difficult and in-depth questions imaginable.

The most recent season of the show includes guests such as bogans, gay men, models, porn stars, and people who have experienced postpartum depression, juvenile detention, dependency and addiction to prescription drugs, and dementia.

Here in this article, the co-creator and producer of the show has revealed one of the most uncomfortable questions that he's had to put to guests on the show.

​

Kirk Docker, who hails from Sydney and has worked on the show for seven seasons and counting, has recently disclosed the most "uncomfortable" and "confronting" questions he has ever been expected to ask their guests on the show.

There is almost no topic that hasn't been explored, from asking bogans "what's with the mullet?" to investigating how people with dementia go about their daily lives — practically leaving no stone unturned.

He admitted that certain subjects such as postpartum depression, juvenile detention, and suicide, are, quite understandably, more challenging to discuss than others.

You Can't Ask That producer Kirk Docker, behind the scenes. Credit: ABC.​

In the episode about dementia from the seventh season, Mr Docker said that the question he asked one of the guests was the one that made him feel the 'most uncomfortable'.

The question that was asked was, "Do you want to kill yourself before you become a vegetable?", which Mr Docker referred to as an 'insensitive' question.

"This person knows that they're deteriorating and the idea of calling them a vegetable, which is what they are going to become, and that you ultimately want to end your life before you become this thing that no one wants, that's the most horrible thought," he said in an interview with ABC.

Fortunately, the guests took the question in stride and laughed it off. They continued their conversation by discussing the final stages of their lives and whether or not they would be interested in euthanasia if it were an option.

This response brought to Mr Docker's attention that people possess an "incredible resilience" within them.

"I'm often wowed by people, by their honesty, by what they've experienced, by how full-on some people's lives are and how they still have the courage to get up and keep going," he said.

​

According to Mr Docker, the show's guests and their stories are always treated with respect on his show, despite the fact that it has a rather blunt and straightforward tone.

The guests are not coerced into opening up about their pasts; rather, they are encouraged to discuss what they have been through. The interviewees are also given the opportunity to bring up anything that they do not want to be aired on the show before the interview is over.

You Can't Ask That airs on ABC TV every Wednesday night at 9 o'clock, and the entire series is available to watch on iview. What the show's trailer below:

Credit: ABC TV & iview.​

Mr Docker needs to grow a backbone & refuse to answer such insensitive & confronting questions to vulnerable people like that!! Disgusting !!!

 

[joshram]

Unless people tell us how they feel we would never know. Perhaps the question could be phrased differently "towards the end" rather than 'when you are a vegetable'.

 

[Glo72]

Whoever writes these questions needs a lesson in sensitivity. It seems to me that all these reality shows are getting more outrageous just to get ratings. I personally don’t watch any of them but I know people who used to watch some and just got disgusted with how the shows treat the people on them. My husband has PTSD and memory loss,you can ask him a question and ten minutes later he has forgotten what you asked him. Juvenile suicide isn’t something that should be used for entertainment.

 

[DiMcg]

ABC's 'You Can't Ask That' producer reveals the most UNCOMFORTABLE question he ever had to ask their guests: "It felt insensitive"
​

Over the course of seven seasons, the ABC show 'You Can't Ask That' has provided misunderstood and marginalised Australians with a voice by putting them in the position of having to answer some of the most difficult and in-depth questions imaginable.

The most recent season of the show includes guests such as bogans, gay men, models, porn stars, and people who have experienced postpartum depression, juvenile detention, dependency and addiction to prescription drugs, and dementia.

Here in this article, the co-creator and producer of the show has revealed one of the most uncomfortable questions that he's had to put to guests on the show.

​

Kirk Docker, who hails from Sydney and has worked on the show for seven seasons and counting, has recently disclosed the most "uncomfortable" and "confronting" questions he has ever been expected to ask their guests on the show.

There is almost no topic that hasn't been explored, from asking bogans "what's with the mullet?" to investigating how people with dementia go about their daily lives — practically leaving no stone unturned.

He admitted that certain subjects such as postpartum depression, juvenile detention, and suicide, are, quite understandably, more challenging to discuss than others.

You Can't Ask That producer Kirk Docker, behind the scenes. Credit: ABC.​

In the episode about dementia from the seventh season, Mr Docker said that the question he asked one of the guests was the one that made him feel the 'most uncomfortable'.

The question that was asked was, "Do you want to kill yourself before you become a vegetable?", which Mr Docker referred to as an 'insensitive' question.

"This person knows that they're deteriorating and the idea of calling them a vegetable, which is what they are going to become, and that you ultimately want to end your life before you become this thing that no one wants, that's the most horrible thought," he said in an interview with ABC.

Fortunately, the guests took the question in stride and laughed it off. They continued their conversation by discussing the final stages of their lives and whether or not they would be interested in euthanasia if it were an option.

This response brought to Mr Docker's attention that people possess an "incredible resilience" within them.

"I'm often wowed by people, by their honesty, by what they've experienced, by how full-on some people's lives are and how they still have the courage to get up and keep going," he said.

​

According to Mr Docker, the show's guests and their stories are always treated with respect on his show, despite the fact that it has a rather blunt and straightforward tone.

The guests are not coerced into opening up about their pasts; rather, they are encouraged to discuss what they have been through. The interviewees are also given the opportunity to bring up anything that they do not want to be aired on the show before the interview is over.

You Can't Ask That airs on ABC TV every Wednesday night at 9 o'clock, and the entire series is available to watch on iview. What the show's trailer below:

Credit: ABC TV & iview.​

I love watching this show. I love the openness and reality it brings. I have definitely made thought changes after hearing peoples experiences. The post natal depression hit home for me and brought me to tears at 63, the past experiences have never left me and I would have liked my children to have had a more settled upbringing without the affect the depression can have on a mum

 

[Zoya]

I have never watched that show before but will try and watch it. Sounds interesting.

 

[Kevn Lee]

I was part of the You cant ask that episode on Dementia , I would like to say we were treated with respect at all times. The question that Kirk found insensitive was one that had to be asked , i dont know anyone who was offended by it . I know nearly all the people involved in that episode personally and i think all of us are proud of the end result.