The heartbreaking terrorist attacks on Paris are of course a deeply emotive subject.
Most people were – and continue to be – deeply moved by the devastation and needless loss of human life that took place on Friday evening, and generally the media coverage has been respectful and nuanced.
But there’s always a point at which genuine sentiment and heartfelt emotion morphs into cynical manipulation and crocodile tear territory.
Kay Burley is not known for her natural empathy. Instead she is renowned for her relentless and often inconsiderate style of reporting.
More than once she has been slammed for her ghoulish and unsympathetic hunt for a story, regularly accosting grieving relatives and shocked bystanders.
So it was jarring to her tweet the following image on Twitter on Sunday morning…
Sadness in his eyes #parisattacks pic.twitter.com/zzPxLHm1EP
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) November 15, 2015
Many found the tweet disingenuous and opportunistic – a calculated ploy to cynically tap into a shared sense of grief. Rather than seeming remotely genuine, it was received as mawkish and a bit disrespectful.
And so, as is the way on Twitter, those irked by Burley’s perceived faux sadness decided to mock her mercilessly. And did so to brilliant effect.
(Please note that the target of the humour aren’t the tragic events, but rather Kay Burley for feigning empathy using a sad looking dog…)
@KayBurley Sadness in his eyes? pic.twitter.com/lx3lbfYrEw
— Graham Stevenson (@newplanet) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/Lloydie84/status/665837918813085696
Broccoli in his eyes pic.twitter.com/EyreakZxyM
— Gabby Hutchinson Crouch (@Scriblit) November 15, 2015
.@KayBurley Only if you're anywhere near him pic.twitter.com/pDVvB4j2tp
— Coral DeVille (@CoralDeVille) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/hrtbps/status/665827185522024448
Sadness in his eyes @KayBurley pic.twitter.com/AQZP9Iixxv
— Shivam Manghnani (@shivamLM) November 15, 2015
Sadness in his eyes. pic.twitter.com/glXUxLTp66
— John Eccleston (@JohnEccleston) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/arcfiregames/status/665838865220018176
The sadness in his eyes. pic.twitter.com/eodWp3EZlq
— David McAndrews (@DavidMcAndrews) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/CallMeSpits/status/665840109422518272
https://twitter.com/lfcmaestro23/status/665831115257716736
Sadness in his pie pic.twitter.com/BOSHdZmnHy
— David Squires (@squires_david) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/profanityswan/status/665830059282964481
https://twitter.com/jackiepatie/status/665827663228071936
Sadness in his eyes. pic.twitter.com/szBvb9T7tP
— Daniel Pape (@Elpapey) November 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/AndrewOMalley/status/665838872866197504
https://twitter.com/hrtbps/status/665831503763492864
https://twitter.com/HarryFlowersOBE/status/665826278247796736
https://twitter.com/jackiepatie/status/665826630829494272
https://twitter.com/seannwalsh/status/665851291051163648
@BeardedGenius @bickers83 pic.twitter.com/hSdFPLf865 #sadnessinhiseyes
— Simon Robinson (@Bellenderhund) November 15, 2015
