Unfortunately for United Airlines, the public outrage surrounding the company’s treatment of a passenger on an overbooked flight isn’t going away any time soon. In the four days since the video of the incident was released this past Monday, the airline’s stocks have plummeted, its CEO has issued a painfully inadequate non-apology, and Dr. David Dao, a 69-year-old physician from Kentucky, has been left with a “significant” concussion, a broken nose, and two missing front teeth. And predictably, Twitter has had a field day with the whole situation. Things are not looking good for United.
If you want to turn your anger into action, boycotting the airline altogether is probably the best way to do it. Get mad. Sell your stocks. Cut up your frequent flier card. Never book a flight with them again. Your ire is justified — but trying to express your rage by putting together a makeup tutorial “inspired by” the passenger’s injuries probably isn’t the wisest way to throw shade at United. There’s a fine line between “too soon” and “just a really bad idea.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Makeup artist Mykie is facing backlash after she posted a questionable “get the look” of the incident on her YouTube channel, Glam&Gore. “The first thing we’re going to need is blood,” she begins the tutorial. It all goes downhill from there, with Mykie using fake special-effects blood to create that “just-dragged-down-the-aisle” look, as she refers to Dao’s battered face. The video is interspersed with clips of the actual violent altercation that took place on the airplane that resulted in the suspension of three officers from the Chicago Department of Aviation. It’s disturbing to watch, but so is the footage in and of itself.
Mykie’s original Twitter posting of the video has since been deleted, along with the negative comments from detractors and her defense of the tutorial. “Satire- used a different way to bring awareness to how ridiculous & inappropriate United was. Feel very bad for the man & hope he's ok,” she tweeted. It’s true that humor can be used to highlight just how fucked up a situation is, but there’s a catch: The joke only works if it's really funny or your name is Louis C.K.