British Comedy Guide

The ultimate taboo? Page 11

It was in another thread.

I'm just being facetious. Ignore me.

Quote: Lee Henman @ November 19 2008, 3:02 PM GMT

That's just a wee bit sad.

You know, people who try to justify those sort of jokes with the old "comedy should have no boundaries" chestnut can be easily defeated in a debate. Just ask them "Would you laugh if it was your daughter or sister?"

Jerry Sadowitz is great. Totally futile taking anything he says out of context.

Quote: Lee Henman @ November 19 2008, 3:02 PM GMT

"Would you laugh if it was your daughter or sister?"

Do you know what, I can laugh about general jokes about serious and heavy subjects that have effected me personally but if I was the parent of the child which is the subject of the joke under discussion, I would personally want to rip the head off the person who created that joke and those who found it funny. Maybe that would be funny?

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 3:03 PM GMT

*goes back to read the joke again*

Of course they wouldn't.
I don't think that has anything to do with it.

You wouldn't laugh at any joke involving death or illness at all if your mum had just died.

It's not a good enough argument.

I think it has everything to do with it. The "comedy should have no boundaries" argument is hollow unless the person espousing it can back it up by saying they would laugh, even if the subject of the sick joke was themselves or a loved one.

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 3:03 PM GMT

You wouldn't laugh at any joke involving death or illness at all if your mum had just died.

It's not a good enough argument.

Yes, you can. But a specific nasty joke about your mother and the way she died probably wouldn't be funny.

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 2:42 PM GMT

The name 'Baby P' is really annoying me. Couldn't they have made up a whole name, if they weren't allowed to use his?

Let's call him Doll.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ November 19 2008, 3:07 PM GMT

Do you know what, I can laugh about general jokes about serious and heavy subjects that have effected me personally but if I was the parent of the child which is the subject of the joke under discussion, I would personally want to rip the head off the person who created that joke and those who found it funny. Maybe that would be funny?

exactly.

Well of course it wouldn't. Does it seem that I've said a Baby P joke to Baby P's family would be hilarious?
That's an imbecilic argument.

Quote: Griff @ November 19 2008, 3:01 PM GMT

That's not my experience of open mic spots, Sooty. Maybe on a whole evening of open mic where the audience is just people who have come along to support their friends. But I imagine Pete was talking about a real open mic slot at a night with "name" performers higher up the bill, where people have paid money. Those audiences are less forgiving.

spot on. Do the people on this site want to make MONEY doing comedy or are they happy to spend their lives submitting sketches to the critique forum and getting loose change from News Review?

I am in this for commercial success as well as personal enjoyment....as such it's a business where laughs are the profit. I can see ZERO gain from pushing the boundaries of taste. If Jimmy Carr wants to make Maddie jokes then good luck to him, when I'm worth £5m I'll play with what you can get away with too.

People need to stick a pin in their "change the world by smashing taboos" ideals and focus on what gets them what they really want which is an audience where the majority like you and like your material.....unless you really do want to seek out that audience as a result of being known for taboo smashing....which seems a crazy, high risk way, of starting a business.

And to clarify...i dont mean gags about wheelchairs are off limits...i mean, if your serious about being a success, gags about toddlers that were tortured and school girls making paedophiles cocks stinky is contrary to that goal.

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 2:51 PM GMT

I don't really understand the media laws.

(Maybe Bandage knows.)

Hiiiighly unlikely.

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 3:10 PM GMT

Well of course it wouldn't. Does it seem that I've said a Baby P joke to Baby P's family would be hilarious?
That's an imbecilic argument.

I didn't quite understand this.

So feelings of personal offence make it ok to demand censorship?

I find Alan Titmarsh's scrunched face highly offensive.

Ban him!

In a society with freedom expression, there is an obligation to be offended.

Quote: Afinkawan @ November 19 2008, 2:52 PM GMT

Anyway, as a scientist, I like to have things calibrated so I know where I stand. Imagine Frankie Boyle saying this and please rate it from 1 (not offended) to 10 (very offended):

"It turns out Baby P's mother has had another baby while on remand. I'm off to get a SAVE BABY Q t-shirt printed."

- infinity.

Quote: Pete @ November 19 2008, 3:11 PM GMT

spot on. Do the people on this site want to make MONEY doing comedy or are they happy to spend their lives submitting sketches to the critique forum and getting loose change from News Review?

I am in this for commercial success as well as personal enjoyment....as such it's a business where laughs are the profit. I can see ZERO gain from pushing the boundaries of taste. If Jimmy Carr wants to make Maddie jokes then good luck to him, when I'm worth £5m I'll play with what you can get away with too.

People need to stick a pin in their "change the world by smashing taboos" ideals and focus on what gets them what they really want which is an audience where the majority like you and like your material.....unless you really do want to seek out that audience as a result of being known for taboo smashing....which seems a crazy, high risk way, of starting a business.

And to clarify...i dont mean gags about wheelchairs are off limits...i mean, if your serious about being a success, gags about toddlers that were tortured and school girls making paedophiles cocks stinky is contrary to that goal.

We can all branch in multiple directions.

I don't come to this thread for professional advice.

And I've done quite nicely of late selling the cleanest most inoffensive gags I ever wrote.

Quote: zooo @ November 19 2008, 3:01 PM GMT

You could do a routine about that loud disabled person in the cinema.

No, because it's not funny.

Share this page