Quote: Mickeza @ April 9 2010, 1:28 PM BSTHe legitimizes the mocking, but I honestly don't think there is any hatred in what he says. If you're on a panel show, and suddenly you make a few 'near the bone' remarks about taboo topics that see's the audience in hysterics, wouldn't you continue? Especially when you become a superstar (in comedy terms), you find it easy (as he obviously does) and everything you say is tongue in cheek (which I do think it is). I remember a sketch you wrote about Haiti, and people on here jumped in saying how thoroughly offensive it was, but it wasn't in the slightest and I defended it, people are too quick to jump in nowadays and shout "I'm offended" in my opinion, and this is why Frankie Boyle thrives. When I went to see him (and I've said I didn't enjoy it) he made a disgusting Madelaine McCann joke, which I admit to laughing at. Now, did that make me think it was okay? No, it wasn't okay and that's why I was laughing. I think people really do laugh because of the "I can't believe he had the balls to say that" rather than the content itself.
Noting that you're not a massive fan of Boyle anyway, I appreciate where you're coming from. I'm not saying taboo-busting or offensive jokes can't provoke a laugh just on their own terms; nor am I saying that every joke has to have the weight of a considered moral argument to justify it.
The onus however does primarily lie with Boyle, not his audience. If he feels he can justify his reasons for doing this material, then fine. If he has a clear conscience about doing it, so be it. I would only suggest that his defence of his act is piss-poor weak. Saying anything to get a laugh is not in of itself brave. And the "it's what you're all thinking" is plainly not true, Frankie!
I'm sure I'm not the only comedy writer around here who has written a line which I have later removed because I don't think the laugh justifies the offence. Mostly I remove a line because the joke isn't founded on any real truth, it doesn't stand up to scrutiny (also, ahem, it may just not be that funny).
For me, Frankie Boyle's rather double-edged success is symptomatic of a more general confusion in the minds of both audience and heads of TV/radio comedy as to which kind of jokes are merely daring and which are simply offensive and nasty. If a joke is simply nasty and the audience is still laughing at it then, indeed, that becomes not only the comic's but the audience's responsibility too.
Indeed. A very withering line in its context too. 
