He used to write some very good jokes. Then his jokes felt like they stopped being about craft, and like he just wanted to victimise someone.
Apart from the couple of gags about the media's representation of foreign disasters, which I thought were brilliant.
But most of his jokes now just feel like hate.
But then again, the more comedy I see the more averse I am to 'victim humour'.
I must say that those of my friends who enjoyed Tramadol Nights are just naive when it comes to race (due to their area and upbringing), and take his jokes as an excuse for their behaviour and attitudes.
Frankie Boyle was a very good comic before he began to pander to the dregs of society.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ July 3 2011, 12:18 AM BSTHe used to write some very good jokes. Then his jokes felt like they stopped being about craft, and like he just wanted to victimise someone.
Apart from the couple of gags about the media's representation of foreign disasters, which I thought were brilliant.
But most of his jokes now just feel like hate.
But then again, the more comedy I see the more averse I am to 'victim humour'.
I don't think his comedy's about victimising people, I think after the controversy/censorship on MTW he wanted to give a big f**k you to certain people before quitting stand up.
Which jokes about foreign disasters do you mean?
Ah I can't remember the wording but it was in one of he TN stand-up sections and he was doing a fake news reporter referring to the plight foreign nations using racial slurs. I think I liked them because they were picking on the media. The media is a c**ty entity.
I remember when I was younger, and indeed older a lot of the funniest jokes would be taking the mickey out of someone or something in an often horrible way. But it was always for the purpose of getting as big a laugh as you could and not to do with wanting to cause anyone in particular any anguish.
I just sometimes wished they'd waited until I left the room.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ July 3 2011, 12:50 AM BSTAh I can't remember the wording but it was in one of he TN stand-up sections and he was doing a fake news reporter referring to the plight foreign nations using racial slurs. I think I liked them because they were picking on the media. The media is a c**ty entity.
Oops, almost reported you there!
Yeah, the media deserve to be picked on, you should do a routine about them.
It's not really my thing if I'm honest. I'd end up getting too ranty. I'm funnier when I'm humiliating myself.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ July 3 2011, 12:50 AM BSTc**ty entity.
That is fun to say.
Just to clarify my question, I just want to try to put a value on laughter, in the same way that society has increasingly put a value on censorship in comedy, and then equate those two values.
I maintain that a lot of humour is potentially offensive, because humour tends to involve things like mockery and tragedy.
What's more, for someone to find things offensive ultimately only requires them to take offence, because people get offended by all sorts of innocuous stuff. Just look at how outraged people get when they see what they think of as the incorrect use of language. It demonstrates our capacity to become offended when all that it takes to offend is to end a sentence with a preposition.
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ July 3 2011, 12:52 AM BSTI remember when I was younger, and indeed older a lot of the funniest jokes would be taking the mickey out of someone or something in an often horrible way. But it was always for the purpose of getting as big a laugh as you could and not to do with wanting to cause anyone in particular any anguish.
I just sometimes wished they'd waited until I left the room.
How many Steve Sunshines does it take to change a lightbulb?
None because he brings the Sunshine.
Knock knock
Who's there?
Steve Sunshine
Don't let him in who!
Quote: Vader @ July 3 2011, 12:14 AM BSTIt seems rather unfair the way people dismiss FB after 6 episodes of Tramadol Nights when he was awesome for 54 episodes of Mock the Week. Some people have short memories.
He was funny for about one series of MTW before it became obvious that he was a one trick pony and the trick was a bit icky.
Don't blame it on Steve Sunshine, don't blame it on Bob Moonlight, don't blame it on Dave Goodtimes, blame it on the Sooty.
Quote: Timbo @ July 3 2011, 9:23 AM BSTHe was funny for about one series of MTW before it became obvious that he was a one trick pony and the trick was a bit icky.
I've got to disagree with this, MTW in its prime was basically The Frankie Boyle Show. It's been laugh-free since his departure. (Milton Jones being a rare exception.)
Ah well, he seems determined to give him as little credit as possible, so I see no point continuing the discussion, for me at least.
Quote: Nogget @ July 3 2011, 6:39 AM BSTJust to clarify my question, I just want to try to put a value on laughter, in the same way that society has increasingly put a value on censorship in comedy, and then equate those two values.
I maintain that a lot of humour is potentially offensive, because humour tends to involve things like mockery and tragedy.
What's more, for someone to find things offensive ultimately only requires them to take offence, because people get offended by all sorts of innocuous stuff. Just look at how outraged people get when they see what they think of as the incorrect use of language. It demonstrates our capacity to become offended when all that it takes to offend is to end a sentence with a preposition.
Increasingly, people take offence on some kind of twisted principle, rather than based on any analysis or measurement of the situation they're presented with.
The potential for laughter is far more valuable than pandering to the ever-changing, wide-ranging and often baseless offences people perceive.