British Comedy Guide

Frankie Boyle Page 22

I don't think it's possible to turn out enough material to make a great 90-minute live show without repeating stuff from TV appearances, or vice versa. There's always a limit, even if you have other writers helping. It's like when a stand-up gets his or her own sitcom and they suddenly have to fill three hours... Often falls on its arse.

Frankie Boyle said of his paralympic jokes, "Celebratory, non discriminatory, pretty funny. Nobody thinks it's a good thing to laugh at the disabled. But it is a genuine problem that we're not allowed to laugh with the disabled."

It's the 'with' that's the problem here. Has he asked them? Has he checked to see whether they want jokes like that said on their behalf? I suspect not.

You do see comedians poking fun at their own shortcomings whether it's height or ethnicity and that's fine as far as I'm concerned. That's not the case here so we should be far more aware of what may take offence. OK, that might dilute the comedic experience at time but the sole aim shouldn't be to shock which seems to be FB's goal.

To be fair to Frankie I could see the funny side of SOME of those jokes but they do make you question your own morals and values. In end I just want a good laugh not a psychological examination of my character.

Quote: Tuumble @ September 4 2012, 10:57 AM BST

Frankie Boyle said of his paralympic jokes, "Celebratory, non discriminatory, pretty funny. Nobody thinks it's a good thing to laugh at the disabled. But it is a genuine problem that we're not allowed to laugh with the disabled."

It's the 'with' that's the problem here. Has he asked them? Has he checked to see whether they want jokes like that said on their behalf? I suspect not.

They don't all think the same though, so would be pointless. We've seen several disabled people say the jokes were fine and they weren't offended, and several others say they were offended.

Quote: Tuumble @ September 4 2012, 10:57 AM BST

It's the 'with' that's the problem here. Has he asked them? Has he checked to see whether they want jokes like that said on their behalf?

Sounds like that would take some time. There are quite a lot of them.

Quote: zooo @ September 4 2012, 11:02 AM BST

They don't all think the same though, so would be pointless. We've seen several disabled people say the jokes were fine and they weren't offended, and several others say they were offended.

This is true but it only means there's even less reason to pursue that particular theme. The sheer number of jokes in that BCG article means that he has sat down and spent considerable time coming up with variations. God knows how many failed to make the cut.

I know it's his job and the Paralympics are topical but he's just playing up to this shocking reputation he's got himself. It is self-serving on one hand but alienating on the other.

Anyway, I see Channel 4 have baulked at the latest controversy so it will be interesting to see how he reacts.

Can I suggest what most people seem to have ignored but seems blindingly obvious to me, that Boyle was more implying that the entire subject of disability risked being a complete no-go area, rather than an acceptable and normal part of human existence and public life?

Not so much a matter of laughing "with" anyone, as objecting to blind censorship.

Quote: Tuumble @ September 4 2012, 10:57 AM BST

To be fair to Frankie I could see the funny side of SOME of those jokes but they do make you question your own morals and values. In end I just want a good laugh not a psychological examination of my character.

I am so beyond confused by this statement.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ September 4 2012, 1:39 PM BST

I am so beyond confused by this statement.

I am so beyond pissed off by everything.

Quote: Aaron @ September 3 2012, 2:13 AM BST

Godot, I know you don't mean to be quite as disagreeable a c**t as you come across - but really, you do. Some other members do take offence a little easily, but continuing to make people feel so uncomfortable all of the time really is not on.

If you don't want to be banned yourself, learn to accept the warnings and reprimands of myself and my moderators. That goes for everyone else too. I really don't have the energy to put up with all of you f**king ungrateful bastards.

Believe it or not Aaron I have been trying quite hard to be nice to people. I even stopped posting for three months recently to avoid being horrible to some eejit, and it must be two years since I called someone a c**t.

Nevertheless I am mindful of your comment - especially your use of the plural in 'continuing to make people feel so uncomfortable all of the time', as well as the phrase 'all the time'. I want to make people laugh, not cry.

So in an effort to avoid getting banned and because this debate is sterile and circuitous I will only re-post things I've said earlier in the thread which no longer have any offensive value.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ July 31 2012, 4:12 PM BST

I do think in the current climate it's important to keep testing free speech. That might sound a little bit pretentious, but we're closer than we've ever been to limiting it based on a liberal rather than a reactionary agenda - which could stick for decades.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ July 31 2012, 4:55 PM BST

As ever with comedy the target is not the subject. The subject is the vehicle.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ July 30 2012, 4:53 PM BST

"I have an apology for the people of Britain. Sadly it's written on the end of my cock in a braille you can only read with your tonsils."

I honestly can't see anything wrong with any of FB's tweets re the paralympians.

It worries me that a comedian is taken so seriously, he's joking for crying out loud! Are people saying that having a disability robs you of your sense of humour?

There is a phrase used to describe people without disablilities as being 'not yet disabled', it could happen to you tomorrow and I'm sure you wouldn't want your mates to stop joking with you just because you're in a wheelchair.

Frankie Boyle - Comic Relief 2013 - Explicit - Give It Up

Cut from the TV broadcast. I have no idea why... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYdH_JfU97Q

:)

Wow, it is a lot harder to understand his accent when you can't see his face.

Very funny.

Quote: zooo @ March 8 2013, 4:34 PM GMT

Wow, it is a lot harder to understand his accent when you can't see his face.

Aaw... Ya deaf racist :P

Why do people book Frankie Boyle for a gig and then complain about his material?

Share this page