Yeah change it if you want winterlight or don't change it. You have to decide if the pay off is worth alienating some of your audience by mentioning Thalidomide. If it ain't then drop it or change it. Judging by the response here, and if you were playing the Writer's Guild, the pay off is worth it 
Quote: KJSmyling @ February 22, 2008, 7:58 PM"As useful as an epiletic in the bomb squad."
Quote: David Chapman @ February 22, 2008, 8:58 PMI'm not being cynical or taking the piss but I truly think that Alison Lapiter is a beautiful woman.
Assuming you mean Lapper... No, but seriously?
Quote: Nigel Tufnel @ February 22, 2008, 7:09 PMcontroversial stuff about Moslems
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/151921
Is it correct to write Muslim or
Moslem?
Muslim is preferred. People refer to
themselves as Muslims. Many regard
Moslem as a term of abuse, like
people of African descent dislike
being called negroes. Also avoid
Mohammedan and Musselman.
What about mausoleum?
kjs
I also must echo pretty much everyone else in saying that the line wasn't particularly funny, but wasn't offensive either. Sure, it might make some people uncomfortable, but there's ALWAYS going to be someone who will dislike or take offence or be upset by whatever you say or do. You can't spend your whole life stepping around other people.
Having said that, I'd never heard of this Thalidomide thing before, so can't really comment in terms of the original question... (Have to say though, given the side effects, is that not the most hilarious and/or inappropriate skeletal image structure thingy possible?)
Now, bring on the black, Jew and Asian jokes! 
Quote: KJSmyling @ February 22, 2008, 9:41 PMWhat about mausoleum?
Now that's a deathly serious question.
Sorry.
Rightly or wrongly, well thats a matter of opinion.
I personaly think..."I've got a criminal record as long as a thalidomide's arm". Is very funny. I dont take offence, but I am not a thalidomide.
Quote: Aaron @ February 22, 2008, 9:26 PM
Assuming you mean Lapper... No, but seriously?
Well she seems ..... (no - must resist this compulsion to say it)enough.
There's a US comic called Jim Norton who I'm a big fan of. He's a self described 'cringe humour' comedian. He drops jokes such as:
"I'm in charge of a new charity called 'Ski Masks for Burn Victims'"
"I love dating a girl in AA, because all you have to do is give her a drink and then f**k her while she cries."
He says these things and he get's HBO specials. I'm not saying that I deserve a HBO special for anything that I've done, but there is a place for this sort of humour.
More importantly, my 'joke' was nothing more than a throwaway quip I came up with about 6 months ago. I never intended it to be some statement of intent. It just features on my myspace.
Political correctness (as opposed to 'political correctness gone mad') is all about not upsetting people who don't deserve to be upset.
Great comedy is often about upsetting people who DO deserve to be upset.
Quote: FoxyBox @ February 23, 2008, 6:11 PMGreat comedy is often about upsetting people who DO deserve to be upset.
Maybe so. But great comedy also very often involves 'upsetting' no-one.
Also, upsetting people who DO deserve to be upset rather removes any 'edge'.
Quote: FoxyBox @ February 23, 2008, 6:11 PMGreat comedy is often about upsetting people who DO deserve to be upset.
What? Like the Political Correctness police?
Quote: David Chapman @ February 23, 2008, 7:58 PMWhat? Like the Political Correctness police?
Have you decided yet Dave. Cremation or Burial 
Quote: KJSmyling @ February 22, 2008, 7:58 PMOkay...
There is a difference between the thalidomide gag and the blackman gag. The thalidomide gag is based on a medical fact where as the black man or jewish gag are based on a racial stereotype.
Black men do have bigger willies though.
Expert personal opinion? Fine example of homophobia that.
When you look at prejudices that broke down, it was often helped bu crude, lumpen hunour to help.
Love thy neughbour, round the horn
If you want to watch a ridiculously bad film, try "I was Jewish for 7day"
A hiariously ernest and pc film from the 1950s, when Clark Gable was an undercover Jew for a week to expose antisemitism
give me Bernard Manning, or The 2 Ronnies giant killer Rabbi any day of the week.