Press clippings Page 35
Bid to have Frankie Boyle charged with obscenity
Police are to be asked to investigate whether a new book by comedian Frankie Boyle, which jokes about the rape of the Queen and the deaths of David Cameron and Gordon Brown's children, has broken the law.
Ben Borland, The Daily Express, 27th November 2011Frankie Boyle: 'HIGNFY is everything that's wrong'
... and don't get him started on Mock the Week. In a rare interview, the caustic Scots comic turns his fire on the BBC, Charlie Brooker and reaction to that Jordan joke.
Iain Aitch, The Guardian, 26th November 2011Frankie Boyle slams Stewart Lee and HIGNFY
Frankie Boyle has called Have I Got News For You 'everything that's wrong with TV satire', and labelled Stewart Lee as 'irrelevant and flabby'.
British Comedy Guide, 26th November 2011Say what you like about Jimmy Carr, but underestimate his gagmanship at your peril. While his filthy live material is sometimes aligned with that of Frankie Boyle, Carr has a cartoonish quality lacking Boyle's mean-spiritedness, and comes out looking rather spruce. This lengthy and highly polished set was recorded at the Glasgow leg of his Making People Laugh tour, and he does, preaching to a stadium crowd of the converted with a relentless torrent of rudeness while skilfully disarming an equally relentless torrent of hecklers.
Ben Arnold, The Guardian, 24th November 2011DVD review: Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights
The comedian's TV show is a mix of decent stand-up material and woeful sketches.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 15th November 2011Jerry Sadowitz: his dark materials
Think Ricky Gervais and Frankie Boyle are offensive? Then you won't have the stomach for standup Jerry Sadowitz. Their vitriol is fake, he says: his is the real deal.
James Kettle, The Guardian, 9th November 2011Andy Parsons interview
Frankie Boyle may have shuffled off to more controversial waters on Channel 4, but the Mock the Week ship sails on. Helmed by Dara O'Briain, it still features Spitting Image veteran Andy Parsons as a key member of the crew.
Mayer Nissim, Digital Spy, 7th November 2011This comedy drama is an "accurate" retelling of the events surrounding the making of Monty Python's Life of Brian and the accusations against its blasphemy.
You know right from the start what you're letting yourself in for when Jesus comes onto the screen speaking Aramaic and then farts into a disciple's face. The main cast; Darren Boyd (as John Cleese), Charles Edwards (Michael Palin), Steve Punt (Eric Idle), Rufus Jones (Terry Jones), Tom Fisher (Graham Chapman) and Phil Nichol (Terry Gilliam) are great at portraying the original stars, or rather exaggerated versions of them. For example, Cleese is characterised as Basil Fawlty, Palin is the nicest man in the world and Idle is a "greedy bastard."
The programme was full of references to both Python and events relating to the modern day, and introduced by a rolling credit sequence akin to the way many episodes of Flying Circus had, which I personally found hilarious. There are other connections to the Python saga, too, like Palin's wife being played by Jones in drag (Rufus or Terry, take your pick).
Then there are the links to the actual film, such as the debate between bishops and devils which is akin to the People's Front of Judea talking about "what the Romans have ever done for us". Holy Flying Circus also refers to offensive comedy incidents in the present day, like Jerry Springer the Opera and just about anything to do with Frankie Boyle.
My favourite scene in the entire programme, however, was a cameo from Alexander McQueen as the BBC's Head of Rude Words. His wonderfully stiff performance as a typical Beeb executive reading out the rudest words he could think of was delightful. There was no racist, sexist or homophobic language - but there was a member of the Ku Klux Klan earlier on so you could argue that was covered as well.
I know many critics were dissatisfied by the fact it wasn't entirely factual. All I have to say to that is if you want something factual then watch a documentary.
Ian Wolf, Giggle Beats, 24th October 2011Frankie Boyle banks millions
Frankie Boyle has earned a hefty £2.5million fortune from his tasteless gags over the past year.
Nigel Pauley, Daily Star, 13th October 2011Frankie Boyle cracks new joke about Katie Price's son
Katie Price yesterday branded controversial comic Frankie Boyle a "coward" after the funnyman again joked about her disabled eight-year-old son in a routine.
Ben Archibald, Daily Record, 25th September 2011