Frankie Boyle sues Mirror over 'racism' claim

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19950407

So is he? The Mirror seems to be standing its ground so far. I know he has a pretty dubious sense of humour, but has he ever been racist?

[RedBlanket]

I can't say I've ever read any racist comments, vile and offensive, definitely.

[AnitaBlake]

Not seen any racism on his part.

[looples]

Interesting piece I read about Frankie's horrible joke regarding Harvey Price pandering to stereotype of black men being sexual predators.

Also interesting that Frankie rather likes to dish it out but calling him names! How very dare they! I guess free speech only works one way.

[hackmum]

I don't know whether he's a racist or not - I don't think I've ever knowingly watched his act. I can understand his argument that context is everything in humour and that he may be satirising racism rather than actually being racist (a distinction that would probably pass the Mirror by).

But I do agree with looples that there's something amusing about the way Boyle deals out all sorts of abuse to people but gets deeply hurt if someone says something nasty about him.

[Brycie]

The man who thinks it's fine to upset anyone and everyone has come over all sensitive. Boo hoo. Hope he loses.

[looples]

He has been given evidence in court, saying his parents are 'economic migrants' (from Ireland) does that mean he can't possibly be a racist??

Also, if his argument is that you can say vile things about someone as long as they are true, does that mean he would argue Rebecca Adlington does look like a dolphin or that Harvey Price is likely to rape his mother??

I do think he makes full usage of negative stereotypes for financial gain (particularly with regards to disabled people) but don't know if he is a racist. I think the Mirror will have a fight on its hands to win though.

[looples]

Forgot the deeply misogynistic too. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be illegal. (please correct me if I'm wrong as I would love to be!)

[Brycie]

He thinks it's fine to be disablist and misogynist but not racist? What a twerp. What an utter, utter twerp.

[Brycie]

Even my older teenage son thinks he's a complete gumboot.

[PropositionJoe]

I don't give a shit if someone has said unpleasant things about him. I even wonder if he is suing the Mail just to get publicity for his offensive twattery edgy comedy.

[FreakySnuckerCupidStunt]

I don't find him funny, but telling racist jokes does not mean you are a racist.

[looples]

Brycie - I remember reading a moving piece about a woman with a DS daughter. She took Boyle to task whilst he was on stage as he said things such as those with DS wouldn't live long. Rape jokes have also featured in his show and his autobiography, apparently, contains the line 'I fucked her so hard her fanny had to check into a refuge' or words to that effect.

Sorry, don't have the book so can't give an exact quote.

[WandaDoff]

I hate that prick.

[Brycie]

That Jim Davidson told racist jokes. If he'd said afterwards "I'm not a racist" I wonder if you'd have been quite so understanding Freaky. It's a lazy, hypocritical cop out. Racism is as racism does.

[Brycie]

Yes looples nasty piece of work.

[looples]

www.obv.org.uk/node/6117

discussing stereotypes of sexual predators

[EldritchCleavage]

I don't find him funny, but telling racist jokes does not mean you are a racist

Perhaps not, but don't be surprised if all normal reasonable people decide to avoid you. I personally work on the basis that if you find it acceptable to tell racist jokes, you almost certainly are a racist. Why would you do it otherwise?

[Brycie]

Sometimes I really hate men who think they're new men and think they're post ironic but really they're just full of a1 quality shite.

[Brycie]

He's not funny, that's why he has to try to shock. Michael Macinqtyre can be funny about spice racks. Boyle is trying too hard because he's not even funny, whisper it not.

[PropositionJoe]

See FB mightn't be racist (and the "joke" discussed at court didn't seem racist to me), but he spends his life saying cruel things about people that upset them and that they wish he would stop saying. So if someone says something that upsets FB, I don't give a shit.

[MainlyMaynie]

I doubt he has hurt feelings about it. I do wonder why he is doing it though - publicity or to challenge the perceptions people have about him?

I think he can be quite funny, but also just offensive. He left the BBC because of the restraints on him, but he actually needed those restraints because they forced him to do something other than be offensive. Now he is mostly just offensive.

I thought the woman who went to his show, then was offended when he discussed Downs was ridiculous. You know what you're getting if you go to see Frankie Boyle, you can't come over all offended if he picks the one group you're not personally prepared to laugh at.

[MainlyMaynie]

My point wasn't about whether it was funny, it was that the woman went to his show. She must have known that he makes jokes at the expense of minorities, but only got offended when it was the one that affected her. Which isn't very nice.