to feel that nothing is off limits comedy wise?

[Heathcliffscathy]

when I think of things that have really made me laugh some of them would be VERY offensive to some groups (mostly religious, and I believe in god)...I'm thinking about Sarah Silverman, Dennis Leary's no cure for cancer, Chris Rock etc etc.

Comedy is about offence to a certain extent isn't it as the funniest things are the ones that are closest to the bone, laughter relieves anxiety and therefore the graver and most serious something is (like the nazi's for eg) the funnier it can be (vis the producers for eg).

Dave Allen had it in for Catholics and my catholic mother used to weep with laughter at him. Derek and Clive take the piss about Cancer to great effect.

Now there are some 'comedians' that I think are shit: Bernard Manning springs to mind...but I don't think that banning them or censoring or protesting is the way forward, just don't view!

There are threads on here regularly about topics that mner's feel are off limits to comedy, most especially special needs. But I'm pretty sure that many special needs adults wouldn't appreciate being singled out as something that cannot be a source of humour...the ability to laugh at oneself including the tragedies and limitations of our lives is really important isn't it?

I maybe totally wrong, and maybe it's only ok if it is a special needs person doing it?

well insofar as there's laws (if not always enforced ) against hate crime, of course some jokes are off limits. otherwise - dealing with emotive subjects, and humour relating to minority/vulnerable groups that the comedian isn't a member of is going to be dangerous territory, hard (if not impossible) to do in a non-bullying way.

disability can be funny as a topic for comedy. I think most disabled people would agree that there are aspects of their lives and of other people's attitudes that are wonderfully funny or ripe for satire. However, laughing at people just because they are disabled should be unacceptable in a civilised society, just as laughing at people for being a different race should be. I'll say it again, all those people who think it is OK to laugh AT disabled people, are Paki jokes fine?

i'm not even against porn but i find your views awwwwwfuly 'pick and mix' DP.

conservative catholic who thinks men should wank and like porn but disabled children ahouldn't exist and what's wrong with laughing at disability? oh and lets not get you started on gay people.

lordy

I don't go to stand up comedy any more because there are ALWAYS jokes made at the expense of disabled people. I hate it. My son is disabled and it just hurts.

Back in the day, I expect that was how it felt when black people heard racist comedy and were told they had no sense of humour if they didn't join in the joke. Lenny Henry started off making jokes about his own colour just to fit in.

If NO topic is off limits, then bring back racist comedy. 'But it's not funny', I hear you say. Racist jokes stir up hatred. So do jokes against disabled people - one of the factors that puts disabled people so badly at risk from hate crime is their comic potential in the eyes of society

When have I ever said disabled children shouldn't exist?

Never. You're just making it up now.

Something I have noticed more and more of is the casual use of 'autistic' as shorthand for 'horrible'. There't that twat George Osborne thinking himself so amusing for calling Gordon Brown autistic. And awful Susan Greenfield saying 'we are all autistic when we play video games'. Of course she doesn't mean we are original thinkers with a highly developed sense of right and wrong - oh no, she means cruel and violent and unempathetic. It makes me want to slap her very hard, frankly.

And it is true. 'Cool' comedians making jokes about disabled people and special needs legitimises bullying and violence against disabled people.

you've been vocal in your view about aborting babies with disabilities, non?

yet another contrasting view, considering your conservative catholic beliefs.

Only read the first half, but I notice that same are saying it's only ok to joke about those who are powerful and can defend themselves.

How is that ok? just because someone has a big house and car, loads of money and friends/supporters how does that make it ok to be mean to them? Why should they be singled out for your bullying? Think how their children feel when they hear the jokes.

I think this shows a prejudice against those who are successful. Think how it must feel to have to take money earmarked for off shore investments and spend it on counselling because of thoughtless remarks and jokes!

Clearly the only fair and reasonable way forward here is to ban laughing. It is always 'at' something and there are no acceptable targets.

Exactly onager..... but you're wasting your time.

Blinks; I support the medical profession in their use of modern technology to detect abnormalities during pregnancy. parents should have the right to decide if they want to bring a disabled child into the world.

BUT HOW DOES THAT TALLY WITH YOUR STAUNCH CATHOLIC MORALS, DAFTPUNK?

That is what we all want to know, ffs.

I saw a comedian recently (warm up act, can't recall the name), and his act was almost exclusively aimed at overweight women. It was as if he had been told that that was the last remaining group of people who could be laughed at.

We all must have a touch paper that offends. I wonder if 'farmers' who sell their overpriced artisan efforts at 'farmers' markets' enjoyed the Armstrong and Miller sketch about them. I found it absolutely hilarious, but would have felt slightly awkard watching it with one of them.

so can we safely conclude you are a catholic purely for the wafers?

Fortheverylasttime, I don't think farmers who sell at farmers markets are regularly bullied, attacked and even murdered just for being farmers though. I sometimes feel the 'I saw you coming' sketch is aimed right at me but it still makes me laugh like a drain.

I'm a catholic who just happens to support a woman's right to choose. Plenty of catholic MP's vote in favour of abortion ( in this country anyway ). I don't consider a woman who terminates a pregnancy due to abnormalities a murderer, evil, or any of the other nonsense that some extreme Christians call them. I have sympathy for the parents, they need help and support.

I'm a human first & a catholic second. It doesn't totally dominate my life, I can be flexible in some areas - but certain things will never be up for negotiation.

if a comedian takes the piss out of overweight woman or farmers, those people have a voice they can shout loudly and say that is wrong, a lot of disabled people can't, .

"disability can be funny as a topic for comedy. I think most disabled people would agree that there are aspects of their lives and of other people's attitudes that are wonderfully funny or ripe for satire. However, laughing at people just because they are disabled should be unacceptable in a civilised society, just as laughing at people for being a different race should be."
~ ColdComfortFarm

Just wanted to repeat that as it's pretty much what I think too. Comedy which empathises can be funny. Comedy which pours scorn is not.

As for a comment made earlier saying that most intelligent adults understand the difference between comedy and reality, well, firstly, half of all adults are By definirion below average intelligence, secondly, certain comedians don't attract a thouroughly representative sample of adults at their shows but instead attract those who share views to some extent and thirdly, how does that in any way justify the joke in the first place?

*by definition.

Sorry, iPad keyboard has a mind of it's own.

the word you're looking for is

H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E

Riven I am getting a sore head, all this banging my head against a brick wall.
why can people not get that not all disabled people can talk. so lots don't have a voice.
they have no way of saying they don't like people making jokes bout them, they don't want to be taunted in the street by some dipstick who has seen a "joke" on tv.
they don't find it funny, why should they.

Onager....perhaps have another read, nobody is saying it's only okay to take the piss out of people with money....they are saying it's okay to take the piss out of people's intentional behaviour.

I don't know some who justifies their homophobia as 'what them Catholics say' but then is pro-choice is beyond reason.

(Again) the thing is if you say 'disability is not a fit topic for comedy' you are then ruling out the work of comedieans with disabilities who may want to make valid points about their own lives in an amusing way. About 20 years ago I went to an event which featured standup performances from several comedians with disabilities. Some were very funny, some of the material was funny in an unsettling, uncomfortable way - oh and one of the comedians was just a bit rubbish as I recall. But I could imagine that the sort of people who are professionally offended by stuff would have wanted to shut that night down because of the 'uncomfortable' material, and that would have been a bad thing.