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 I am not going to apologize for defending people like my dd.
there is a mountain of difference between a person with Cp deciding to become a comedian and take the piss out of their disability, and a able bodied comedian using a persons disability for a cheap laugh.

mrsrissoto she was just disagreeing as 2shoes clearly thinks there are big subject areas that are very off limits.

where do you draw those lines though 2shoes?

read my post

I have complained in the past to the BBC about a joke' that Victoria Wood told and Channel 4 about Alan Carr who also told the same joke' about psoriasis.

And tbh I would do it again. I found it unnecessary, offensive and it reduced me to tears. I have had enough offensive comments to my face in the street over the years without having to deal with programmes that broadcast to millions of people that promote ignorant attitudes.

sophable, having read those links, none of those comedians have learning disabilities. 2shoes point was about your terminology, you should refer to the person first and the disability second. So an adult with learning disabilities rather than learning disabled adult.

i recently went to a comedy event and almost every single comedian had a paedophile joke.

it seems that they feel a need to insert more and more 'risque' jokes into their acts in order to appear as/more 'cutting edge' than their peers.

never mind that it's just not fucking funny.

surely that's just a given- that laughing at the subject of children being abused or at the expense or anyone with a disability is abhorrent and certainly shouldn't be on television.

worth a read here

"Dennis Leary's no cure for cancer"

Sure you mean Bill Hicks there

Family Guy certainly doesn't have ANYTHING off limits (watching the most recent 'not suitable for TV' series at the moment) and tbh, I've gone off it. I just don't find it funny anymore.

"Holocaust jokes aren't funny, anne frankly, I won't stand for them."

First proper belly laugh of the week.. deary me

thanks for pointing that out bigcar. will remember that.

no i definitely mean dennis leary

unless i'm being thick which is quite possible

ah. have googled and have been thick. did leary really nick that material from bill hicks (heinous).

Dennis Leary nicked Bill Hicks jokes sophable allegedly :)

x posts.

:)

Interesting! When I read this thread, I couldn't help but think of the comedy duo, the Amateur Transplants.

Bear in mind, both of these men are medical doctors. Some of their stuff is clever jokes about the NHS and medical school exams but most of it is down right disgraceful.

What do you think?

I hope these links work.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx5GreA3nAY&feature=related

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R7QX0zIjgY&feature=related

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YoEkpxEakU&feature=related

^ Nope the links don't work.... Oh well hope you can still find it.

I like medical black humour - used to cry laughing at Struck Off & Die (one half is Phil Hammond a GP who writes Private Eye's health column).

On the main point, I don't think any topics
are off limits for comedy. Depends how you tackle them.

A white middle class male poking fun at people who are less powerful than him or vulnerable in some way ain't funny.

If he's ridiculing someone who patronises people with disabilities, or describing something stupid in the news - an arse who did something horrid to someone with disabilities - that would be OK IMO.

There's a difference between comedy and bullying and any comedian who falls on the wrong side of that is an fuckwit. You have to pick your targets carefully. Not funny to humiliate someone less powerful than you. Very funny to expose the achilles heel of someone who does hold some power.

Btw, I used to write comedy for fringe theatre many years ago. Back in the days when humour was right-on. There were plenty of jokes in the absurdity of politicians and the news agenda, never felt the need to ridicule anyone for having a disability or being Black or being female or whatever. (We were relatively successful too so people clearly enjoyed our stuff - some of my fellow writers and the performers have gone on to great things. I started a new job and decided to have a career instead.)

doctors are shit at jokes though. can't be arsed to look tbh, i am NOT arguing that offensive humour doesn't exist!!!

edam i couldn't agree more.

but something not being funny sort of censors itself by virtue of it being shit doesn't it?

Sophable, did you ever see Cardiac Arrest? Hysterically funny. IMO. And written by a junior doctor.

I guess so.

Among their gems are taking the piss out of people with colostomies and those who've had strokes. It wasn't lighthearted either, it really wasn't funny.

Ye-es but... there's something quite nasty in a comedian getting a whole crowd of people to snigger at people with Downs for (allegedly) dressing badly. (Was that Jimmy Carr or Frankie Boyle? Can't recall.) The audience didn't go 'you are shit, get off' they went ROFL. Sadly.

i'm sure. i was being offensive to doctors!

the thing that is tickling me at the moment is the (very hit and miss though they are in general) harry and paul consultants sketch..i love it! it takes the piss mercilessly but with real affection and we've all met them!

did they ROFL? nervous laughter? or belly laughs...would be interesting to know.

i have been at live comedy stuff where the laughter was nervous and petered out because it just wasn't funny.