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?

yes, that must be the solution

I find it offensive and wrong to laugh at my little DD with SN, and would like it to be discouraged, so I must be a total Communist

I think we should allow those that are the target of vicious jokes to carry shock rings, running at around 20 volts.
Then they can shake hands with the joker, to show there's no hard feelings.
I'm pleased to see DaftPunk on the thread, she is so clear about her reasons when others try to muffle and obscure what they mean.

There's a very funny lady with CP and she laughs at herself but moreso at people's response to SN, now that's funny.

People taking the piss out of a vulnerable group that may not understand the humour or wouldn't be able to return the piss taking is not okay...never okay.

People with SN are marginalised enough, pointing and laughing at people with SN is pretty damned vile.

Laughing along with affection is good, laughing at others inability to deal with diversity is funny.

But there's a world of difference between a comedian telling a joke - and going up to a disabled person on the street and pointing and laughing.

There isn't that much of a difference.

Probably not if the jokes is about you and you are sat in the audience Nancy66. Especially if you've paid for the pleasure

Nancy, I don't think there is a difference except maybe it is more cowardice and deceitful to laugh sat on your armchair.

Riven...I was thinking the same thing reading your first post!!

Like I said though, I am not for out right censorship. If people don't want to watch something, don't watch it. Soon they won't be on TV that's how it works.

Another thing (maybe off topic, I'm not sure)

But am I the only one who likes their bigots to be upfront about their beliefs? Seriously, I like that I know if I met Daft Punk in the flesh I wouldn't make the mistake of befriending her.

I had a pretty close friend who after like 2 years started letting show that rather than being all liberal like she tried to portray was a bit of a closet racist, and actually felt bad for Nick Griffin on Question Time as he'd been "picked on". Needless to say I'd have prefered she'd been more open with her views before I'd invested my time in her.

what PosieComeHereMyPreciousParker said

There is a HUGE difference - one is a totally fictional situation and the other is real.

Having a go at somebody that laughs at an offensive joke is like having a go at people who enjoy Downtown Abbey - because they glorify class difference.

[first Riven now 2shoes....wow!!]

'But there's a world of difference between a comedian telling a joke - and going up to a disabled person on the street and pointing and laughing.'

One frequently leads to the other. So a child who hears racist jokes at home comes into school and laughs at the black child with pubes for hair, or retells some of the jokes they've heard to mates, who then target the child IRL.
Then the jokers grow up and hit the streets as fully-fledged adults, with the same sense of humour.

I'm not friends with liberal fascists who try and tell me how to think - and what comedians I can laugh at.

So rest assured, if I met you in RL they'd be no danger of any friendship blossoming.

But you are honest and truthful about your opinions DP, rather than pretending that what happens on screen or in shows doesn't affect what happens in RL.

liberal fascists.....do you mean nice people who don't laugh at other's misfortune?

bigots aside
surely just taking the piss out of someones disability isn't comedy.

Exactly because we're both open about our views. See, I was kind of on your side. I think.

Comedy wouldn't exist if you couldn't take the piss out of people. >

Of course it isn't to you 2shoes or to me either, but we all see comedy in our own way.

How would you have it censored? Who would decide what was worthy and what wasn't?

Would people have to stop making jokes about AMericans? Because all of comedy would fall in to a black hole as every comedian has done at least one joke about americans. Seriously.

I'd rather say I am not going to go and watch x comedian because I think he's shit and racist and has issues with the disabled. Then x comedian has to go back to being a waiter or whatever he was at first.

I think censorship is a slippery slope