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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be gutted at the DVD of comedian Stu Francis?

77 replies

MargaretGraceBondfield · 08/01/2011 10:11

So sat with DH looking forward to watching Stu Francis, I think he's very funny and inoffensive.

So it was joke a minute for about half an hour and then bombshell: He told a joke about rape victims, something about rapists not being able to take no for an answer (He's a one liner comedian and so brilliant word play) and so I thought well the word play is funny, but content was a bit off. Then he told a joke about rape victims, along the lines of if they don't think it's funny, fuck 'em. Now I'm uncomfortable. Still watching. Then he says 'I was in an elevator with a spastic.....ooops sorry I know that's the wrong word, lift'

I'm still stupidly thinking perhaps this is more about the language, benefit of the doubt.

And then (sorry) he repeatedly says 'retard' and proceeds to talk like someone with severe special needs. At this point I thought that he was definitely a stupid twat.

AIBU to think that there are endless things that are funny in this world and we do not have to laugh at rape victims or people with special needs or disability?

Sorry if this topic has been done to death, but I was so shocked by another comedian taking cheap shots that I had to raise this.

OP posts:
badcoverversion · 08/01/2011 13:31

I know he's not everybody's cup of tea, but I find Harry Hill great wholesome family entertainment. Hooves cracks me up...and I love his more surreal routines and the physical skits involving the likes of Stouffer and his son Gary from his first marriage.

Ordinarily I am a big fan of a lot of bad taste comedy...Louis C.K, Chris Morris, Sarah Silverman etc. but the DVD you describe sounds a bit lame and 'try hard'...honestly, I thought Stu Francis had kicked the bucket years back, and that's no cheap attempt at the lols Blush.

TheCrackFox · 08/01/2011 13:35

I too thought you were talking about "Oooh, I could jump of a dollshouse" Crackerjack man. After googling I am now quite disappointed to discover who Stewart Francis is as he is very funny on the TV and I had thought about trying to get tickets to see him. Now that I know he uses very offensive material (rape jokes are not ever funny) I won't bother.

CointreauVersial · 08/01/2011 13:37

I'm another one who thought you meant the "oooh, I could rip a tissue" bloke from Crackerjack (all together now, "CRACKERJACK!!").

Phew! I was worried for a minute.

Never heard of Stewart Francis, but I won't be making too much of an effort to seek him out.

I love Dara O'Briain - saw him live last year, and DH commented that we'd spent two hours in stitches, but at no point was he offensive or shocking. Jason Manford was also good live (although he has blotted his copybook recently), and Peter Kay, of course.

Housemum · 08/01/2011 13:54

Russell Howard has to be my favourite comedian at the moment, genuinely funny without being offensive.

I watched 5 mins of Frankie Boyle's new show, I'm pretty broad minded so wanted to judge for myself but it was like an annoying kid at school just saying offensive stuff for a reaction. Nothing was funny, even in a "you shouldn't have said that but I see the joke" way.

Bill Bailey is good if you like the slightly surreal.

Dara o'briain was good live but dull when they put his show on tv.

Love most of the grumpy old women - would like to see Jenny Eclair

ShowOfHands · 08/01/2011 14:04

See Jenny Eclair I find offensive.

I would be interested to hear how RH used the word retard. I don't condone it in the slightest but sometimes I think people make a mistake or use a word once without even realising they've done it and when you view that in light of (in RH's case) a career of comedy that attacks bigotry and homophobia and cynicism, I sometimes think it's not that simple. Certainly, I think the lack of intention and a single error might actually be just that, an error.

Like Richard Curtis who is generally a mild mannered man who writes sentimental romcoms but made a glaring mistake in Love Actually.

But like I said, I don't know the context. Of course if it was pointed out to him and he defended or continued to use it, I'd change my mind entirely.

fifitot · 08/01/2011 15:12

Best joke I saw recently was Lee Mack who said

' I have 2 kids, wanted 3 though but now we have 2, I only want one!'

All parents nodded knowingly!

Mumi · 08/01/2011 19:13

SOH - can't remember the name of the DVD I was shown but the context was words to the effect of "you must be some kind of fucking r*tard" (

Mumi · 08/01/2011 19:18

Jenny Eclair I find offensive as well, but not so much for her comedy which doesn't make me laugh, but for that bloody tax credits TV advert!
(in which she cheerily informed me in bright and breezy tones that, if I missed the deadline for this error riddled system, half my income would be stopped Hmm )

ShowOfHands · 08/01/2011 19:26

I still think if it's a single utterance there might be an argument for it being a genuine mistake. Presumably, somebody else (who should have noticed) is responsible for the editing of the actual dvds.

I usually use this example and am aware I'm repeating myself. but dh's colleagues used to use a word I found highly offensive (was pejorative in origin but they had no idea). When I explained what it actually meant they were horrified and never used it again. It had become office slang for something else entirely without them really understanding what they were saying. In cases such as that it's a genuine mistake and I think deserves to be forgiven.

Everything else RH has ever done seems to suggest he's not deserving of the same sort of label as somebody who knowingly and consistently uses offensive material.

DirtyMartini · 08/01/2011 19:34

"You can add Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle to that pile too"

Yeah, and then squirt on some fluid and strike a match.

Did anyone see the episode of Room 101 with Marcus Brigstocke, ages ago? Must be at least 5 years old but it was hilarious.

DirtyMartini · 08/01/2011 19:37

Has anyone mentioned Adam Hills?

I saw him at the Edinburgh Fringe years ago and really liked him. I note from that Wiki page he regularly has a sign language interpreter at his gigs, which seems like a good idea.

Anyway. He was extemely funny and if he's ever made a joke about rape or retards I'll eat my hat.

ShowOfHands · 08/01/2011 20:16

Adam Hills is brilliant, have seen him live.

I did see that Room 101. Marcus Brigstocke's live dvd is just great too. Funny, political, educated.

Newgolddream · 08/01/2011 20:27

I just love Peter Kay, he always has me in stitches. And I like Kevin Bridges to - saw him on this programme a while back tha enerally wasnt funny, but he was hilarious. A panel type show when people told a story and then the others had to decide if the story was true or not - Kevins story was hilarious, all about going on holiday and ending up buying a donkey or something like that, it was the way he was telling it!

Michael McIntyre is good to - hes going to be a judge on the new series of Britains Got Talent.

1percentawake · 08/01/2011 20:42

I know it's not 'cool' but I love Michael McIntyre too! Have never heard him be offensive but frequently has me in stitches.

I still think Reeves and Mortimer are the best ever - just fantastically surreal!

kerrykatonaskebab · 08/01/2011 20:49

Cant believe nobody has mentioned Jack Dee.
He IS funny.

risingstar · 08/01/2011 22:05

yanbu

i had the misfortune to see him supporting ricky gervaise- did the stuff you mention. didnt find it funny at all and really a bit rubbish.

same could be said for ricky gervaise

Original poster
MargaretGraceBondfield · 08/01/2011 23:08

I feel compelled to buy a Marcus Brigstock DVD!!

OP posts:
glovesoflove · 09/01/2011 08:53

No mention of Dylan Moran? Though I suppose he might be offensive if you really like/are Enya.

glovesoflove · 09/01/2011 08:54

Oh and I'm so glad it's not Stu Francis who is offensive! I loved him.
Ooh I could rip a tissue is still v v funny.

Original poster
MargaretGraceBondfield · 09/01/2011 09:07

I do like Enya....am very boring!

OP posts:
glovesoflove · 09/01/2011 09:54

My dad loves her, and he also likes Dylan Moran, so perhaps the two things are compatible after all!

Acekicker · 09/01/2011 10:53

Meh to Dylan Moran, I loved him up until his last tour - he was mostly not that funny and genuinely seemed as if he was bored and couldn't be arsed. I appreciate comedian's material can be variable but to stand up in front of people who have paid for tickets and act like you resent them and are just desperate to get off stage isn't really on.

Ed Byrne on the other hand was very good last year.

Re Screamadelica, I made the mistake of buying it because I liked a couple of singles and the rest of the album just wasn't really my kind of music (which I should have been able to work out really) - I was just a hard up student at the time and whenever I was really short of cash and counting my pennies in the supermarket/hiking across town to the only cash machine that dispensed fivers I always resented the £15 I'd spent on the album!

glovesoflove · 09/01/2011 11:04

Ah fair enough, not seen him lately.

I might listen to Screamadelica now :) I taped it off my friend and bought it on CD years later when it was £5

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 09/01/2011 11:10

Offensiveness is definitely subjective. I think 'Mock the Week' is awful, jokes about paedophilia, incest, special needs, etc. but it has massive ratings. I just won't watch it. There don't seem to be any boundaries anymore.

I did like Bill Hicks, the Canadian comedian - and also Peter Kay.

tethersend · 09/01/2011 11:18

Offensive and funny are not mutually exclusive.

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