To think that Frankie Boyle is a despicable human being?

[MiniEggsinJanuary]

Just flicked on to an old episode of Mock the Week to find Frankie Boyle. I had forgotten about him and why he was so controversial so I googled and read the Wikipedia section on controversy about him. I knew he was a racist bigot but didn't realise he also made fun of disabled children. Please tell me I am not being unreasonable to think that he doesn't deserve the fees he must get when his programmes are repeated on Dave?

[discotequewreck]

Absolutely LaQueen!

[BumBiscuits]

Frankie Boyle is not a racist. I know that because I can't fucking stand racists. After several years of following Frankie and going to his gigs I still think he's great.

[ophelia275]

People think he isn't racist just because some judge says so. It's blatantly clear he hates everyone, including himself!

[ophelia275]

YANBU. He is a shitbag and the epitome that is all that is wrong with society. And that he gets paid to be a shitbag is even worse.

[discotequewreck]

Erm no, if the viewing public were clever he wouldn't have to resort to shock tactics.

[discotequewreck]

What Jordan does to her kids is far worse than any joke FB has made.

The very symbol of why celebrity culture is so rotten.

[discotequewreck]

If you don't get Frankie Boyle, well maybe you never will.

My interpretation is that he hates the bread and circuses dumb celebrity culture that gets fed to us everyday. I actually think he is quite clever and not disablist, racist or sexist.

He quite often promotes feminist comedians on his shows and makes some moving observations about how messed up the world is.

Ever watched Bill Hicks? Similar style I think.

If you're getting in a twist about Frankie Boyle rather than the corporate psychopaths who destroy, marginalise and ruin people everyday then I fear hope is lost.

[BumBiscuits]

I fancy really like Reg D Hunter. However, I dozed off at his gig last time I saw him. I blame it on the red wine and antihistamines his lovely voice.

I think this thread shows that you can't control what/who makes you laugh any more than you can control what offends you.

I didn't appreciate the show Derek one bit when it was on the other night, and switched over after a few minutes, yet it is getting great reviews on another thread (in Chat I think).

I used to really like John Bishop and met him when he was still doing the stand-up circuits, lovely bloke. I now find him tedious bordering on misogyny at times. Though not offensive.

[DontEvenThinkAboutIt]

I really liked Reginald D Hunter on the TV but, last year,when we saw him live he wasn't very funny at all. He wasn't edgy at all. [Sad]

[blindworm]

I like some of his jokes but not others. I laugh at the satirical jokes, like the 'racist' one outlined above, but I didn't think his Harvey joke was funny. He can be both, can't he?

[Nancy66]

When the Jimmy Savile story broke there were loads of jokes doing the rounds - some were very funny. Same with Michael Jackson.

It doesn't make child abuse any less abhorent to me, it doesn't mean I am any less glad that both Jackson and Savile are dead.

...they were jokes. They were funny. I can separate comedy from reality.

[MiniEggsinJanuary]

"I think the people who find Frankie Boyle's jokes acceptable or even funny must be unbelievably thick. I bet their families are all really stupid and ugly as well. In fact, I reckon they're so stupid that they think that if someone says something cruel and viciously heinous, but it's all in the name of Art, they think it's just fine. "

Ha ha ha ha ha ha, I hope no one was offended by that. It's all just part of my act.

Why is it so difficult to understand? Whatever his pretence, he still articulates these ideas and consequentlly makes them a potentially legitimate mindset. It is simply not acceptable to articulate some ideas in the media or public. I didn't believe all of what was typed above but it's still there on the page. Some people will have been offended by it. Some people will be too thick skinned to care.

[thezebrawearspurple]

He is very funny, I've been to a couple of his shows and he always has the audience in fits of laughter. Some people take him too seriously, he's a comedian, not a college lecturer. You have to take his jokes in context (and as jokes). Wishing death on someone because you don't like or get his humour (as some here have done) is ridiculous and far more extreme than anything he has been accused of.

[elizaregina]

I just see my beautiful innocent sweet brothers face - and then frankies snarling vicous mug = it makes me feel sick.

[AKissIsNotAContract]

'I agree with LaQueen - it's an act. It's performance'

Fair enough, but can you explain what it is you find funny about someone acting like a disablist person?

[Fanjounchained]

should have said if you find "these" jokes funny...

[Fanjounchained]

As a result of this post I've actually looked at some of his tweets and he is funny sometimes. But I just don't "get" the downs syndrome, paedophile, M McCann jokes...also what's with all the male rape jokes (or has he down these about women too, if so I may have missed them).

I can see what he was doing using the work "paki" in the joke outlined above but what cause is he championing or point is he making when he makes fun of disabled children ? And I appreciate that people have the right to laugh at this if they want to...free country and all that...but what the f**k does that say about you if you find jokes funny ?

[Nancy66]

I agree with LaQueen - it's an act. It's performance.

It's no more real than something you'd see in EastEnders.

Some of the best comedy comes from the darkest places and I don't think people should be told what they can and can't find funny.

[ComposHat]

They shouldn't mock the week, they should try mocking the powerful instead.

[MrsReiver]

He also has no manners on MTW he always pushes in to get his turn.

From what I've heard about MTW, every comedian on the show is like that, that's why some only do it once and never go back, or refuse to go on it at all.