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?

[StuntGirl]

YANBU to dislike him, that's your opinion. But to say he should be removed from tv just because of your opinion is BVU.

[MiniEggsinJanuary]

You seem to have the opinion that a lost legal case means more than it does, Bum. Lawsuits are a game played by clever people who fight to prove mens rea and actus reas whilst using precedents to help them on their way.

[MiniEggsinJanuary]

Not what I said Stunt. I said "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?"

[magentastardust]

Whoever compared him to Jimmy Carr - I'm sure that frankie Boyle used to write a lot of Jimmy Carr's material.

[BumBiscuits]

It is what it is mini , accept it. BTW, YABVU in repeatedly calling lawyers "clever"

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Yes he is, OP - as are many other so called comedians - ... although, what words do you use to describe those people who watch programmes like 'Mock The Week' and enjoy that type of humour? After all... the schedules depend on audiences. No audience and the programmes disappear. You have the viewing public to thank for that. Place the blame where it should be.

[deleted203]

I used to find Frankie Boyle funny - he was quick witted and very sharp - particularly about Scotland/Scots - I remember him talking about being in a bar in Glasgow and asking for a pint of lager and lime and the barman snarling, 'We don't dae cocktails'....

Saw him live 3 or 4 years ago and he was really, really good - although there was the odd sharp intake of breath.

Bought DH his latest DVD for Christmas and the pair of us sat stony faced through about half an hour of it. It was dire. He seems to now feel that snarling things like, 'I hope your kid gets cancer and dies in fucking agony' is somehow funny because it's 'controversial'. No Frankie - it's just not fucking funny. He seems to be on a mission to see just how sick he can make his material - but has lost the point that it still needs to be funny or clever.....and it's not anymore.

[KobayashiMaru]

so you don't have any proof at all, you are using the arguments of the losing side in a court case?

[CuriousMama]

Very Imortant People with the Frankie Boyle parody.

[StuntGirl]

And I have the same opinion, YABVU!

[EuroShopperEnergyDrink]

His act isn't just to cause shock and offence, it's to highlight the bigoted attitudes in our society. He doesn't hate blacks or disabled people or women or homosexuals, and if you honestly think he does and his acts are basically hate speech- then I am genuinely facepalming. You'll find that even our naice comedians have thinly veiled sexism, homophobia racism, which I find more offensive on so many levels as they actually do believe it.

Frankie is a anti domestic violence campaigner, supporter of the Palestinian cause, feminist and generally most leftie person ever.

[EuroShopperEnergyDrink]

What are you on about regarding his lawsuit, mini? You seem to think that he should have lost it and he must have used ££££ lawyers and used a lot of spin in court?

Do you even know what comment that the mirror seemed to think to be racist? Frankie deserved to win.

[colleysmill]

I have a friend who has come into contact with FB quite regularly in RL through work. She always says he is extraordinarily polite unlike other well known people that I can't name and seemed really good with his kids.

Sometimes on the old MTW he is very very funny but I don't like the more recent stuff. I tend to think his "act" is now based around shock value rather than what I find funny.

[StuntGirl]

Frankie is a anti domestic violence campaigner, supporter of the Palestinian cause, feminist and generally most leftie person ever.

^ This.

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Curious to what the arguments were on the winning side of the court case?

[CuriousMama]

He isn't on MTW now is he?

[dadadadadadadadaBATMAN]

Frankie Boyle sets out to be shocking, at least he doesn't make excuses for it. Ricky Gervais is happy to tweet "People often mistake the subject of a joke with the target of a joke" which allows him to play characters like the eponymous Derek without fear of criticism. There will be some people that find Derek 'heart warming'... but there will be many more who start using Derek as a generic term of abuse for any person with LD or ASD. At least Frankie isn't claiming that it's okay to joke the way he does. We know it's wrong and that's WHY it's funny. He's certainly not a racist and the joke he did about war veterans and the paralympic games was well received by veterans and paralympians alike.

[dadadadadadadadaBATMAN]

For a despicable human being he doesn't half do a lot lot charity... Everything from domestic violence to Palestine and even legal help for a guy in Guantanamo bay... ? Not that this excludes him from qualification as despicable... Jimmy Saville was quite the philanthropist too...

[maddening]

I thought he was funny on mtw so watched one of his standup shows but soon turned that off.

[mrsbunnylove]

so, you had to google to find an excuse to be outraged by this joker?
that's another hit to his name.
why not just ignore?

[MiniEggsinJanuary]

Right, read carefully and try to understand. I said, and many agreed, that some aspects of his comedy are vile and cruel to some groups or individuals. I find his controversial material offensive and I am not the only one. I know I can ignore him - I intend to from now on. The only reason I came across him again was because I flicked on to an old episode of Mock the Week. The host made a comment about the "racist door" (not my words) which prompted me to research what controversy Boyle has caused in the past. I found some jokes and topics which I found to be repulsive and shocking. I wondered if I was alone in this. I found that I am not but some people are able to look past his controversial jokes and enjoy some of his other material. I acknowledge that he won a court case which proved that The Mirror had erroneously accused him of making racist comments. I am very pleased that he generously gave the proceeds to charity. I still however find his comments about disabled children distasteful and hope that these "jokes" are not broadcast or published.

[elizaregina]

There is a big rascim lobby in this country and they have made thier voice heard thankfully and people think twice about using abusive language.

Unfortunalty the same cant be said for diabled people. I have often wondered where MENCAP and the DSA is when people like Frankie are there speaking about people with LD in a derogatory way.

Its not really about whether you find him funny or not - or whether you can turn on or off. Its about de humanising an extremly vulnerable group of people who do not have equal status or respect in our society = who are quite often the target of vicous attacks in the community - as well as lesser abuse but still harmful non the less. Its about taking the piss to a huge audience - its ok - we can all poke a stick at them - come on - bla bla bla.

Its not ok and it never will be.

I am not sure what some posters mean that he is " as leftie as you can get" - you mean as leftie as STALIN who wanted to kill disabled people and did kill them and killed millions?

[blindworm]

'He is a follower of Noam Chomsky and says that he has had a great influence on his political beliefs, claiming to be more left-wing than Chomsky.' - Taken from his wikipedia page.

[ICBINEG]

Also heard the star wars interview last night...I think people are missing the obvious.

Jenni Murray was basically saying how odd it was that he stands and says vile things and then appears to be sneering at the audience laughing as if repulsed.

That's not odd at all. He is a smart generous person, it is obvious he would hold people laughing at racist, rape or disablist jokes in contempt. The fact that he told the joke is fairly irrelevant.

That is the point of him as far as I can tell. To say out loud the things that are said behind backs and essentially point out how wrong it is to say them at all.