Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Sarah Millican should never be given air time again?

108 replies

missmarplestmarymead · 31/05/2013 22:19

Tonight, she referred to a woman's body being found in 'suspicious circumstances but that the motivation had not been sexual.' She then made her joke which was: how awful it would be to be a murder victim but to not be considered attractive enough for anyone to think that the motivation might have been sexual. She ended by suggesting that the victim could have trimmed their pubic hair.

I found this beyond the pale but made evn worse by the fact that channel 4 chose to broadcast this on the day that a young woman has been found murdered.

OP posts:
MichelleRooJnr · 01/06/2013 00:52

A joke about rape?
Or a woman using humour to open up a topic (as it has done here) for debate and discussion. She comments on, albeit too cleverly for many (OP) to 'get', on the shit way in which women are often presented and represented in news stories.
This joke makes people think about the way sexual offences are reported (all too often in terms of the 'young, blonde/brunette, slim/curvy etc crass physical descriptions) in order to get the biggest gasps and appeal to a certain demographic of news-gobblers.
People ought to stop all this 'ooh they just try to shock they're not funny' bollocks and actually try to understand what the 'shocking' comedians are joking about.
Humour is a wonderful communicator. If you can open up just a little more brainspace to understand the message.

OxfordBags · 01/06/2013 00:55

It is perfectly clear, do not patronise me. I am not the person unable to detect humorous nuance, OP.

I saw that programme. It was patently clear, from the surrounding part of her set, and from her general attitude, that she was doing the same sort of joke a bloke just doing a rape joke because he is a twat would do, exactly to highlight the idiotic and offensive nature of how people judge female victims of sexual and/or violent crime. Her joke highlights exactly how crass and yet commonplace in humour such thinking has become. It is also one important function of a lot of comedy to make us look at unpalatable things via humour. Only she was quite clearly revealing that sort of attitude towards victims to be beyond the pale, whereas you have taken her joke at face value and chosen to believe she herself has that attitude.

If you think any of my comments have been outrageous, then you probably shouldn't be watching someone as bloody mild as Sarah Millican, christ on a bike!

You are allowed to dislike a show, or a comedian, or find a joke offensive. If you present those opinions on a public forum for debate, I am equally allowed to present my opinion as to why I believe you have woefully missed the point of her jokes.

Believe me, if I thought for one second that she was not taking the piss out of rape apologist jokes, then I would be down on her like a tonne of bricks.

PS Southeastastra, if comedians had to make sure that everyone could get their jokes, then the most subtle and intelligent comedian we'd have would be Mr Tumble...

OxfordBags · 01/06/2013 00:56

Gah, Michelle, you just said exactly what I've been trying to put across much better than me. So... What Michelle said!

Original poster
missmarplestmarymead · 01/06/2013 01:05

Unfortunatly, many people watching her will not be possessed of your powers towards detecting irony and will think that to rape a woman is a compliment to her attractiveness and I am sorry to draw your attention to the fact that some men do use this to try and justify their actions.

Maybe Ms Millican could employ someone to come along and explain to all those who may not understand her uber and finely developed sense of irony that she is only joking.

'Only Joking' 'Only having a Laugh' a quite common defence I believe used by similar idiots to her who find that others thought they were not. I am afraid I think she is to comedy what King Herod was to baby sitting.

OP posts:
FreudiansSlipper · 01/06/2013 01:15

OP do you not remember the day after Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp how the tabloids printed pictures of her in a bikini on the front cover

this is what she is getting at how women are judged no matter what has happened on their looks she turned somethig that is wrong into a joke and if anything it has got you talking about it and maybe giving what she is saying a second thought once you get over your outrage

MichelleRooJnr · 01/06/2013 01:17

True missmarple some people don't get it.
But the more often people like her make these jokes, leading to people like you questioning them, leading to people like me & Oxford explaining them, the more people will get it.
That's a good thing.
You're absolutely right that attractiveness is often cited as an 'excuse' for sexual offending - so it's great that there are comedians pointing out just how ridiculous that is. Showing it for the joke it is.

OxfordBags · 01/06/2013 01:19

Erm, it's not uber and finely developed, it's not even very subtle. And I am hardly some sort of superhero possessed with the power to detect comic irony when no-one else can. I would politely suggest that this is a lack of perception and ability to understand some types of comic delivery fail on your part, not some sort of high and mighty brilliance on the part of me, Ms Millican or anyone else who gets her points.

For the last time: that joke (very unsubtly and pretty bloody obviously) shows how fucking ridiculous and awful that sort of justification for rape or rape jokes is. You seem to be actively determined to not get it and to take offence, so I am not going to continue to respond. It's a shame, because as this sort ofsubject clearly offends you - as it does me - if you could perceive the very obvious irony in her joke, then you would find it supports your opinions.

Slainte · 01/06/2013 07:12

Just want to add, Dylan Moran is Irish KentoshWine Smile

PatsysPyjamas · 01/06/2013 07:33

Didn't see the show, but it is possible to get a joke and still not find it funny or appropriate.

Fourbears · 01/06/2013 07:55

I agree with the OP.

moiner · 01/06/2013 07:59

She is absolutely woeful, I can't think of a mainstream comedian who comes close to being as unfunny as she is.

StillSeekingSpike · 01/06/2013 08:42

'PS Southeastastra, if comedians had to make sure that everyone could get their jokes, then the most subtle and intelligent comedian we'd have would be Mr Tumble...'

^^ YY to this.
And frankly 'Outnumbered' makes me want to chew my own feet off at its utter awfulness. But I'm not going to ban it.

FourEyesGood · 01/06/2013 08:56

I'm with Michelle and Oxford on this one. And I'm appalled (nay, shocked, horrified and disgusted) at some of the examples of "quality comedy" being cited on this thread. Christ, I thought MNers were generally a more discerning bunch.

TheSherrif · 01/06/2013 09:05

Just need to say the Russell Howard makes me reach for the remote every time. Yuk.
Each to their own I say. Try not to over think things.

Lazyjaney · 01/06/2013 09:19

"I do not like the joke!" is fine, "I am offended!" is understandable, but "I want this person silenced" is completely unreasonable and unacceptable.

And telling me what I am and am not allowed to find amusing is offensive, frankly, especially as you seem to have no sense of irony.

Bowlersarm · 01/06/2013 09:20

I think I'm with the OP on this one. I haven't seen the clip so I can't comment with certainty but.....

I think Sarah Millican is in the same category as the vile Frankie Boyle. They go for the shock and outrageous 'humour' and if that upsets people, well, I don't think they care too much. I can't stand either of them.

BIWI · 01/06/2013 09:22

Shock at comparing Sarah Millican with Frankie Boyle! She is nothing like him.

Bowlersarm · 01/06/2013 09:27

I think she is in the way they both go for the shock value.

2rebecca · 01/06/2013 09:35

I didn't find her humour shocking or outrageous. She reminds me more of Jo Brand than any male comedian, there was some good wordplay last night but I find the jokes about her size tiresome just as they were when Jo Brand did them.
If you'd rather be slim then lose some weight, making jokes about problems you have due to your weight just makes people think jokes about fat folk are OK. Slim comedians don't go on about their size all the time, I think self derogatory humour is a sign of a lack of material, and is why i usually avoid Sarah Milligan, but there wasn't much else on last night.

waltermittymissus · 01/06/2013 09:44

I'm relieved to see posters like oxford and michelle here, speaking sense.

So...what they said.

Oh, and as slainte very rightly pointed out, Dylan Moran is Irish and there's ambiguity over whether or not Father Ted is too! Wink

maddy68 · 01/06/2013 09:47

Jeez lighten up. She is a comedien and bloody funny one at that. I love that sort of humour (I also love frankie Boyle!) I actually know (knew...) the girl that was murdered . The two are not connected. One is a pre written joke the other is so so sad.
Poor timing on the release of the program perhaps but this was not aimed at the girl.

BeQuicksieorBeDead · 01/06/2013 09:53

I have met her lots of times, she used to work with a relative of mine. I doubt she is being blackly ironic, her whole act had always been based on simple thoughts. A bit like jo brand and cake.

Sarah is a nice person, not my idea of funny though.

squeakytoy · 01/06/2013 09:57

I dont think she is being ironic, but am sure because she is a woman there will be people who think she is, whereas if a male comedian had come out with the same crap "joke" he would be slated for it.. even if was being "ironic".

Never found Sarah Millican funny at all.

ilovexmastime · 01/06/2013 09:59

"Maybe Ms Millican could employ someone to come along and explain to all those who may not understand her uber and finely developed sense of irony that she is only joking. "

Are you suggesting here OP that some people are so thick they need someone to point out that a stand up comedian is telling jokes? Hmm

Panzee · 01/06/2013 10:03

I didn't think Sarah Millican was funny but the retelling of her joke by OP made me snigger a bit. Was it on C4? I'll find it on 4OD to see the context.