to be impressed by Frankie Boyle's hunger strike?

[Isabeller]

grauniad link here

It wasn't aimed at Jordan.
It was aimed at a (then) 8 year old boy.
But he's different so that's ok.

The Boil's jokes do not appear to have a deeper meaning in the majority of cases. Any more than someone crapping in your soup for the shock value does,
I would say in all cases, but there are some very strange people out there looking for symbolism and messages in the unlikeliest places.

Branleuse
I will ask again

The joke was ABOUT Harvey. Regardless of who you think it was 'aimed' at do you think it was acceptable to make a joke ABOUT a named disabled child.

I would love a straight answer (but I think you may be backtracking)

Katie Price is not someone I would look up to but I do think the fact that she is proud of Harvey and does not feel the need to hide him away is great.

I have no problem with people making jokes about Katie Price - she is an adult who has chosen to be in the public eye. I do have a HUGE problem with anyone ridiculing any named child especially one that is disabled and can not defend himself.

How anyone can defend that joke because 'it was funny' is beyond me.

Hope IT starves to death, vile cunt.

im not backtracking. I saw the show, I thought it was funny. I cant go back in time and change my reaction because it wasnt quite politically correct. I think my personal feelings and knowledge about FBs political views make the joke a million times more OK than if id heard jim davidson or roy chubby brown saying it (for instance),

Im not averse to making pretty terrible ironic jokes anyway, amongst people that KNOW im being ironic

and yes, i obviously do think its ok to joke about a famous kid

It's not that I find Boyle offensive - which I do. It's just that he's not funny.

If a joke has to be explained to lots of people, not just the people who've never heard of the characters, it hasn't worked.

That's without even considering that the explanation isn't at all convincing.

I find Jerry Sadowitz very offensive but also very funny.

Boyle's biggest joke is that he's ripped off Sadowitz's act while spectacularly missing the point. But he's still making millions out of people who call it social commentary.

funny is subjective

Branleuse

Like I said, noone is discussing whether FBs joke about Harvey was funny or not. However I now understand that you DO find it acceptable to joke about a named disabled child being unwanted by his parents and having to be stopped from 'fucking' his mother.

I am shocked anyone would admit that to be honest.

Well, it's an anonymous site, so people are often more honest than they would be IRL here.
People like Branleuse are the reason we need to be aware and not complacent. Yes, s/he may think that, and pass that attitude on to any offspring. 'It's only a joke, WTF are you crying about?'
Or 'It's only a joke, why have you just hit me?'

It is.

no, people like me ARENT the reason you need to be complacent.

There is a huge difference in going to see frankie boyle live, and people bullying or beating up kids, or actively discriminating.

One is a stand up comedy routine, I can totally see why people are offended, but if im honest, thats part of the pleasure of that sort of thing. How shocking and below the belt it is.
I dont really care too much about jordans feelings, and if im honest, i dont really care much about harvey as a person either, any more or less than i care about her other kids.

Tbh, i think people are being a bit patronising really. OMG you cant make fun of a disabled person? Well start considering who is taking away all their benefits and rights, and be offended at the REAL issues and not some comedian with gallows humour, joking with a private audience.

I have disabilities, i have children with disabilities. It hasnt made any difference to what i find humour in and what I dont.
How I treat people is what counts.

I often see fb out and about. I suspect a week off the grub is just what the man needs.

So you would be happy to have your children singled out as the butt of a joke about fucking their mother?

if id actively courted the limelight and seeked fame at any cost for me and my children, id expect all sorts of comments and jokes. it wouldn't be my first choice of attention, but i cant say it would hurt me

Branleuse
No one has said you can't make jokes about people with disabilities of course you can. Earlier in the thread I mentioned Mock The Week joking about the paralympians. There was nothing wrong with it.

What I think most people find awful is joking about a particular child and especially one that hasvdisabilities. I still find it hard to believe that you find that acceptable.
I think you comment that you don't much care for 'Harvey' says it all.
I hope no one ever makes jokes like that about your children.

Out of interest, can you find racist jokes funny too?

Oh, that's right Harvey deserves it . That's alright then.

I dont care for harvey any more or less than her other children. hes a well looked after child and will want for nothing in life, which is a million miles away from Most disabled children.

some racist jokes if theyre ironic can be funny.

I dont get off on disabled jokes. I just dont find it a taboo subject in comedy, but y know, theres all sorts of contexts etc

Yet again, noone is saying there is anything inherently wrong with making jokes about disabled people however most people think its abhorrent to make a disgusting joke about a disabled boy.

I don't think it is relevent whether he is rich or poor

Incidentally, do you think that it would have been an acceptable 'joke' if Harvey could have understood it? Or do you think that the fact that he can't understand it makes it more palatable? I mean, if he doesn't know what is happening do you think it OK?

Personally, I think the fact he CAN'T defend himself makes the 'joke' infinitely worse.

Genuine question

I understand we could find dozens of people that love FBs style of comedy. I just find it interesting to get the views of someone who seems to have given it thought and still thinks FBs 'joke' about Harvey is acceptable. It especially interesting seeing that person has children with disabilities themselves.

some racist jokes if theyre ironic can be funny

Some offensive jokes can be funny, or thought-provoking.

To reference Jerry Sadowitz again, this joke made me laugh:

"Nelson Mandela, what a cunt. Terry Waite, fucking bastard. I dunno, you lend some people a fiver, you never see them again."

They were both still in prison at the time. Waite could have been dead for ages and we wouldn't have known. Probably the same for Mandela even though it was he was supposedly being held legitimately.

The joke isn't on two innocent men who're prisoners, but on the miserable bastard who doesn't care about them.

But Boyle's jokes are rarely against himself. They're against the weak. In the case of Harvey Price they don't even make sense and have to be explained unconvincingly by him or his fans.

He said it because he knew it would get a moronic laugh. I don't think he thought beyond that and the money from Channel 4.

Tramadol Nights had the whiff of homework whacked together the night before it needed to be handed in by a pupil who'd been fucking about for ages.

I think that's a shame because he is extremely quick-witted and smart.

I imagine he'd tell me he'd wish my sympathy to be shoved up my cunt by a gang of rapists. Or something equally Cowardesque.

why are you all being so horrible to poor old frankie? He obviously has issues and has got himself in a pickle career wise. He started off ok but then found that really offensive unfunny jokes paid quite well and now he has a big mortgage and pie habit he has to keep making them even though everyone hates him for it and he feels a bit sad and doesn't like himself so much. It must be really hard. Anyhoo, he then tries and does something nice for those less fortunate by giving up food for an entire week and he obviously REALLY loves his scran so that's dead hard. His mum is watching him the entire time to makes sure he does it properly too with no sneaky trips to maccie d's. cut him some slack people!

So you'd be fine if you yourself were the target of some FB-style humour Branleuse?
Specifically aimed at your personal instabilities, weaknesses and problems?
And using your real name?

mama, he's had years of practise at going without food, what with the alcoholism and the drug abuse. Flashback time.
Do a bit of coke, wash down some hefty ADs with a bit of decent malt and he'll barely notice the days pass.

I'm looking forward to hearing some really offensive Guantanamo jokes, all tongue-in-cheek of course . Presumably people who don't find jokes about people with Down's syndrome offensive will likewise not be offended by jokes about Guantanamo inmates and understand it is just a bit of harmless jesting.