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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To find ‘jokes’ about Maddie McCann upsetting?

226 replies

Helendee · 17/04/2019 12:45

I saw a clip of Frankie Boyle demonstrating his sense of ‘humour’ by making what I find to be shocking jokes about Maddie.
The audience seemed to find it hilarious but I find it crass and distressing.
Please tell me I am not alone!

OP posts:
ThereWillBeAdequateFood · 18/04/2019 10:09

UI judge people that go to see comedians like Frankie Boyle, Jim Davidson, Bernard Manning et al as socially regressive, unempathetic and prejudiced^

That’s absolutely fine. Why wouldn’t it be?

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 18/04/2019 10:12

I judge people who eat in the supermarket before they pay and anyone who wears leggings as trousers (hypocritical there)

SleepingSloth · 18/04/2019 10:13

In my experience, comedians like FB are liked by a certain type of person. Some of my 'family', who I don't have anything to do with, like this type of 'humour'. I think it's lazy comedy, it's 'funny' through shocking people that you could actually say it. So not funny in my opinion, they're just willing to say bad things for money.

Dyrne · 18/04/2019 10:22

But Samcro that woman paid for tickets to see Frankie Boyle, so must find his other jokes funny. One just hit too close to home for her. Absolutely fair enough, but the idea of someone paying to see a comedian like that and then moaning when they’re offended is ridiculous!

Lifecraft · 18/04/2019 10:27

UI judge people that go to see comedians like Frankie Boyle, Jim Davidson, Bernard Manning et al as socially regressive, unempathetic and prejudiced^

Knock yourself out. It's a free world. We are all free to judge who we want, how we want.

It's another bugbear of mine on MN...."You have no right to judge......blah blah blah"

Fuck off....I have every tight to judge, who are you, the judgement police?

Lifecraft · 18/04/2019 10:28

Right, not tight, before I get judged for my spelling!

ThereWillBeAdequateFood · 18/04/2019 10:31

t's another bugbear of mine on MN...."You have no right to judge......blah blah blah

You are so right lifecraft people can’t seem to cope with the idea someone might judge someone else. Again the irony is that they themselves are judging someone - for judging Hmm

Lovingit81 · 18/04/2019 10:42

I totally agree with you OP he is foul. Anyone who jokes about that poor family are disgusting in my opinion.

BlooperReel · 18/04/2019 10:47

I am usually very much a 'humour has no boundaries' type and I do think for the most part, nothing should be off limits per se. So whilst I can get a kidnapping joke, even a murder joke, can be funny, using a real life instance, a real, flesh and blood child, as the butt of a joke, I don't find funny.

Mockingham · 18/04/2019 11:16

Frankie Boyle is very clever & often extremely funny. He's political, topical & satirical - and very pro-women.

A lot of people aren't bright enough to appreciate his humour.

I judge them, I judge them a lot...

idrunthroughanairportforyou · 18/04/2019 11:21

@Mockingham
This is very true. He's exceptionally clever. Be prepared for pearl clutchers to abuse you for insulting their intelligence though.

My mind is blown at pp calling him socially regressive. I can only assume they've never watched anything of his? Focused only on the controversial sound bites maybe?

BlooperReel · 18/04/2019 11:47

Frankie Boyle has joked in the past that Madeleine's name is an anagram of 'I'm dead'. Looking at his Madeleine jokes (which is what the OP is referring to) I don't think any sparkling wit, intelligence or comedic genius is shining through here.

Harebel · 18/04/2019 12:04

Vile misogynist. I don't find him clever or funny in the slightest.

His not so thinly veiled animosity towards women leaves me cold. Shame that some people cannot see through this but there you go. Sadly there'll always be someone somewhere defending a misogynistConfusedno idea why he gets so much airtime, oh wait...Hmm

LoobyLou1976 · 18/04/2019 12:46

The debate about what's funny and what isn't has been raging as long as comedy has existed. If you start aalong the path of censoring people by saying what you are and are not allowed to talk about or find 'funny' then its a dangerous path to start along. Years ago when the series 'Brass Eye' was on TV, they did a programme about paedophilia. People were up in arms against it at the time but what they failed to see was that it was not paedophilia that was really the subject, it was actually lampooning the press and public reaction to anything remotely about it, even to the extent of roping in 'celebrities' who were more than happy to be seen in the programmes but ended up making complete fools of themselves because they had jumped on the recent bandwagon. and didn't really have a clue what they were talking about. The Brass Eye programmes were very clever, and Chris Morris was doing this YEARS before anyone else. You have to remember that sometimes the joke isn't really what it appears to be about, its about the culture surrounding the joke. If you are offended by a certain type of humour, then you should avoid that type of comedian.

derxa · 18/04/2019 12:50

The Brass Eye programmes were very clever, and Chris Morris was doing this YEARS before anyone else. Plus they were actually very funny.

callmeadoctor · 18/04/2019 13:06

And this one (so I think OP can be forgiven!) omny.fm/shows/maddie/the-missing-calls?fbclid=IwAR20u708_S2jAP5LtaGJKvOfUCfDR-WuB6AORT4UwF-D16zwl27yGMYIf14

callmeadoctor · 18/04/2019 13:11

Full discussion of whether she was known as Maddie or Madelaine, interesting!www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/Nigel/id169.htm?fbclid=IwAR3dyMS_0lKGk9fv51rj-NciwCXhrD7Sq3P6pYtc757dgSTJsMjv2hCVpsE

callmeadoctor · 18/04/2019 13:14

Sorry, got carried away looking, but it is interesting when you start looking into it!www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/Nigel/sitebuilderpictures/friendsreunited.jpg

Aquilla · 18/04/2019 13:17

There is a 'line' and murdered and/or missing children is that line.

BoneyBackJefferson · 18/04/2019 13:28

callmeadoctor

The details on this has changed so many times that the truth (whatever that is) of the situation has been lost.

GooodMythicalMorning · 18/04/2019 13:39

Ive literally blocked someone on fb for constantly doing this.

Lifecraft · 18/04/2019 13:47

@Aquilla There is a 'line' and murdered and/or missing children is that line.

So you're okay with jokes about murdered and missing adults? And jokes about children who weren't murdered and aren't missing, but were raped or tortured...or both. They're fine to make jokes about, so long as they weren't murdered.

I'm incredibly offended by this viewpoint! How could you be so crass and insensitive?

(errr....now do you see that drawing lines that comedy shouldn't cross is a tricky business)

ScrewyMcScrewup · 18/04/2019 13:58

I find it more worrying that millions of people apparently think Mrs Brown's Boys is the height of comedy.

Lifecraft · 18/04/2019 14:02

There is a line...and Last of The Summer Wine definitely crosses it. Utter garbage.