Is Sir Michael Parkinson within his rights?

[flaviaritt]

Says men are funnier than women. He says, ‘It's a very contentious statement, but they're much better'.

My view is that, by the age of 85, if you think men are funnier than women, it’s just your opinion based on your experience and nobody should be getting riled up about it.

Reasonable?

@flaviaritt

just don’t understand the point of him saying this. I can’t see how it’s helpful or productive.

I find it quite odd that people think other people always have to be helpful and productive. To me, it’s actually great to know we live in a society where people can say the things they think and not be censored for the lack of social utility in their words. It’s called liberty.

Well he wasn't censored was he? He was being sexist though 🤷🏼‍♀️

He's always been sexist in my opinion. That interview with Meg Ryan finished him for me.

People seem to think that ‘freedom of speech’ means you have the right to say whatever you like, wherever you like, whenever you like, and that’s not true. It never has been true. If you shout racist statements in Tesco they are within their rights to chuck you out. Twitter don’t have to host your sexist opinions. Your neighbours can ask you to leave if you’re being anti-Semitic in their house.

So when people cry censorship for people like MP, what they actually mean is ‘this white man should be able to say whatever he likes at all times, in all circumstances’. Which is nonsense.

@flaviaritt

just don’t understand the point of him saying this. I can’t see how it’s helpful or productive.

I find it quite odd that people think other people always have to be helpful and productive. To me, it’s actually great to know we live in a society where people can say the things they think and not be censored for the lack of social utility in their words. It’s called liberty.

I’m not trying to prevent him from saying it. I just don’t see the point.

I don’t think commentary always has to be helpful or productive. I just find it uninteresting when they seem to have no purpose.

What’s the point?

I’d love to talk about women and humor, both in the comedy business and in private life. That’s an interesting topic.

But some person giving their opinion with no context or point is dull. It’s like saying he likes asparagus. Interesting perhaps to his friends and family and... you, obviously.

By the way, this isn’t a revolutionary opinion or a new revelation. I’ve heard it said endlessly over my lifetime.

Is this the first time in your life you’ve heard someone say it?

But some person giving their opinion with no context or point is dull. It’s like saying he likes asparagus. Interesting perhaps to his friends and family and... you, obviously

Not really. I’m not interested in his actual opinion about female humour. I am interested in our reactions to it. Yours, for example, is that you don’t see the point of him speaking because it bores you. I find that odd. He isn’t speaking because it might interest you but because he wishes to express his view. It’s okay that it bores you.

Not really. I’m not interested in his actual opinion about female humour. I am interested in our reactions to it. Yours, for example, is that you don’t see the point of him speaking because it bores you. I find that odd. He isn’t speaking because it might interest you but because he wishes to express his view. It’s okay that it bores you.

I know you’re still trying really hard to pretend this isn’t true flaviaritt but his view is sexist. So it becomes an offensive opinion that he’s sharing to the world, and surely the follow on from that is.......why?

How do you actually know why he’s expressing his views?

HannaYeah

What do you mean?

You said this flaviaritt

He isn’t speaking because it might interest you but because he wishes to express his view.

and HannaYeah is asking how you know that.

I guess as opposed to just saying something sexist that he knows will be controversial (as he said himself) because he can. Still sexist.

You wrote,

“He isn’t speaking because it might interest you but because he wishes to express his view.”

I’m wondering how you could know his purpose.

And following from that, did you post this thread just because you wanted to express yourself? You mentioned being interested in people’s reaction to what he said. It would follow from that comment that you simply posted to get a reaction and observe it. But you writing that he spoke to express himself makes me wonder. Many people seem to assume others motivations match their own. So I’m interested to know what drove you, also. To express yourself or to observe our reactions, both, neither, something else.

Now I’m intrigued.

HannaYeah

My reasons for posting are pretty obvious, I think: I wanted to see what people thought.

And I believe it’s just as obvious that someone expresses a view because they want to do so, unless you think he was coerced?

This is just nitpicking, isn’t it?

@flaviaritt

HannaYeah

My reasons for posting are pretty obvious, I think: I wanted to see what people thought.

And I believe it’s just as obvious that someone expresses a view because they want to do so, unless you think he was coerced?

This is just nitpicking, isn’t it?

You wanted to see what people thought - but then won’t admit it’s sexist and got in a strop with almost every poster. Seems likely.

And actually, having reread your OP, that’s not why you posted:

My view is that, by the age of 85, if you think men are funnier than women, it’s just your opinion based on your experience and nobody should be getting riled up about it.

So nobody should be offended at offensive opinions?

I think it's his age and he is very small minded to think that way.

It's no different to saying all modern music is rubbish; the golden age of music was . Some people miss the point that as you age, the new stuff isn't necessarily for you.

In Parkinson's era, the big guns were Billy Connolly etc but even French and Saunders will have been new fangled to him. He just can't get his head around that modern comedy, where there are more female performers, isn't aimed at people in their 80s.

It's no different to saying all modern music is rubbish; the golden age of music was . Some people miss the point that as you age, the new stuff isn't necessarily for you.

I’m sure they do. It doesn’t stop them forming an opinion on it, though, or invalidate that opinion. Art is subjective. All views are equal.

@flaviaritt

It's no different to saying all modern music is rubbish; the golden age of music was . Some people miss the point that as you age, the new stuff isn't necessarily for you.

I’m sure they do. It doesn’t stop them forming an opinion on it, though, or invalidate that opinion. Art is subjective. All views are equal.

It’s not the same as that either though. It’s the equivalent of saying ‘white people are better at music than black people’. It’s offensive, and designed to put black people down.

Also the opinion ‘all opinions are valid and nobody should be getting riled about it’ is a stupid one when it only refers to one single person saying one single sexist statement. I’d love to see your defence if he’d said ‘black people are less funny than white people’ or ‘Jewish people are less funny than catholic people’ or ‘the poor are less intelligent than the rich’ and so on.

Not obvious to me.

I would have guessed that he said it for media attention, not because he just wants to express himself.

I’d have said, if pressed to guess, you posted it here to get a rise out of people. Also to get your own attention.

But still wondering if this is the first time you heard someone say men are funnier than women? Because that might change the conversation a bit.

I’d guess the main people who are tickled by some expressing a view like that never lived in a world where people were constantly expressing views like that.

I’m not nitpicking, truly interested. I don’t usually get to engage with anyone on such a topic. But Since you’re interested in people’s reactions and opinions I decided to give it a try.

HannaYeah

I have no intention of wrangling with you about why I posted. I’ve told you. And your reaction suggests to me that (in spite of your claimed ‘interest’) you are just looking for a row. Have a good evening.

Also, my guess about your purpose is based on this:

Even though you claim interest in how people react, you’ve spent most of the thread telling people they are reacting/feeling the wrong way. That would suggest an interest in something beyond what you describe.

Apologies. Truly mean to upset you.

I’m not upset. I just don’t want to keep insisting that what I have already told you is the case (it is). Because it’s a waste of time and it gets annoying. So I’ll leave it there.