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?

You care about the opinions of celebrities, other people don't.

Again, his opinion isn’t the subject of my interest. The right to express it is. But notwithstanding that, nobody has to reply. It’s okay to think, ‘I’m not interested in that’ and just not respond.

@flaviaritt

You care about the opinions of celebrities, other people don't.

Again, his opinion isn’t the subject of my interest. The right to express it is. But notwithstanding that, nobody has to reply. It’s okay to think, ‘I’m not interested in that’ and just not respond.

Has one single person suggested he doesnt have the right to say whatever he likes, even if it’s sexist? Anyone?

@flaviaritt

You care about the opinions of celebrities, other people don't.

Again, his opinion isn’t the subject of my interest. The right to express it is. But notwithstanding that, nobody has to reply. It’s okay to think, ‘I’m not interested in that’ and just not respond.

But the fact you took note of his opinion, made the effort to start a thread, and then discussed the subject at length suggests you do care.

I'm sure if I frequented celebrity gossip sites I'd find all sort of opinions from all sorts of celebrities, but I can't imagine starting a thread to discuss whether, for example, Iggy Pop has a right to say he hates cheese when I don't care about his opinions in the first place.

But the fact you took note of his opinion, made the effort to start a thread, and then discussed the subject at length suggests you do care.

I have told you what I am interested in. Not sure what else I can say to you.

@flaviaritt

But the fact you took note of his opinion, made the effort to start a thread, and then discussed the subject at length suggests you do care.

I have told you what I am interested in. Not sure what else I can say to you.

If you aren't interested why did you feel the need to start a thread asking if he had a right to say it?

Have you posted similar threads asking for a consensus on whether Barbara in the pub has a right to have opinions?

If you aren't interested why did you feel the need to start a thread asking if he had a right to say it?

I have said this multiple times. In and of itself, the opinion isn’t interesting to me (although, if it was, so what?). The discussion is (was) interesting because of the subjectivity of humour and the subjectivity of what constitutes a sexist comment, as well as the debate it throws up on the limits of speech.

Anyway, I am going to leave you to it now. I suspect you would rather tell me what I must think than actually listen to what I do think. Waste of time, really.

What limits of speech though?! He said it! It was published! He’s been limited in absolutely no way at all!

He has the right to make sexist comments, although not wherever or whenever he likes. He does not have the right to have no consequence form that- and the consequence is people will get riled up.

Honestly, looking up free speech before you posted would have saved you looking like this.

@flaviaritt

If you aren't interested why did you feel the need to start a thread asking if he had a right to say it?

I have said this multiple times. In and of itself, the opinion isn’t interesting to me (although, if it was, so what?). The discussion is (was) interesting because of the subjectivity of humour and the subjectivity of what constitutes a sexist comment, as well as the debate it throws up on the limits of speech.

Anyway, I am going to leave you to it now. I suspect you would rather tell me what I must think than actually listen to what I do think. Waste of time, really.

I'm only going on what you've posted. And that suggests that you do care because otherwise, why post?

Again - Have you posted similar threads asking for a consensus on whether Barbara in the pub has a right to have opinions?

I think women are funny but female stand up comedians aren’t, if that makes sense! (Just IMO) I know a lot of funny women and there are many female celebrities I find funny too but I don’t find female stand up funny. I think it’s because everything seems to be about eating too much cake and periods and bad sex analogies... I feel it’s so old hat and I just don’t find it funny.

I think women are funny but female stand up comedians aren’t, if that makes sense!

It does. It’s roughly what I think, although as I said above, I do remember one very funny female stand up, but I can’t remember her name!

@LioneIRichTea

I think women are funny but female stand up comedians aren’t, if that makes sense! (Just IMO) I know a lot of funny women and there are many female celebrities I find funny too but I don’t find female stand up funny. I think it’s because everything seems to be about eating too much cake and periods and bad sex analogies... I feel it’s so old hat and I just don’t find it funny.

Why do you think there’s a specific female stand up theme though? How many male comedians would you say you’ve seen and what’s their common theme?

Imagine what a brilliant thread this would have been if we’d had a discussion on sexism in comedy.

This really is fascinating.

It’s a good demonstration of the topic in and of itself.

OP posts a topic. If anyone writes something (s)he doesn’t like, there’s a few attempts to point out why they shouldn’t say it and also should only talk about what (s)he strictly prescribes, then if all that fails attempts to censor any further speech by that person by bidding them goodnight, telling them they will be ignored, and ignoring.

Anyone else care to draw conclusions based upon that about how the OP really feels about free speech and the acceptable consequences society can put on a person whose speech they find unappealing?

@Pumperthepumper

Imagine what a brilliant thread this would have been if we’d had a discussion on sexism in comedy.

I’d love to chat broadly about humor and women. I wrote a paper in college on how humor is used as a tool and a weapon wrt to women.

I’d love to read that! What were your findings?

@Pumperthepumper

I’d love to read that! What were your findings?

I don’t remember much except it explored how people silence, diminish and shame women with various types of “humor“. It was for a feminist theory course.

I’m sure it was a bit half-assed, honestly but the topic is a good one and as broadly relevant today as it was in the past.

Ever seen the cartoons about Marie Antoinette?

@BreasticlesNotTesticles

Have you seen that awful interview where he salivates over Helen Mirren?

He's a sexist old man, who doesn't understand, or more likely doesn't listen, to feminine humour.

Yes I was just reading an article this morning about 12 Female celebrities snapping back at sexist interviews and his was there with Helen Mirren.

On topic, sure he can say it, it does just cement the fact that he's a sexist prick in my mind though

No I haven’t, I’ll look them up.

Yes, I think ‘women in comedy’ becomes a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy - it’s getting better now but in all areas of comedy men massively outnumber women. Which means we see the same women on everything. Which means we start to think of say, Sarah Pascoe or Roisin Connerty as only performing Female Comedy. So if you don’t find them funny you begin to think it’s because they’re women, that’s their common factor. And add to that the usual sexist Women Are Less Funny garbage that we’re still getting in 2020 from famous, rich men, it becomes really difficult to see the wood for the trees.

I’d also agree with a PP who said that male comedians get to ride on the coattails of that ie we expect less from a male comedian because he’s generally not having to prove himself as much, he’s not as pigeon-holed. So women can either try and do traditionally male stuff (like slapstick) and be accused of not being as funny as the men or they can talk about stuff men don’t talk about, like periods and childbirth. But then they get accused of being boring and samey.

I think I generally prefer female comedians. Victoria Wood, Julie Walters, Dawn French, Rosin Conaty, Diane Morgan. So maybe women appreciate female comedians more so Michael Parkinson is only reflecting his own sense of humour in preferring men. It doesn’t mean he’s right of course but maybe not surprising that is his preference.

Aisling Bea is an hilarious comedian and just naturally funny in interviews as well

@AryaStarkWolf

Aisling Bea is an hilarious comedian and just naturally funny in interviews as well

Ouch.Strongly disagree. She's the sort of funny woman that gives these people ammo.

Ouch.Strongly disagree. She's the sort of funny woman that gives these people ammo

Nooooo I love her

@GhoulWithADragonTattoo

I think I generally prefer female comedians. Victoria Wood, Julie Walters, Dawn French, Rosin Conaty, Diane Morgan. So maybe women appreciate female comedians more so Michael Parkinson is only reflecting his own sense of humour in preferring men. It doesn’t mean he’s right of course but maybe not surprising that is his preference.

I don’t think it’s surprising at all. He’s of a generation where comedy was a male profession for probably 80% of his life. He’s also interviewed countless famous people - of the comedians he’s interviewed I bet very, very few of them were female. French and Saunders and Victoria Wood definitely but how many others? Joan Rivers maybe?

I can completely see why he would think women are less funny if he’s sticking to what he knows. He won’t have seen anywhere near the same number of male and female comedians. Which ties into my wall of text above!

@flaviaritt there are two issues at play here:

A) women are still discriminated against in the commercial comedy circuit and they just don’t get as much exposure - so MP just won’t have seen as many women as he will men.
B) MP is old and he probably won’t be curious or have catholic tastes in terms of the kind of comedians he watches. Can’t imagine him sitting down in front of someone like Ali Wong for example.

MP is old and he probably won’t be curious or have catholic tastes in terms of the kind of comedians he watches.

Erm... Well, you are entitled to think that but I believe that is very assumptive. It might be true but I see no particular reason to believe it is.