Frankie Boyle on Down Syndrome - horrific

[Lymond]

interesting blog post from a mother of a DS daughter who was blasted by a 5-10 minute diatribe containing all the old stereotypes about people with DS at a Frakie Boyle show. I'm turning off any TV show he's on in future.

blog here

Grauniad article on it here

Lee Evans at the end was funny

Doing his Bohemian Rhapsody thing - thought I was going to home birth

"However, the Guardian article quotes the mother: " I'm a comedy fan, so is my husband, we see a lot of stand-up. I was even ready for some jokes about disability, and decided I'd try to ignore them.

Bit of an odd statement I think. So she would let any pisstake of any other disabilities or syndromes slide."

I think many people are like this. They feel they have to laugh because the rest of the crowd is laughing. They don't like it, don't think it is funny, but don't want to show that they didn't get it, when all the other chimpanzees around them are laughing.

Have never liked him.

Most of his "jokes" aren't funny objectively - they are just in such bad taste that you can't believe he went there.

Same with Patrick Kielty. I was appalled at his set on the Channel 4 comedy marathon the other day.

There is no such thing as 'objectively' funny.

Hence the problem.

I think some people didn't read the article, Frankie Boyle is the one that made it and issue and exposed himself to be an unfeeling pratt. The mother didn't stand up and heckle him in fact she tried to wave him away. But no he couldn't leave it and challenged her and in return he got to truth what he said had upset her, her husband was asking if she was ok.

Who do you think hasn't read the article, Thediary?

I can't believe people part with their hard earned cash to watch him live.

If he was playing in my back garden I'd draw the curtains.

I think if you go to see Frankie Boyle you know what to expect - he is really offensive to lots of different people. I liked him on MTW but bought his dvd and found parts of it really uncomfortable viewing. I would not go to see him in person for this reason. It must have been unpleasant for her to listen to this and I feel horrible for her that she feels she let her daughter down but wonder what other things Frankie was saying that she found funny but others would be offended by.

2008 quote from Boyle in the Telegraph :

Having said that, Boyle himself is censorious of certain fellow comedians. "There's still a lot of racism in stand-up," he says, "but they [the comics] don't seem to recognise it. They just think they're doing a 'funny' Spanish accent or a 'funny' Chinese face. I find it offensive that these people haven't grown up or educated themselves. I have pointed it out to them at times."

Em, perhaps he needs to educate himself a little more, or is it just that people who have a special need can?t speak back and are still fair game?

Makes me cross. To this day I have never lost an argument to anyone taking the piss out of someone with a disability. I?d take him on.

so we only saw a very watered down version of him on 'mock the week 'and 'you have been watching'...then.

what shame and he seems to have made a complete knob of himself in the process.

shame she didnt walk. she should have publicly asked for her money back and called him a knob.

and i liked him. wonder if its on you tube...wouldnt mind viewing his standup objectively.

Love joni's line about drawing the curtains.

There's a big difference between ignorant sneering and actual humour. FB - and Jimmy Carr - actually do have the talent to be funny. Makes it even more pathetic when they can't be bothered and resort to 'ooh, aren't women/gay people/ethnic minorities/disabled people smelly or ugly or whatever'. Especially as they are privileged - white, male, financially successful with a profile that allows their voices to be heard.

actually....found this and still i really do think he is funny....not understanding this story, would have had to be there to judge i think, ive a son with special needs, wonder what he actually did say...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjhuLetUQpA&feature=related

i think he is funny, despite the hype. if he was truly offensive then she should have shown him up, and it sounds like she did to be fair.

"There is no such thing as 'objectively' funny"

Well quite, so why rubbish Michael Macintyre since you seem to agree that nobody can be the absolute arbiter of humour?

Because he's shit.

But thanks for taking my opinion as gospel though- I wish more people would

I think if you go to see Frankie Boyle, you know what to expect really.

I think littlepurpleprincess has made a very good point.

Reading Sharon's blog made me well up. Poor woman.

What a selfish, nasty twat Wankie Boyle is. No sense of empathy, or sympathy when he can see the pain and discomfort he is causing.

'Frankie Boyle takes the piss out of DS' is hardly a surprise is it?

He is known for his offensive humour and comments and indeed thrives on it.

Actually, he's known for Jerry Sadowitz's jokes, but I feel I'm labouring the point somewhat.

As you were.

To be honest I don't think that any comedian is going to pause mid-act to give a heartfelt apology. He is doing a job and as much as this whole tale maybe distasteful, I can't see that he could have backed down and apologised without making it very difficult to continue on the act.

Ah don't flatter yourself - i only tend to take opinions as gospel when they concur with mine (hence I agree re 'no thing such as objectively funny', but disagree re 'shit' and MM!)

Well, I think in a way, we've both proved me right, and that's what's important.

Eh? you're a tricky bugger aren't you!