Poll: Frankie Boyle challenged over Down's Syndrome joke

[Klepa]

Down's syndrome is a serious condition, and shouldn't be made fun of. When I say that, I mean "It's incorrect, and in extremely bad taste". But there should never be any kind of law saying that it's illegal.

I laugh at those jokes. I laugh, and cry a bit inside, because I know I shouldn't be laughing.

 

[Angryhotdog]

I think anyone has the right to make jokes about anything. If a person has a reputation as being offensive then the audience should be prepared to be offended. No one is forcing them to be there. If they don't like what is being said they can simply leave.

 

[cobra_ky]

People can say whatever they want to say. I question whether the jokes were actually funny, though.

 

[purplegothchick]

Damn Scots. They ruined Scotland!

OT: You choose to be offended at something. You can either choose to react in an offended manner or you can take it with a pinch of salt and say "meh, whatever. Some people may find that funny but I personally don't". Same thing when Billy Connolly made that comment about Ken Biggley; I thought it was in poor taste and many people in the audience felt the same, but he shouldn't have to change who he is or what he does for fear of offending people. Otherwise, where does it end? When do they stop apologising? We'll never be able to laugh again without worrying about offending someone!

EDIT: I actually don't know Frankie Boyle and wouldn't know him if I fell over him in the street, but from reading the story, I don't think I would find him very funny. I don't like vulgar comedians.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

But should somebody popular and infulential, like a comedian, be allowed to make jokes that could perpetuate a negative view of a certain group of people? Would you support a comedian making racist or anti-semetic jokes?

Ditto to this.

Just because we can doesn't mean we should - and Frankie Boyle really shouldn't have been ripping into folks with Downs syndrome like this. Still, it is only Frankie Boyle, a rather pathetic comedian who can't make people laugh with actual humour, so relies on being a beligerant, bullying asshole. Compare him to Michael McIntyre, who manages to bring the house down laughing every time without being nasty to anyone - not even politicians.

I am rather more concerned at the results of the poll and at the people defending Boyle in this thread.


Defend that as free speech. If not, explain the difference, other than the fact that people affected with Downs Syndrome are considerably less capable of defending themselves.

 

[gibboss28]

Frankie Boyle does tend to take the piss out of everything and everyone, there are times when his jokes are utterly brilliant and well thought out, there are other times when they're just shit and go for cheap laughs. After reading that I think this is one of those jokes.

 

[MrFluffy-X]

either everything is okay to poke fun at, or nothing is

 

[Budthead]

What I hate is that people always ***** about people with disabilities being treated equally, and well, if that is true. They should be able to be the butt of a joke. If somebody mocked me for being gay, I'd take it in good taste. There is comedic value there, it is 'taboo' to some people. I'm proud of who I am, and I would RATHER be treated equally. That includes having jokes made about me.

 

[heyheysg]

Comedians should be funny. End of story.

If Dane Cook was telling the joke it would be ethically wrong.

If John Cleese was telling the joke it would be morally right

 

[aaronmcc]

Having this attitude is like pouring kerosene all over yourself and standing next to a naked flame but being very pissed off for being set on fire.

The reason Boyle can get away with this stuff is that he slams EVERYONE. It's not like he spares anyone. He slags himself, his friends, colleagues, wife, child and anyone in the public eye. He does have some sort of line - I mean, he never did another Jade Goody joke after the cancer.

I know all about controversy. I mean just look at me on probation for such a harsh post. If you think that's probation worthy then you obviously haven't looked at the vast majority of what's going on here.

Personally I laughed at the fact they thought Matt Horne's opinion was worth jack shit. Oh that guy who acts in his friends tv shows and can't actually come up with any funny stuff on his own thinks Boyle is rubbish? That's rich. Sorry Matt I think you're probably a nice guy and brilliant in Gavin and Stacey but I can never forgive you for Catherine Tate. WORST SHOW EVER.

 

[Deathsong17]

SO long as its tasteful, he should be able to say whatever he wants.

I agree. Most jokes can work on the same level if adapted to different subjects. If you just full on and hatefully mock people for no reason however, you've gone too far.

 

[pntaylor]

What was the woman even doing at his gig if she couldn't take that kind of humour? Were AIDS and cancer jokes funny for her but Downs syndrome wasn't just because it affected her? Frankie has done no wrong, this woman needs to be quiet and just accept it as bad taste humour.

Exactly what I thought put in to words she bought the ticket and therefore should know what to expect from him. Personally I've gotten bored of his humour in general as recently I've found he comes out with a gem but most of the time he'll saying something controversial for the sake of it.

 

[Jim Grim]

As much as I dislike Frankie Boyle, (his 'edgy comedy' seems more like taking cheap shots to me), I do believe that he should be aloud to make this sort of joke without restriction.

 

[SextusMaximus]

He's a comedian, what he did may not have been funny to the parent and child, but frankly he should easily be allowed to say that...

 

[Legion]

As long as it is a joke, then freedom of speech applies as he is not meant to be taken seriously.

If you can censor one joke then you can censor them all.

 

[Professor M]

He is a comedian, and as it was stated in that link he's become famous for his offensive style, and there comes a point where its deemed inappropriate to laugh at absolutely anything.

But I'm not sure, part of me thinks that there's a difference between for example saying "Oh, he's like a kid with down's syndrome" as part of a different routine, as opposed to launching into a routine specifically aimed at people with down's syndrome, which is what the link seemed to suggest.

And it's not like the woman is an outsider, some Fox News idiot that sees a controversial episode of Mock the Week on its 23rd repeat viewing on Dave. She was a fan of him, obviously used to his type of humor, and yet this routine obviously struck a nerve. I'm undecided, as soon as we lose our ability to laugh at things then society has truly become soulless, and yet something about this makes me think there's a line he might have crossed.

Also, I like how it quotes Matthew Horn as calling Frankie Boyle "rubbish". That's a fantastic quote there

 

[DjDairy]

"I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

No one has a right to not be offended, everyone has a right to freedom of speech.

 

[Jamieson 90]

He is well known for making controversal jokes about all sorts of people. What I don't get is why people complain about these sorts of things, You knew what to expect, its like an Asian person going to see Bernard Manning then being suprised at him taking the piss out of them and making racist jokes and then that person complaining.

Simple don't go to the show, don't watch it, then you wont be offended. People are so easily offended these days anyway, I'm dyslexic and some comedians make the odd joke about it which are quite funny and I don't mind them.

People need to chill out.

 

[Ithera]

Not a problem, as long as he has a broad selection of targets. It would be a problem however if he only made jokes about people with a certain disability.