How Funny
Frankie Boyle's comments have sparked some debate this week. If you don't know the story, then the ginger haired lovechild of a Proclaimer and Rasputin, who nose seems to extort an inordinate gravitational pull on his features, decided that Katie Price's disabled child Harvey was a good topic for a joke or two on his Tramadol Nights TV show.
So, its come to this has it? Accusing disabled children of attempting to rape their mother, to get a laugh?
This is no "Pro Katie & Peter" rant, believe me, that sycophantic, silicone induced tart gets a lot of what she deserves, but I don't think any parent, regardless of who they are should be forced to listen to someone doing that, for entertainment purposes only.
Boyle however won't care. His argument will be, if it is funny it is funny. Tough. Don't listen if you don't want to.
Its hard to argue against that. Censorship in comedy doesn't work. The best comedy is edgy, funny and hard hitting. However, Boyle's isn't. His is mealy-mouthed, vicious and nasty at times. Brilliant at others. But too often, he crosses that line.
Boyle's the latest in a long line of comedians who push the boundaries of taste and I don't know if it is just me getting older, but I often wonder if pushing the boundaries of taste is just an excuse for an easy laugh?
It's simple to find an easy target. Very few people like Jordan or Price, so she's an easy target, as is anyone linked with her. Same with politicians or people in the media. People with disabilities. Who hasn't had a joke texted them about 9/11 or another tragedy? It's just the same, isn't it?
Probably, but it isn't funny. "Paki" or "Nigger" jokes were all the rage one time. Some people still find them amusing. Generally, these people are entirely cretinous and should be sterilised at birth, but let's see Frankie take on that one, brave man that he is.
But somehow, disabled blind kids are a much softer target, cheaper laughs and guaranteed press coverage.
Sometimes having talent isn't enough. It is how you choose to use it. Edgy comedy works because it is on the edge. When it strays over, it ceases to be funny to anyone other than the entirely stupid, rude and nasty. The unwholeseome giggling imbeciles who set up Facebook groups with abusive names "for a laugh".
A comedians skill is taking the audience to the edge and looking over it. Not charging over it and hoping they'll enjoy it. Easy targets produce uneasy laughter, not comedy.
And you'd think that he'd be able to recognise the difference and not hide behind the comedians 'divine right' to say the unsayable.
Otherwise, what is to stop anyone else calling him a miserable, foul-mouthed, in-bred, Gallic, ginger c*nt in the hope of a cheap laugh?
So, its come to this has it? Accusing disabled children of attempting to rape their mother, to get a laugh?
This is no "Pro Katie & Peter" rant, believe me, that sycophantic, silicone induced tart gets a lot of what she deserves, but I don't think any parent, regardless of who they are should be forced to listen to someone doing that, for entertainment purposes only.
Boyle however won't care. His argument will be, if it is funny it is funny. Tough. Don't listen if you don't want to.
Its hard to argue against that. Censorship in comedy doesn't work. The best comedy is edgy, funny and hard hitting. However, Boyle's isn't. His is mealy-mouthed, vicious and nasty at times. Brilliant at others. But too often, he crosses that line.
Boyle's the latest in a long line of comedians who push the boundaries of taste and I don't know if it is just me getting older, but I often wonder if pushing the boundaries of taste is just an excuse for an easy laugh?
It's simple to find an easy target. Very few people like Jordan or Price, so she's an easy target, as is anyone linked with her. Same with politicians or people in the media. People with disabilities. Who hasn't had a joke texted them about 9/11 or another tragedy? It's just the same, isn't it?
Probably, but it isn't funny. "Paki" or "Nigger" jokes were all the rage one time. Some people still find them amusing. Generally, these people are entirely cretinous and should be sterilised at birth, but let's see Frankie take on that one, brave man that he is.
But somehow, disabled blind kids are a much softer target, cheaper laughs and guaranteed press coverage.
Sometimes having talent isn't enough. It is how you choose to use it. Edgy comedy works because it is on the edge. When it strays over, it ceases to be funny to anyone other than the entirely stupid, rude and nasty. The unwholeseome giggling imbeciles who set up Facebook groups with abusive names "for a laugh".
A comedians skill is taking the audience to the edge and looking over it. Not charging over it and hoping they'll enjoy it. Easy targets produce uneasy laughter, not comedy.
And you'd think that he'd be able to recognise the difference and not hide behind the comedians 'divine right' to say the unsayable.
Otherwise, what is to stop anyone else calling him a miserable, foul-mouthed, in-bred, Gallic, ginger c*nt in the hope of a cheap laugh?
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