[Closed] Down's syndrome jokes

Frankie Boyle in 'not actually funny' shocker...

TBH, nasty as it is, this is more publicity than he deserves.

Frankie Boyle in 'not actually funny' shocker...

Well it would certainly come as a 'shock' to me.

The last checked, which was last night on Dave, he was hilarious.

DisabiLOLty

seems to depend on the gig with him.can be funny can be a nasty nobhead.

Well it would certainly come as a 'shock' to me.

Well that doesn't surprise me.

But then, you're hardly an arbiter of quality, are you? 'Vulgar' flatters you too much...

I love Frankie. Think he's hilarious, but it's all a matter of taste I guess.

What strikes me as a little odd is that almost without exception his jokes are going to be offensive to one group or type of person. He's that type of comic. The parent concerned no doubt was a fan I would imagine as she went to see him live. In that case it follows that at some time she would have been guffawwing loudly to a joke or two he said that someone else might have considered offensive. Smacks of raging hypocrisy to me. If you go to watch someone like him live you must anticipate surely that everybody is in play for ridicule.

I think he's ace, if you get offended by him you really need to get a life 😉

sounds like a complete cock to me! I'm sure you'd get a better laugh spending an hour with some down's kids!

if you get offended by him you really need to get a life

I don't give him sufficient consideration to be offended by anything he says. His 'humour' is not something that amuses me.

Almost everyone has had a laugh at anothers expense/misfortune, it's human nature. It's just not funny if the subject matter is close to your heart.

But isn't he Scottish?

If you think Frankie was out of order then go and see Jerry Sadowitz if you want to be really offended.
All part of the act tbh.

Talkemada - Member

[b] "Well it would certainly come as a 'shock' to me"[/b]

Well that doesn't surprise me.

What's that suppose to mean ? ...........that I'm [i]also[/i] a nasty **** who likes to take the p*ss ?
You could be right I suppose 😀

I'm [i]definitely[/i] a daft **** though.

I of course [i]meant[/i] to say : The last [b]time I[/b] checked, which was last night on Dave, he was hilarious.

Boyle is excellent on TV, sadly his live shows are quite different. Now, I don't believe that being offended is ever a justifiable response to words or pictures, so I don't care what subject matter he goes for, but the live show is simply a desperate attempt to be as offensive as possible and the comedy is left by the wayside. Offending people is fine if there's a genuine underlying joke once you strip away the deliberate assault, or of the purpose of offence is to question people's prejudices (mock Downs if it's a device for delivering a joke that's about all of us, mock it if it attacks any shortcomings in our own views of it, but not just to go 'ooh look at the people talking funny'), but sadly there's nothing underlying his routine at all. It's just a 'look how naughty I can be' show. Which is a big shame, because he's been f***ing hilarious on MTW.

best description of his was explaining that getting a bad handjob was like someone with parkinsons trying to unblock a sink

So you go see a comedian that is well known for offending people with near to the knuckle jokes on a wide range of subjects. You sit there laughing away at the misfortune of others, but then he happens to pick on something close to your heart and you get offended. ****ing idiots.

Sounds a bit like all the fuss there used to be about Roy Chubby Brown - his USP was the number of times he could say **** in one show. Utterly unfunny.

ps well said Bez - hes just like Chubby in that respect that if all hes doing is trying to insult.

Repack- similar style to dennis leary

[i]You sit there laughing away at the misfortune of others...[/i]

Nah, that's the thing about the live act: you don't. You sit there wondering how his material is so good on TV and so toe-curlingly awful on stage. At least, I did.

His support act was equally offensive but actually backed it up with humour.

Frankie was referred to repeatedly as "the most offensive man in the business" - which he probably is. But if you want to laugh, see Russell Howard instead - a cross between the manic energy and positivity of old skool Ben Elton and the surreal bonkersness of Eddie Izzard.

But if you want to laugh, see Russell Howard

That's the funniest line we'll see on this thread.

I downloaded some of his comedy 'trial' sketches he had on iTunes podcasts last year - some of his 'jokes' didn't even get a laugh.

I think the guy is a cretin and a complete a-hole.

He's not funny in the slightest

but he did jokes on tv about princess diana getting gang raped off of Arabs so what the f*ck did anyone expect?

I think he's bloody hilarious. He pokes fun indiscriminately, including at himself, I've a lot of time for him. I can't think of too many other comedians I find make me laugh out loud every time I watch them.

coffeeking +1

Excellent use of the word cretin in a discussion on the permissibility of mocking the disabled.

😉

I dunno...I know we like to laugh at the misfortune of others and in a group situation, maybe I've had a herd mentality and laughed at stuff I shouldn't have found funny.

I thought we'd all moved on from cheaply mocking the mentally disabled to be honest. It's just not very nice. It sounds from that article that the lady made him feel damned uncomfortable about it...so maybe he'll think again. I really liked him on MTW...but I can see why he took himself off. You can only do that sort of just-on-the-edge stuff for so long...problem is, you have to keep upping the ante and eventually edgy becomes offensive.

what offends some is hilarious to others........tis life.

words of wisdom from ton! 😉

what offends some is hilarious to others........tis life.

Funny you, of all people, should say that ton.

dd, for being the offender or the offended??

If the downs kid had been in the front row it would have been over the line, but if you are an adult in a comedy club anyone is a target.

Reminds me of that christmas card saying santa didn't like ginger kids. Thats over the line, if it had said santa didn't like downs kids there would have been outrage. But laughing at ginger kids, downs kids, black kids in the confines of a comedy club is fine, everyone knows its being outrageous for the sake of it.

[i]what offends some is hilarious to others........tis life. [/i]

Undeniably true. But if that thing is pointing at disabled people and laughing at them [i]purely[/i] because their disability makes them sound abnormal when they speak, is accepting it and saying "tis life" an acceptable response?

If anyone at a place of work was to ridicule one of their colleagues simply because they were disabled or black or gay or whatever, they'd likely be fired and could be taken to court. Standing on a stage and doing the same thing doesn't justify it.

bez, life is such............does that sound any better?

deluded - Member
I love Frankie. Think he's hilarious, but it's all a matter of taste I guess.
What strikes me as a little odd is that almost without exception his jokes are going to be offensive to one group or type of person. He's that type of comic. The parent concerned no doubt was a fan I would imagine as she went to see him live. In that case it follows that at some time she would have been guffawwing loudly to a joke or two he said that someone else might have considered offensive. Smacks of raging hypocrisy to me. If you go to watch someone like him live you must anticipate surely that everybody is in play for ridicule.

This ^

were any downs kids in the audience? hav e any downs kids be en harmed?

it's hard typing this, my stupid dog keeps jumping up. 'Down Syndrome'!!

... warm enough, will leave the coat on the hook

BoardinBob - Member

He's not funny in the slightest

but he did jokes on tv about princess diana getting gang raped off of Arabs so what the f*ck did anyone expect?

I'll tell you what I'd expect. If he isn't [i]"funny in the slightest",[/i] then I'd expect him to appear on TV just the one time.

There doesn't appear to be much point having someone who isn't "funny in the slightest", regularly on comedy programmes.

Of course some people confuse not finding someone funny, with no one else finding them funny.....as ton points out.

There isn't a comedian in the world which everyone finds funny. In fact, there's even some people who think Tommy Cooper wasn't funny........daft eejits 😐

Bloke goes up to the ticket office
"cad I hab a firthd clad dicked do Doddighab"
"Have you tried Tunes?"
etc.
We used to tell/laugh at jokes like that. Don't remember anyone being offended and if they had been it would've made it funnier.

There is only one way a comedian can offend me and that is by being crap. eg. Lenny Henry.

everyone knows its being outrageous for the sake of it.

But does it help to confront ignorance and prejudice surrounding such a sensitive issue? People with Downs are Human Beings; making 'jokes' about their condition is hardly what I'd call helping them to better accepted, understood and integrated into our society.

Or does it not matter, as they can't 'answer back'?
😐

Are you [i]really[/i] that politically correct Talkemada?
Cos I have never in my life met anyone that really is.

[i]bez, life is such............does that sound any better?[/i]

Of course not, it doesn't even sound any different.

[i]were any downs kids in the audience?[/i]

On that logic, is it ok to have closed meetings to demean black people, as long as you don't invite non-caucasian people along?

[i]But does it help to confront ignorance and prejudice surrounding such a sensitive issue?[/i]

Indeed. It's doing the exact opposite. It's standing up in public and saying "hey, it's ok to laugh at people because they are in some way not of their own choosing different to you". And it's not. It's that simple. Using other people's attributes to convey another point is something quite different to simply treating others as objects of ridicule and portraying that as a socially acceptable activity, the basis of a career even.

What's 'Political Correctness' go to do with anything? What a tired old line. I don't find mental disability something that should be made fun of, that's all. If others find Boyle funny, that's up to them. The stigma and prejudice suffered by people with Downs isn't helped by someone trying desperately to get a 'laugh'. If Boyle was any good, he wouldn't have to resort to 'shock tactics'.

Tommy Cooper could simply walk onto a stage and have the audience rolling around in stitches. Boyle has none of Cooper's talent.

every ****ing time the ****ing pc police have to come in...........ffs

it is humour, if you dont like it dont laugh. 😆

And,predictably on cue:

every ****ing time the ****ing pc police have to come in...........ffs

Ton, I gather you're quite a 'big' feller. Do you like 'fat' jokes?

yes mate i do. i am fat and it does not bother me at all.
i am also ugly, and old and grey......tis life....... 😆

She's a friend of mine.

She has seen FB on mock the week etc many times and always found him funny. She just didn't expect to be there listening to him make jokes about her daughter (yes I know they weren't about her daughter, but you know what I mean). She was feeling uncomfortable, and her husband asked if she was ok or wanted to leave - FB noticed and asked why, so she explained about her daughter and why she was upset. She agrees that his humour is often close to the edge - but obviously this was completely unexpected on what was supposed to be a fun night out with friends. She certainly didn't expect all the attention she is getting from it.

Ok. But you at least have the ability to answer back, give as good as you get, right?

Imagine you had a child with Downs. Would it be so 'funny'?

And to trot out the 'PC' crap every time your views are challenged is pretty feeble, imo.

mate, what i said was that some find it funny and some dont.........i dont.
but the pc bit.....come on, you cant defend every thing mate..

[i]yes mate i do. i am fat and it does not bother me at all.[/i]

Fundamentally, though, chances are that's due to you the way you choose to live your life than a serious genetic disorder and I'm guessing it doesn't affect your ability to do everyday things or the way in which everyone around you treats you.

If you were blighted from birth with a condition that made you so fat you couldn't walk unaided and were largely unemployable, and you were still happy with people pointing at you and laughing at your clearly hilarious massive wobbling body and your immobility, and you were still happy with society in general finding that acceptable, then you'd have a tenable argument. But mates down the pub taking the piss out of your beer gut is, frankly, not in the same ballpark. The fact that you think it is simply underlines your failure to make any effort to empathise with people for whom this might be the case.

You see it's funny ton...you were so sensitive yesterday over the whole funeral thing. And yet here you are this evening saying it's fine to take the piss out of anything. You've either chilled out a bit too much or you need to make up your mind a bit...that's all mate.

were any downs kids in the audience?

just got back from making a butty....... 😆

just answer me a question seriously.......if the joke had been aimed at a fat person or a gypsy would you be so keen to air you disgust at the bloke???

and answer honestly.

dd, i was not upset when i called you a cocK.......that was failed humour....... 😉

So, does anyone know exactly what he said then?in what context? cos I read the link and there's nowt there.

On the other hand, I thought the episode of Ricky Gervais' Extras with the Downs Syndrome girl (the one with Kate Winslet) was great.

Are we allowed to pick on gingers?

'fat' is self inflicted - downs is genetics

if the joke had been aimed at a fat person or a gypsy would you be so keen to air you disgust at the bloke???

Yep. Totally.

Why do some 'comedians' find it necessary to 'attack' people?

where does this expectation come from that life should be fluffy and fair and nice and balanced? unfortunately humans are basic/cruel/simple/animals that's just the way life is. Life is far to short to get offended by what people say 🙄

kevevs, from her blog; jokes about the way people with DS talk, jokes about the way they dress, jokes about the jobs they can do, jokes about their haircuts, jokes about their parents being old and old-fashioned

[i]if the joke had been aimed at a fat person or a gypsy would you be so keen to air you disgust at the bloke???[/i]

Personally I'm not airing disgust at the original joke becaause I don't know what it was. I'm airing disgust at people coming to the defence of the act of laughing at disabled people on the basis that their disability is inherently funny. I'd argue as robustly against anyone defending laughing at genetically obese people purely for being fat, at people of any race purely because of that race, or any other immutable and unchosen attribute purely because of that attribute.

fair do's then, but like i said...some will laugh some wont...life is...............well you know.... 😆

kevevs, from her blog; jokes about the way people with DS talk, jokes about the way they dress, jokes about the jobs they can do, jokes about their haircuts, jokes about their parents being old and old-fashioned

Sounds horrible. 🙁

I grew out of Spaccer, Flid and Mong 'jokes' when I was about 8, and realised there was no honour in mocking those less fortunate than me.

[i]where does this expectation come from that life should be fluffy and fair and nice and balanced?[/i]

I think the expectation is simply that over time we make it fluffier, fairer, nicer and more balanced. It would be nice and fair if no-one gets stabbed to death in the street this year, but we don't expect that to be the case. That doesn't mean that when it happens we should just say, "well, I shouldn't bother trying to feel anyone's collar for that, fundamentally we're all just a bit nasty really".

So, does anyone know exactly what he said then?in what context? cos I read the link and there's nowt there.

On the other hand, I thought the episode of Ricky Gervais' Extras with the Downs Syndrome girl (the one with Kate Winslet) was great.

I'm pretty sure that woman had cerebral palsy.

ps. is it wrong that my fiancée's sister who is down's was laughing at someone walking down the street funny (dodgy leg condition, not drunk) 😆

bez-fair enough, you are definitely a far nice person than me. I've not evolved much past dragging my knuckles along the ground

[i]but like i said...some will laugh some wont[/i]

Yeah, I realise that. It's a fantastically facile statement, a bit like saying some people like runny eggs and some don't. It completely fails to make any useful point at all.

from her blog; jokes about the way people with DS talk, jokes about the way they dress, jokes about the jobs they can do, jokes about their haircuts, jokes about their parents being old and old-fashioned

That's pretty lame and weak. I wanna hear verbatim exactly what he said first before giving him a load of grief. is it recorded or sommat? I'd imagine the BBC will do him then? the way they did J Ross/That Russell **** bloke for Manuelgate?

Don't we all take the piss out of people or is it not pc to mock the afflicted you know Man U fans Lib Dems Poles etc?

I don't think it's recorded, it was a stage show.

I'm sure you'd get a better laugh spending an hour with some down's kids!

i thought manuelgate was genius, i was one of the 4 people actually listening to radio 2 on a saturday night at 9 pm, and even though i was driving my missus to hospital i was moved to chuckle.....

Was that one of Mr Boyles lines ?

Was that a joke? Not laughing at the kids, with the kids!

Exactly !

It's a fine line between humour and offense.

Not laughing at the kids, with the kids!

well, with the Extras episode, it was defo laughing with the DS actress at the predjudices and nervousness of the other characters. Which made it fun. Don't see the fun in this FB thing. Comedy is meant to be fun no?

realised there was no honour in mocking those less fortunate than me.

Any reason why you automatically think everyone with a mental disability is less fortunate than you? Best not to generalise like that really.

not really in this case though, it appears his whole act is based on the thinking that being offensive is funny.

mrsflash - Member

She agrees that his humour is often close to the edge - but obviously this was completely unexpected on what was supposed to be a fun night out with friends.[b] She certainly didn't expect all the attention she is getting from it.[/b]

So giving an interview with BBC Radio 5 live's Victoria Derbyshire was probably a mistake then ?

that's not what I meant. What I meant was, at the time she said something at the show, she didn't forsee all this, understandably.

What a brilliant story. The woman thought he was funny when he was taking the mick out of other people but as soon as she felt it was offensive to her she'd had enough.

Fantastic.