29 replies to this topic

[Lucydog]

Im interested in peoples opinions please. Should comedians and Im thinking of some British ones in particular use disabled people as part of their jokes. Is it ok to make a joke even though you have no idea what you are talking about, which I suspect most of them dont really. After all I dont think any of us did until we got the wheelchair. Is it ok to use quite uncomfortable language as part of a routine thats supposed to be funny?

Personally I dont actually find it funny and think its a way of getting cheap laughs and loads of publicity, although Im not offended I just dont see where the humour. Is it just a way of saying unplesant things under the guise of humour?

thanks.

[tsh3406]

As long as they make fun of EVERYBODY, I'm all for it. I'm a normal person, I want to be able to tease people and have them be comfortable enough to tease me back. Not sure who you are referring to, but one over here that comes to mind is Lisa Lampanelli, I think she's great, lol....

Tim

[megatrig]

SOUTHPARK!!

If it can be made fun off its ok!!

A particular person may find something not funny or even distasteful. Others will laugh lots!!

[wheelie182]

I personally think comedians should be allowed to make jokes of whatever they want. Being a fan of comedians like George Carlin, Ricky Gervais and Jimmy Carr I think I've pretty much heard anything that can be considered too offensive for most people. All comedians have a style, and if you don't like that style then don't go seem them. Anyone knows for example that if you go and see Jimmy Carr, ... there's a 99.9% chance he's going to make jokes that are going to be considered offensive.

One of Jimmy Carr jokes was -

Quote

Say what you like about these servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we are going to have a f****** good Paralympic team in 2012.

I personally found this funny, and I think the majority of servicemen would too, as I think was already proven. But a lot of people, those who weren't servicemen were the ones who actually got offended. I find that silly.

I think bringing well thought out humour to any situation is a good thing, it shouldn't matter what the subject is.

However, you do bring up a good point. Comedians shouldn't make jokes out of something they don't understand,...but at the end of the day it only makes themselves look stupid.

Edited by wheelie182, 28 November 2011 - 05:08 PM.

[Edinburgh Colin]

I'm ok with it if it's funny, as in a similar type of joke featuring AB people would also be funny if you know what I mean.
If it's a cheapshot and more in the abuse or offensive vein then I'm not in favour.
If you laugh at Irishman jokes, English, Scottish and Welshman jokes and the like where national or racial stereotypes are played on then you can't really take exception to wheelchair or disability jokes as long as they are not derogatory.

I wrote in another post that I was at a comedy show during the Edinburgh festival where there were jokes involving wheelchairs and I had tears in my eyes from laughing but the first couple of jokes the folk sitting beside me looked suddenly uncomfortable which I thought was a shame.
Live and let live and we need to live and laugh too.

I am quite ready to get rocks thrown at me now if you disagree !

EC

[tsh3406]

Jim Jefferies has a story about taking a friend with muscular dystrophy to a brothel, I laughed so hard the first time I heard it that I couldn't see for the tears....

[Trinity]

Some comedians just aren't funny no matter what the subject, the one that spring to mind is Frankie Boyle, but if you chose to watch him you know what you are going to get!
Personally I'm not bothered by jokes

[Charlie-boi]

megatrig, on 28 November 2011 - 05:01 PM, said:

SOUTHPARK!!

If it can be made fun off its ok!!

A particular person may find something not funny or even distasteful. Others will laugh lots!!

southpark actually isnt bad if anythin it has quite in depth story lines which it actually doesnt offend when it comes to disablity realy!...i,e jimmy the cripple in it they have fun with but compensate with him still haveing good qualities like being a comedian and very popular with his friends so it ballances it!

Family guy how every is just f*@king melishouse! its jokes have no depth and are just spontaneouse! also realy crude like about the wheel chair cop not being able to satisfy his wife, not being able to get an erection, pooping into a bag! used to be a fan but now i think is not funny its abit specific and cruel!

south park rules though!

[Apparelyzed]

Has anyone seen Quads by John Callahan?

That's crude, but also funny. But John Callahan was a C5 quad himself, so does that make it acceptable?

Personally, I have a pretty good idea what the comedian I'm going to see is like, so if I watch such material and I'm offended, then I can only blame myself really.

Simon

[Edinburgh Colin]

Apparelyzed, on 28 November 2011 - 05:54 PM, said:

Has anyone seen Quads by John Callahan?

That's crude, but also funny. But John Callahan was a C5 quad himself, so does that make it acceptable?

Personally, I have a pretty good idea what the comedian I'm going to see is like, so if I watch such material and I'm offended, then I can only blame myself really.

Simon

I hadn't seen that before but I have to say thanks Simon, that is funny and does appeal to my warped sense of humour. Thanks for posting that.
EC

[SnoDrifterT12]

All for grins, everything should be open to jokes.

[4tun8]

Watch out for Josh Blue. He has CP, I think, and won The Last Comic Standing. He'll have you rolling in tears and falling out of your chairs. mark

[Charlie-boi]

im not sure personal jpkes shpould be over things a person doesnt choose! the most tallented comedians dont have to rely on crude jokes or language! example of this is mackintyre or however u spell it

[nomis]

Jokes about people with disabilities can be bloody funny. If it's funny then let's have it.

But comedians should not make lame jokes.

[plank]

nomis, on 28 November 2011 - 11:01 PM, said:

Jokes about people with disabilities can be bloody funny. If it's funny then let's have it.

But comedians should not make lame jokes.

Yes, Nomis. That made me laugh.

[McTavish]

Personally I am not offended by jokes about disabled, I just love a good laugh where the teas are streaming down my face, Billy Connolly used to make me laugh so much and no one else has come close, (IN MY OPINION)

[sherbs]

wheelie182, on 28 November 2011 - 05:06 PM, said:

I personally think comedians should be allowed to make jokes of whatever they want. Being a fan of comedians like George Carlin, Ricky Gervais and Jimmy Carr I think I've pretty much heard anything that can be considered too offensive for most people. All comedians have a style, and if you don't like that style then don't go seem them. Anyone knows for example that if you go and see Jimmy Carr, ... there's a 99.9% chance he's going to make jokes that are going to be considered offensive.

One of Jimmy Carr jokes was -

Quote

Say what you like about these servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we are going to have a f****** good Paralympic team in 2012.

I personally found this funny, and I think the majority of servicemen would too, as I think was already proven. But a lot of people, those who weren't servicemen were the ones who actually got offended. I find that silly.

I think bringing well thought out humour to any situation is a good thing, it shouldn't matter what the subject is.

However, you do bring up a good point. Comedians shouldn't make jokes out of something they don't understand,...but at the end of the day it only makes themselves look stupid.

i
I think Jimmy Carr told another joke recently, something about downs syndrome children, I didnt hear the joke myself, but he is a twat, ( sorry for offensive language) so it probably wasnt funny

[Trinity]

Ricky Gervaise was recently criticised over using the word "mong" but it wasn't aimed specifically at a certain group of people I think the phrases included "Good monging everyone", "Night night monglets" and "Two mongs don't make a right". The PC brigade were up in arms but Ricky (rightly in my opinion) stated that the meaning of words changes and used the example that "gay" used to mean happy and "mong" now means dopey, stupid or idiotic. Is it ok to use words outside of their originally intended meaning?

[sherbs]

Trin

I love Ricky Gervais, but i do believe he did pull a "mong" face as he said those quotes, i really do think he knew what he was saying. My parents are at the age when the word mong was used frequently, they are 85 and 80 yrs old, and they often say things like "oh how awful, having a mongrel child on the TV". I know I just sigh and ignore it, they dont see how they are being un PC, and why would they at their age, but i do tend to say "mum" you cant say that, etc. Hey ho, gotta love them

[Vanessamaee]

Ever since I was drugged up in the hospital (right after my surgery) I started talking about being a sit down comedian... I guess that would be a disabled person joking about a disabled person making jokes? I find disability jokes to be just as funny as any other as long as they are kept reasonable. Its just like any other racial/religious jokes. One group of people can find them funny and the next might find it distasteful and rude. We all have our own opinions of what "funny" is (:

[Trinity]

sherbs, on 29 November 2011 - 08:16 PM, said:

Trin

I love Ricky Gervais, but i do believe he did pull a "mong" face as he said those quotes, i really do think he knew what he was saying.

Maybe he's done it before then coz what I am referring to was comments he made on Twitter

[sherbs]

He must have done it before, as it was showing a pic of him in a trashy celeb magazine, ( that i just happened to be reading, ah hem) pulling a face with the quotes mong!! I'm not saying it upset me or anything, just you know, I thought he was better than that as he's a smart man and very funny

[qbounce]

I find most comedians use their own experiences to tell a story. Even if it's tweaked for a controversial angle, nothing is meant to be taken seriously or in a derogatory nature, even though it still often is taken wrong. That's the nature of their business though, to push boundaries and make fun of hot button or taboo issues.

But, if a person in a high level of power or in the spot light, like a CEO of a Fortune 500 Company, a movie star or singer, or a politician were to say something, I think they should be held accountable for their actions, although, even that depends on the circumstances.

Edited by qbounce, 29 November 2011 - 09:42 PM.

[Ratticis]

I think it really depends on the circemstances. A gimp joking about gimps can be funny, but like any comedian, if you suck, you suck. Long before I got gimped, I used to watch Quads all the time. Freakin Hillarious. Then after I was in rehab, I say it again. Even funnier being able to relate to it. Then stupid shows that just prepetuate moronic ideas, like Family Guy convincing some 13 year old douchebag that a wheelchair means you crap in a plastic bag and somehow a "leg transplant" fixes everything. Obviously it's so ridiculous that nobody with half a brain believes it, unfortunitly the youth of today seems to have considerably less than that.

I'm also reminded of a video I saw a while ago on youtube;

The moronic comments, besides being repetitivw and just plain painful. "that was the 2nd worst accident of his life" "Wonder if it fixed him" "I'm a freakin moron!" but I found the most obnoxious ones to be the "This is offenscive to people with disabilities! Take it down! My cousin's stepbrothers neighbor is in a wheelchair! You're all going to hell!!!"


Firstly, I DON'T nned someone getting offended on my behalf. Guy fell, it happens, learn to laugh. And did whoever posts comments like that bother to ask thier Aunt's bosses former lover's roomate's pizzaman his feeling on it? Doubt it, cus talking to cripples is offensive to them! And of course there's all the idiots going "It's fake, you can see his legs move!" Learn a little, idgit. Anywqhoo, if it's ok with the able bodied comunity, I thin I'm gunna go get something to eat then watch some TV.

[Harry3082]

If I wanted to be excluded from being at the tail end of Jokes, I'd surely lose out on lol at my own stupid disability Jokes and lol others.
I want equal opportunities. If I ask to be left out of one thing, I Better expect to be left out of others!

I have seen too many comedians go too far with their jokes to the point their just being plain ignorant also. And I'm not referring to disability Jokes.

[edlee]

The hell with gimp jokes,,, they're nothing when you compare them to the jokes of ALL kinds,, told about one particular minority. I really feel they should be protected from that. In fact,, I'd like to see some International laws passed making it a felony,, punishable by considerable jail time. Blond women need our protection,
ed

Edited by edlee, 01 December 2011 - 06:14 AM.

[Edinburgh Colin]

edlee, on 01 December 2011 - 06:13 AM, said:

The hell with gimp jokes,,, they're nothing when you compare them to the jokes of ALL kinds,, told about one particular minority. I really feel they should be protected from that. In fact,, I'd like to see some International laws passed making it a felony,, punishable by considerable jail time. Blond women need our protection,
ed

I'm not so sure Ed, are they even aware that they are the butt of so much humor?
[sorry to any light haired ladies on here, you are obviously the exception that proves the rule]

[Priority Seatin]

Some comedians make awesome disabled jokes. But some don't. So I'm kind of split on this issue. I guess it depends on the person making the joke?

(And then you have stuff like @sarcasticpara... I'm not sure what to make of it. Some of the stuff there makes me laugh, but the other jokes kind of fall flat.)

Edited by Priority Seatin, 02 December 2011 - 08:27 AM.

[aggzy]

very funny

[quadinva]

I enjoy humor (period)...jokes about black people, white people, blondes, fat people, gimps, chimps, and so on can be very funny or just go over my head...unless theyre directed AT me then I rarely take offence. In the end the humor is in the silly generalizations one group makes about another, the jokes become more a comment on society not a reflection of the teller or the subject of the joke. Comedy is like art, you dont judge a piece by what was potrayed but more how it was portrayed.