Jim Davidson

hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

clb74 said:

hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

SoundAsa£ said:

I have never felt comfortable around jokes about the disabled, I just don’t laugh at them......that’s all.

Depends who makes the joke and how well observed it is - I've seen a number of disabled comedians who make jokes about disability. Some comedy is just plain offensive because it's cruel and badly observed.

Where do we draw the line though hoof it.

Impossible to say - as society changes the comedy we see in the mainstream changes to reflect changing values in society.

It's quite shocking to watch a lot of the standups and sitcoms from the 70s but they reflect the prevalent attitudes of the time. 

Some comedy is offensive but if it's clever and makes a point then it will work. The best comedy often attacks the elite and acts as a safety valve.

Comedy that's purely based on putting people down and bullying them is for me difficult to watch if it's a vulnerable group.

harveys_gardener said:

ACAB, how is ULEZ flooding the capital with more cars and vans? It is designed to penalise the most polluting vehicles, and this must reduce the number of such vehicles in central London.

clb74 said:

hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

SoundAsa£ said:

I have never felt comfortable around jokes about the disabled, I just don’t laugh at them......that’s all.

Depends who makes the joke and how well observed it is - I've seen a number of disabled comedians who make jokes about disability. Some comedy is just plain offensive because it's cruel and badly observed.

Where do we draw the line though hoof it.

Cardinal Sin said:

MuttleyCAFC said:

It is an interesting discussion as Comedy is different to all people. I still don't think Love Thy Neighbour was racist. I also think it should be shown in schools as it explains attitudes in the 70s very well IMO.

Eddie, the white socialist racist and Bill the black Tory who was also a bit racist were the butt of the jokes, with Eddie being the butt of most of them. The wives just got on which had its own message. The suggested similarities between the two protagonists and the discovery that despite not admitting it, they had actually become friends is very interesting. It was of its time, but it gets an unfair press, largely because most people haven't seen it.

Love Thy Neighbour was all about exposing the ignorance of bigots and racists. Alf Garnett too. The minority of genuine racists watched them and thought they were funny because they couldn't see the parody. The rest of the audience laughed at the stupidity of Eddie and the taunting by Bill. The stereotyping was blatantly obvious and clearly laughable, which is why the show was so successful, not because it pandered to racist views. It wouldn't be as funny today because the world has moved on we have become more enlightened as a society about discrimination in all its forms. The likes of Love Thy Neighbour and Alf Garnett played a part in that progression and development.