Frankie Boyle (Too Far?)

Am I the only one who thinks that Frankie is funnier when he's being censored? I don't mean bleeped out or anything, just that he's wittier when he's acting under (some) restraint. Like I thought he was at his best on Mock Theweek, wheras I found him unbearable on Tramadol Nights. When he's left to his own devices he's rude, cruel, and unfunny. plus he finds Refuge in Audacity FAR more often than anyone should.

Now I enjoy his risque comedy as much as the next guy, but sometimes (like with the Katy Price Harvey joke) he just goes too far. if I had to compress my idea into an analogy. If Frankie was a dog running wild in the field of comedy, he's best when he's on a long leash and stretching it to it's limit, not when he has none at all.

Such things are common, its why a lot of things are actually improoved not "ruined" by editors.

I think he's an unfunny hack. I also vigorously oppose any attempt to censor his material because I don't think there should be any limits on what is acceptable in comedy.

Frankie Boyle has never gone too far. In fact, while I like his comedy, I've found at times that he doesn't go far enough.

I certainly found him funnier on Mock The Week than on Tramadol Nights. It's been awhile since I watched the first episode of the latter, though, so I'm not sure what the problem was, other than that painfully stupid Knight Rider sketch.

edited 30th Jun '11 4:48:54 PM by Tongpu

I find him incredibly unfunny and that he often goes way too far and that sometimes he and people who find him amusing mistake comedy for outright cruelty. However, I have friends who find everything he says and does hilarious and won't hear a word against him and think Mock the Week declined in quality when he left so it is pretty much YMMV and how far you draw the line of what is 'acceptable' comedy. I guess I just draw that line less far than some others do and there are even those who will draw it less far than I do and accuse me of the most terrible bad taste. Guess the best solution is just to allow people the comedy they like and if any real offence is caused leave it to the proper parties to settle. Meanwhile, I can sit on my sofa and tut whilst waggling my finger disapprovingly at the TV screen.

edited 5th Jul '11 12:15:35 PM by PiccoloNo92

I don't like what the guy says. Its too personal; he goes after peoples personal lives and doesn't hold back even when its someone whose only crime is going through a rough period in the public eye. He doesn't hold back for anything.

edited 5th Jul '11 12:17:58 PM by GameChainsaw

I like that he doesn't hold back. But then, Dude, Not Funny! is a non-existent concept for me unless I'm very raw about the situation.

He annoys me. I think he can be funny, but recently he seems to have decided that he can just be vulgar without the jokes. The whole Refuge in Audacity thing only worked as long as he was actually making a joke along with it.

The thing is, Caissas, that he tends make fun of people while it is still very raw.

edited 6th Jul '11 6:43:33 AM by GameChainsaw

Not having seen the show mentioned in the OP I can't say for sure, but I think any comedian runs the risk of producing material that is not funny. And if Frankie Boyle isn't funny then he's merely rude, vulgar and Scottish. Hopefully he'll realise and create better material, if not his career will be over soon enough.

I think any joke of his that has caused paticular controversy hasn't been too bad. Most instances of people complaining have been hypocritical. I've felt one or two of his jokes have been in poor taste, but my only reaction is that I don't feel like laughing at that one, I'm not moved to take any action against him. And none of those jokes have made the papers.

I'm not going to comment on whether they were made in good taste, but yes, several did make the papers and news media. The most notable was the time a joke was made against Katie Price's disabled son Harvey, as well as when Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington's appearance was mocked.

If that was directed at me you misunderstood me. I meant that none of the jokes I thought were most offensive made the papers. Therefore the people who complained were either ignorant of Frankie Boyles work or hypocrites, taking offence at what relates to them and not giving a damn about anyone else.

(Edit) I was originaly going to post something about Katie Price but deleted it in case somone considered that in poor taste. But now I've been reminded of the Rebecca Addilington joke I'll take that. Did anyone who took umbridge to that ever watch Mock the Week? There are at least two jokes more offensive than that every episode, and that's after Boyle left. I'd say that most comedians today have told objectively more offensive jokes than that in their time. By the way can anyone remember if Addilington herselftook offence to Boyle or it was just the work of moral guardians?

edited 6th Jul '11 8:14:02 AM by C0mraid

I liked the Katie Price joke. Of course, being American, I had no idea who Katie Price even was at the time. I just tend to like rape jokes.

Having now watched the second episode of Tramadol Nights, I can say for certain why I didn't find most of the show funny— the sketches. They're too long, too one-note, and they only cross the line once, if that. It seems to me he's actually not trying hard enough to be shocking. "paraplegic stuntman" may work for a single joke in a stand-up routine, but there's not enough material there for three whole minutes.

I find him funny, because my favourite type of comedy is Dead Baby Comedy and if I found him unfunny, then I'd have to apologise to every single person I've ever insulted because my insults are ten times worse than Frankie Boyle's jokes