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Bruce Dessau's rating
Frankie Boyle is aiming too low
By
Bruce Dessau
8 Dec 2008
Frankie Boyle might be near the knuckle on BBC2’s Mock The Week but TV viewers are getting the sanitised version. In his live show the taboo-busting comedian lets rip. If those who complained about his jibe at the Queen heard the unabridged act they would run him out of town.
This sharp-suited, sharp-tongued Scot clearly has an ear for snappy soundbites. Amy Winehouse, for instance, resembles “a campaign poster for neglected horses”. But although most of the audience appreciated his unprintable sick swipes at a tick-list of sitting ducks (Sarah Palin, Heather Mills, Princess Diana, etc), the rudeness eventually felt relentless, the swearing wearing.
There is little light and shade here. Workmanlike banter with fans is merely a cue for more filth. There are so many below-the-waist jokes Freud would have a field day if he was around to get Boyle on his couch.
This is comedy of cruelty that makes Jimmy Carr seem like a cuddly children’s entertainer. The hit rate is undoubtedly high, it is just a shame that Boyle aims so low.
Also 11 & 17 December (0844 844 4748, www.frankieboyle.com).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (10)
I went to see him with friends on Monday 2/11/10. Having enjoyed his brand of humour on Mock the Week, and some other shows, I was looking forward to a good night out, thinking I knew what to expect.
I can assure you that the TV bods censor him totally, on the evidence of his show... his humour is based mostly on complicated and lengthy insults generously interspersed with swearwords at anyone and everyone. No-one was sacred, and as the show went on, it got more and more offensive and tedious. Judging from the previous comments here, he hadn't even updated his act (I expect the joke is really on us for paying to see him). I have to be honest and say I was more entertained by the warm-up Canadian comedian, who's jokes where funnier and much more clever. He I would gladly see again... Frankie, I'm afraid not.
Frankie - I hear you are planning to give up the comedy scene after this current stint - on last night's performance, not that bad a career decision. Sorry mate... your schoolcard reads 'C minus, must try harder... much harder'.
- Paul B, London, 02/11/2010 21:55
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After arriving at the Hammersmith Apollo at just after 7pm to see Frankie Boyle we were told along with many others that the times of the show had changed from 8pm to 6.30pm (obviously so that two shows a night could be put on!). At this point however Frankie Boyle was not on stage as a warm up act had been on but we were then told by staff at the Apollo that our row B tickets had been filled with other people under instructions from Frankie Boyle himself. As the show was being filmed he didn't want our seats looking empty when he came on stage. We then had to wait for them to find some seats for us to sit in much further back as they were not prepared to let us sit in the seats we had paid for? 45 minutes later he went off stage and that was it!! I have always found FB really funny and have never really been offended by his sick humour but it was slightly relentless and again many of his jokes were repeated. Would never bother seeing him again and I hope who ever sat in my seat enjoyed me paying over the odds for their ticket! Thanks Frankie!
- Heidi, Rochester Kent, 06/06/2010 18:24
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i have seen him on tv and thought he was funny so decided to buy his DVD but i was really shocked as it is nothing to what u see on TV. I think joking about kids and peados and shannon matthews/ madeleine mccann etc is way too low..and i think if you cant make people laugh without using these as jokes then you are sick and not a very good comedian! I sold his dvd on ebay and i wont be watching him again!
- Marie Jones, manchester, 07/01/2010 11:48
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I think Frankie Boyle is quite funny- but as many others have mentioned, he re-uses a lot of jokes that he has already exhausted on Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo.
If I want to hear those jokes again, I'd watch the aforementioned programs. His live DVD was quite a disappointment- personally, I wasn't particularly offended by the sick humour, but I had heard about 80% of his material before.
This is quite a shame, because after watching Mock The Week and such programs, his style of humour almost convinces the audience that he's spontaneously making up these jokes, or saying them with quick wit in reply to others' remarks. However, after hearing it all again, it does lose the magic a little.
- Steven, Durham, UK, 04/01/2010 02:26
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I went to see Frankie a few months ago as I think he's hilarious from what I've seen on TV. However it was one of the most disappointing comedy gigs I've been to. I'd heard virtually all the jokes before on TV (some very old ones). You could really tell that he was just going through the motions. Even the "ad-libs" to members of the audience (e.g. kicking a monkey through topshop etc) were all the same as I'd heard before. Go and see Dara O'Briain for an example of how true ad-libbing with the audience is done.
I think what really spoiled it though was the warm-up guy. His own set was quite funny, but then we had an interval (after only about 20 mins!), and then he came back and was acting like Frankie Boyle was a god that we're not worthy of. He was saying don't fold your arms, make sure you laugh a lot at his jokes, sit up straight etc (this was not in jest, he really meant it). This annoyed me so much that I was in a thoroughly bad mood by the time Frankie came on.
- Phil, Northampton, 12/08/2009 10:13
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I personally think frankie boyle is the best commedian around, but then again im into his sort of humour. i went to his live show in preston in oct 08, and i laughed the whole way through it, he was brilliant, even better then what he is on mock the week etc. i cant wait for his next show if he does one! at the end of the day you know what hes about and that he does get very close to the bone so if you dont like it then dont go to see him!simple as! i thought he was especially good at taking the mick out of the audience-im glad i wasnt sat on the front row! i never saw a single person walk out either.
keep up the good work Frankie!! xx
- D, preston,uk, 27/04/2009 15:14
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I never went to any shows but the thing is, you've seen some of the jokes he does. If you are going to be offended by stuff like that you shouldnt really go to the show because thats his humour.
- Andrew, Oban, Scotland, 29/12/2008 19:25
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Went to final show (17 dec 08) @apollo. was really looking forward to it, due to the wit shown on 'mock the week'.
the show was OK, only OK. didnt make me howl with laughter, and only sometimes, and was prob expecting more of this from him because of Mock the week fame.
was also a little low with some recent events (madeline / shannon etc), not really necesary, but understand thats the way he may get the crowd 'oohhh'ing.
The most annoying thing is that ticket says 18:30, so like a good boy i get there in advance, only to be faced with a 90 minute wait for the warm-up act. Tony somebody - OMG, he was rubbish ! - suppose he is funny for a yank though.
Anyway, so i start the night getting thouroughly fleeced at nearly £4 a pint, what else am i supposed to do for next 90 minutes except have some more gold priced lager !
Frankie turns up at 9pm, so could have got there for 20:30 to be fair.
Wont go see him again, but will deffo be watching out for him on mock the week, and other shows.
However, in summary it was worth the money (it was ony £18 tickets), and the show overall good value for money (beer excluded of course !!)
- Darren / Emma, leics, uk, 19/12/2008 12:36
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Many people were walking out of his show in Hammersmith due to many of his comments..I understand he is a comedian but making jokes about kids that have been abducted like Shannon Mathews and Madeleine Mccain are pretty awful - most poeple I have spoken to thought it was way too low...he was out to shock clearly and it worked. I would never watch him again either live or on TV
- Nicky, London, 12/12/2008 14:08
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I was at the Frankie Boyle show at the Apollo and really enjoyed it!
His humour is pretty bleak but that's his style.Being a Scot I think his gags about Scotland are very funny.
- Al Stuart, ealing, 08/12/2008 22:19
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