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Corporation attacked for offensive joke about the Queen

Rashid Razaq
31 Oct 2008


THE BBC has been attacked for a series of risqué jokes that have been allowed to air across its network.

Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle has been criticised for making an offensive comment about the Queen on the BBC 2 satirical comedy programme Mock the Week.

Asked to think of something the Queen would not say in her Christmas speech, the comic replies in an affected voice: "I have had a few medical issues this year I'm now so old that my p*** is haunted."

Tory MP David Davies called the gag a "disgracefully foul comment" and called for the BBC to be held accountable for the remark, which was aired on Wednesday evening.

Other distasteful material broadcast by the corporation recently includes a segment from the Graham Norton Show on BBC2, where he asks guests Thandie Newton and Ricky Gervais to read a script for a porn film starring US Republican candidate Sarah Palin.

Reader views (21)

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Funny how all the "sample" views are condemning the joke when the majority of comments are supporting Frankie Boyle's right to say what he did. People know what they're getting on Mock the Week, if you don't like, don't watch, it's pretty simple. Much the same as the fact that I don't like the Standard so I don't buy it....

- Graham Brant, London, 13/11/2008 19:11
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To treat our elderly without any respect is no comedy. Not long ago they sacrificed everything for what we have today. The only thing we can give in return is a bit of respect. Do not forget, what goes round, comes round. Making fun of our elderly so we can laugh makes me sick.

- Rebecca, London, 02/11/2008 23:17
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Sack Frankie Boyle. He is utterly unfunny. Remove Brand, Ross and Boyle from the BBC and the world will be a better place (we'll still be at war in Iraq but if you switch the news off you'll manage to avoid all that). I am all in favour of humour...but opposed to offence at other people's expense. Leave off making it personal and you might just get away with it.

- Concerned, Caerleon, South Wales, 02/11/2008 23:04
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I've just found out by searching on the Internet, what the word was. You should have shown it as "p****" and not as "p***". You wasted a lot of my time. Get with it!
I agree that the use of this word was utterly oscene and offensive. The "joke" was not remotely funny or creative, just lewd and indecent... as well as offensive to the queen, and I am NOT a monarchist at all.

- Kevin Dinwoode, Cornwall, UK, 02/11/2008 22:11
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There were four complaints to the BBC - thats four complaints - please get over yourselves. By the way Frankie Boyle is the funniest man on the planet by quite a distance.

As for David Davis wasnt he getting all upset about a breach of our freedoms not so long ago? Now he wants to ban freedom of speech. What a total hypocrite!

- Paul, London, 31/10/2008 16:39
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I've just watched the episode in question and laughed my head off. More Mock the Week please.

- Ian, London, 31/10/2008 15:48
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This is a joke !

This was shown 18 months ago and know one batted an eye lid, It gets, repeated (and not for the first time.. Good old Dave) news night compares it the JR/RB phone joke and it makes the news.. pathetic!!

What? Is the media bored on the reporting about the Credit Crunch? Or do they fancy really showing off what a bunch of spineless sheep the Great British nation really is?

I'm shocked we won any wars!

- Vann_Mar, Leicester, 31/10/2008 15:39
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I'm no do-gooder. Nor am I a religious campaigner. I enjoy a good smutty joke now and then like most guys.

But there is a simple, clear cut difference between refraining from gross public insult of the at least nominal head of state on a national broadcast medium and doing something that is never the less legally permitted just because you can. Its the difference between right and wrong, as simple as that.

Should this comedian be clapped in irons and thrown in the Tower? Of course not. But if no one turns around and questions his 'act' then he and others like him are going to believe there has been no real offence done - and they, as a routine, push the envelope of the acceptable. If they don't get a reaction that tells them they have gone too far then they are going to further explore those limits. Simple logic.

Those of you who see nothing wrong in unrestrained insult are doing nothing more than highlighting your own questionable moral character and integrity - you'd soon be up in arms if such 'jokes' came close to home.

- Rogan, Irving, 31/10/2008 15:02
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The biggest problem is that the BBC seem to think that Ross and Brand created some kind of outstanding Pete and Dudley sketch that has been censored by the right wing press. Fact is that the broadcast was no better than 2 schoolkids egging each other on to say ruder and ruder things --the reason kids like these two is the same reason kids like Timmy Mallet
Mark Thompson no more recognises talent than a 15yr old kid

- Frankos, leeds, 31/10/2008 14:31
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Never mind that!

I've just discovered that nice man off the Country Life butter ad once used the 'S' word on the Bill Grundy Show in 1976. How has the press missed this? Boycott butter, burn an effigy, join me and form a posse we'll go down to London and attack Television. They can't continue to get away with this.

- Phil, Sussex, England, 31/10/2008 14:03
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This episode aired ages ago, why the sudden fuss? Its just another person jumping on the bandwagon to join the BBC attack.

- Kate, Hitchin, Herts, 31/10/2008 13:53
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Not keen on Ross and I dislike Brand but I couuldn't really care less about what they have done and whether they get punsihed or not. They have both embarresed themselves enough so it the entire thing should be dropped. Those 30,000 complainers have nothing else better to do with their miserable little lives - they are just annoyed because they probably took a hammering on the stock markets. As for Frankie Boyle, absolute legend.

- Tony, London, 31/10/2008 13:36
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YES tim ,newport wales, those two individuals are absolutely disgusting and do not deserve to be heard/seen or even talked about, kick them both out and let us all have good clean fun on our media,NOT THE SMUT THAT WE GET NOWADAYS, will admit though that the pc brigade have a lot to answer for,we are not allowed to hear good funny jokes nowadays,just the smuty ones, and as for mocking her majesty OFF WITH HIS HEAD,no one should be allowed to do so in public or in print,l am a MONACHIST and very proud of it/

- Meg, merthyr tydfil south wales, 31/10/2008 13:09
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Ok so I see that freedom of speech is officially over in this country. I agree with Tim and his comment about OTT reactions; let's remind ourselves that only 2 people complained about the Ross/Brand phone call when the program was aired, and one of them was the 'victim' who surely must be more offended on the daily basis by the fact that his grand-daughter is an absolutely revolting vulgare creature (go and check the Slut's website). The only shame on Brand is to have actually slept with this looser. As for comments/jokes on the queen, again this is meant to be a free country. What BBC viewers are going to burn flags and effigies as well?!! Anyway all those who actually help BBC with rating (the funny guys) should go private and get even more bucks for their witts. Why would a 'clean' channel hire creative silly individuals? Stick to song of praise and other crappy dusty geeky stuff big propaganda machine BBS and let us enjoy democracy elsewhere.

- Nathalie, Putney, 31/10/2008 13:02
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Frankie Boyle is as funny as a road accident, whether he's referring to royals or not...

- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 31/10/2008 12:10
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Frankie Boyle (who in my opinion is the funniest comedian around) has said far worse stuff before this - and anyway the show on Wednesday was a repeat, no one complained before so why now? I think people in this country just have nothing better to do than moan and complain, we really are a sheep country - where one person goes 30,000 others follow suit without actually knowing why! Get over it England, try and see the funny side of life!

- Wabs, London, 31/10/2008 11:50
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The difference is that Frankie Boyle is funny.

- Chris H, London, 31/10/2008 10:47
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And let's not forget the magic moment when Robert Webb pretended to abuse himself while looking at the Queen's face on a £20 note, in the last series of the Peep Show. (not aired on the BBC, but is that the main issue?). Is this stuff funny? Is it some sort of self-destruction of the male ego? These people may need help. But they don't need large salaries and public air time.

- Bloke, London, 31/10/2008 10:24
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Here we go! Brand + Ross screw up, 30000+ who mostly hadn't heard the comments originally get on their high horses and complain.....driven on by morally correct newspapers. The result will be benign comedians who will be afraid to be creative. Right wing newspapers who bang on about 'Politically Correct' stories seem to be happy to be 'Politically correct' on this story!
Even Newsnight lowered their standards to lead on this whilst the country economically is going through the floor, we have the most important election in America for a generation, DRcongo is becoming a killing field again....and what are our Mp's, Media and the great morally outraged concerned about, a couple of comedians who made prats of themselves. It appears you cant even make a joke about the Queen now without some Mp complaining. I have no time for Ross or Brand but do they really deserve all this hatred?

- Tim, Newport, Wales., 31/10/2008 10:23
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So glad I got rid of my telly all those years ago! What a load of nonsense they broadcast these days. I can't decide if the broadcasters are at fault for releasing this rubbish, or the viewers for paying for it!

- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE ., 31/10/2008 10:01
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The BBC is now getting what they deserve from the British public who are the majority payers of their TV licence fees. The over 25's have been ignored by the BBC as too old to worry about in favour of the abrasive youth who also receive most attention under the current Politically Correct Labour Government.

Jonathon Ross is seen by the youngsters as someone who has style and charisma (class) but to the over 25's who have seen, heard or met real people with style and charisma he falls into the mediocre category (classless - probably what Labour mean by a classless society).

No wonder Labour are now doomed and the BBC is often referred to as the Anti-British Broadcasting Corporation.

- Joe, London, UK, 31/10/2008 09:59
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