Jimmy Carr - Free Speech

Poll: Jimmy Carr - Free Speech

Total Members Polled: 218

Acceptable Joke: 91%
Unacceptable Joke.: 9%
Author
Discussion

Fittster

Original Poster:

20,120 posts

230 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Jim Carr is in trouble with some people for the following joke:

“Say what you like about servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we’re going to have a f*****g good paralympic team in 2012.”

To far or are all topics acceptable for jokes?

grumbledoak

32,193 posts

250 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Sure the servicemen will be telling each other worse jokes than that.

Just another attack of 'getting upset on behalf of someone else'...

TankRizzo

7,788 posts

210 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Most of the servicemen I know would prefer people to make light of the situation rather than saying how depressing it all is.

I also guarantee they will be telling worse jokes than that amongst themselves!

Gargamel

15,616 posts

278 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all

Fitster - the question in your comments is at odds with the poll.

I thought Jimmys Joke was acceptable, because it wasn't directly mocking the guys in the Army.

However - some jokes - Viz Billy Connolly saying live on stage that he didn't really care if an Iraqi Militia executed the guy or not, he just wished they would 'GET ON WITH IT' was incredibly bad taste - really offensive.

Your question is asking are all topics ok for comedy, but the poll doesn't ask that

jas xjr

11,309 posts

256 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
apparently the joke originated amongst the ex servicemen

fido

17,885 posts

272 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all

It's pushing the boundaries of satire, but i think it just falls in the satire category. Problem is some people won't get it and complain. Like that Brass Eye episode about P-word-philes.

FourWheelDrift

91,108 posts

301 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Disabled servicemen found it funny.

Mrs Netcurtain Twitcher of 23 The Avenue, Penge. Who read about it in the Daily Mail didn't, so complained.


Frankie Boyle quit Mock the Week citing complaints about comedy not allowing jokes to be seen as jokes, not even PC based. If you want dull TV keep it up. It was in reference to his joke about Rebecca Adlington looking like someone's reflection in a spoon.

Puggit

49,193 posts

265 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
readit

grumbledoak said:
Just another attack of 'getting upset on behalf of someone else'...

Jasandjules

71,262 posts

246 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
It's a joke.

Sadly, no matter what, someone will be upset by a joke. Admittedly some of Jimmy Carr's jokes are very, very cruel, and I find some of them a bit over the line, but they are still jokes.

I worry how people in this country seem keen to constrain freedom of speech.

wombat74

53 posts

275 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
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As Jimmy Carr has been a regular visitor at both Selly Oak hospital and Headley Court I can't get too worked up about it. Besides, as has already been said, he probably heard the joke while he was visiting the lads.

Bibbs

3,736 posts

227 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
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Bet they were all laughing at the Peado jokes before hand though.

theaxe

3,571 posts

239 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
As with all issues with free speech the right should be absolute. More importantly everyone should have the right not to listen and to judge the person on what they say.

If you don't think Jimmy Carr is funny then don't listen to him. If enough people agree with you he'll lose his platform.


thatone1967

4,193 posts

208 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
jokes likes this have been going around like this for years... wasn't it standard practice in WW2 to ask a colleague if you could have his ham and eggs in the morning if he was killed that night? I know it's not exactly the same, but could equally have been misconstrued as "bad taste!"

BarnatosGhost

31,608 posts

270 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
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A comic's living is based on his popularity.

If he's hit in the wallet by all his fans deserting him, then he'll address the issue.

Jimmy Carr (as a stand-up) certainly has no problems with a lack of popularity.


Jasandjules

71,262 posts

246 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
thatone1967 said:
jokes likes this have been going around like this for years... wasn't it standard practice in WW2 to ask a colleague if you could have his ham and eggs in the morning if he was killed that night? I know it's not exactly the same, but could equally have been misconstrued as "bad taste!"
Of course. Black humour is a survival mechanism in my opinion, it prevents you actually thinking about the reality of it and going mad...... Same as in hospitals, some of the acronyms are superb, and some of the comments made about the horrific injuries and death of patients would make the person who complained about this joke have a stroke I imagine.

gareth_r

6,327 posts

254 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
So is it just me? I read that joke and took it as a dig at a Government and system that is prepared to waste huge amounts on unwinnable wars and vanity-project sporting events, but does not care properly for wounded servicemen. I didn't see anything attacking the injured troops.

Edited by gareth_r on Tuesday 27th October 13:22

ZondaMark

373 posts

204 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
theaxe said:
As with all issues with free speech the right should be absolute. More importantly everyone should have the right not to listen and to judge the person on what they say.

If you don't think Jimmy Carr is funny then don't listen to him. If enough people agree with you he'll lose his platform.
+1.

Busa_Rush

6,930 posts

268 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
I'm not sure about this . . . if the joke was made by one of the servicemen then that's fine, but for one of us to repeat it . . . could easily be felt to be in bad taste. There are lots of jokes which are fine when told by the subject of the joke but not when told by somebody else.

But then maybe I'm having an off day and it's fine . . .

BarnatosGhost

31,608 posts

270 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Busa_Rush said:
I'm not sure about this . . . if the joke was made by one of the servicemen then that's fine, but for one of us to repeat it . . . could easily be felt to be in bad taste. There are lots of jokes which are fine when told by the subject of the joke but not when told by somebody else.

But then maybe I'm having an off day and it's fine . . .
It is in bad taste. 95% of Jimmy's jokes are in bad taste. His audience know that, and look forward to being shocked when they go to see him.

Taking his material out of his arena (theatre, DVD, his own TV shows) and presenting it over tea and biscuits with the vicar is a little unfair on Jimmy - it was never intended for consumption there.

thatone1967

4,193 posts

208 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
gareth_r said:
So is it just me? I read that joke and took it as a dig at a Government and system that is prepared to waste huge amounts on unwinnable wars and vanity-project sporting events, but does not care properly for wounded servicemen. I didn't see anything attacking the injured troops.

Edited by gareth_r on Tuesday 27th October 13:22
+1