I'd like to say I'm sorry if that offends any Bernard Manning fans or family, but I'm not. He was a racist, homophobic misogynist who the world is better off without.
So today, I'm definitely off the fence. Go me.
As you most probably know (if you knew who the hell i was talking 'bout, and if not, you're lucky, lucky people) I'm talking about 'bad' comedians. And what that entails. To me, in theory, it's simple. I don't like prejudice. It's not fair, and it's lazy. To me, an individual should be judged on themselves. Then, if you find out that they're a prick then it's OK, because you've taken the time to get to know the real them. Or something. You get the idea.
So case closed eh? Well... maybe not. I'd have to say that when Bernard Manning was making his wonderfully thought out and intelligent jokes about whoever he felt the need to pick on at the time, i don't think he was satirising the stereotypes he was talking about, but i suppose there is the outside chance that he was.
See, i don't think that's bad - holding something up and lampooning it by taking on a persona or telling jokes on the subject in such a way that it's obvious how narrow minded or ignorant that view is, but how do you tell? I've sat in a room with somebody who has found something offensive that I've found hilarious, because I've seen the act in a different light.
You also can have humour that is intensely aggressive and violent to make a point about something serious. An example (of that situation at least) would be someone saying that all paparazzi should be killed without mercy - bastards, hounding people like Britney or Lindsy Lohan or Amy Winehouse or even Princess Di until they fall apart. And though i hope it's clear that the actual message is maybe the media should back off and stop behaving like animals, there will always be one person who thinks that it means that all paparazzi should be killed, and how disgusting that is to say (not sure who that would be, either way it was taken - what with the paparazzi being so popular and all...). But hopefully you get what I'm trying to say.
There's also stereotyping that i can find funny, depending on the comedian and the context. So Americans being fat and stupid, or the French being cowards, or the Scots being tight, or the Welsh... well never mind. I don't believe any of that, and have to say that i only find it funny when i believe that the comedian in question (and i think this kind of thing tends to occur on prime time comic panel shows) doesn't either - they've dragged it out because it's related to some situation or statistic and then put away again. And it can be funny. But i do cringe when i think that there might be someone watching the same thing believing that the comedian is being sincere and wholeheartedly agreeing with him, or that I've made the mistake and that the person I'm watching isn't dragging out a cliche but is espousing opinion, and that I'm making excuses for finding it funny.
I will make clear that some of the comedy that i enjoy is 'offensive' - satirising religion, politics, or violence. And some people will not like it, or indeed find it upsetting or derogatory to a situation. So how do i draw the line?
Well, i think that telling jokes about a subject can help diffuse our feelings about something, help us come to terms with it. So jokes about terrorism i can find funny - i feel as I'm degrading what these people are trying to do, which is inspire fear, by laughing about it. I have to say that if i had had family hurt in a terrorist bombing then i might feel differently. So it's very hard, and very subjective, but it's a long way (in my opinion) from telling jokes about black people being stupid, or women less intelligent that men (which just have no element of truth in them what so ever). Unless you're satirising that. Which is OK... this really isn't simple is it?
All i can say is what i said at the beginning - that barring interpretation and satire, anything that directly and maliciously offends (in terms of stereotyping and prejudice at any rate) to be funny just shouldn't be. But it can really difficult to tell them apart in a lot of cases, though i suppose that's the only reason it's good that Jim Davidson is still alive - sometimes we need it simple. Bastard.
This may not be funny to people who are supporters of the BNP or fans of Mr Manning, and does contain a little bad language. But still.
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