Ah, that old chestnut about whether or not comedy should have taboo boundaries is the discussion topic on this morning's The Big Question**. There are plenty of self-righteous people commenting but one of the panel told an anecdote that I feel makes the opposite point to the one intended. At a show she was involved in there was a joke about an aeroplane crash. A member of the audience burst into tears and walked out. It transpired that his brother had been killed in an aeroplane crash. Now I have no idea whether or not this was a true story or something she has made up for the sake of illustration,but I'll take her word for it. The point that she drew from it, however, was that that joke was therefore unacceptable and needed to be removed from the show.
The point I take from it is quite different. I have said time and again, here and elsewhere, that I do not believe it is possible to tell any joke that isn't potentially offensive to someone. The panellist went on to mention Joyce Grenfell as an example of someone who was very funny without being offensive. I quite agree, as far as it goes, but the question is, was there any potential, any potential at all, for offence to be taken at her material?
Well, she did a lot of monologues about teaching in an infant school. One of them included a boy who had to wear his older sister's pink coat. Good grief! Was she crazy? That could have traumatized the child. Imagine having someone in the audience who has spent his whole life in therapy in a massive confusion of gender dysphoria because his mother sent him to school in a pink coat. That one joke could undo years of treatment. It has to go.
It's a ludicrous example and it's meant to be. It's meant to point up how any joke, however innocuous has the potential to offend someone.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Oh my God, why is that bankrupt poultry farmer taking out a gun?
Another panellist mentioned the comedian Tim Vine. I happen to like Tim Vine. I think he can be very funny and very silly. He likes rapid fire one line jokes. He holds some kind of record for the most jokes told in an hour. Imagine how horrified he'd be when including the four word joke "Velcro? What a rip-off!", if he discovered that my Uncle Jack is now known as my Auntie Jackie following a very unfortunate (and ridiculously unlikely) Velcro-related incident*. I'm sorry, that joke has to go.
The only way to avoid the remote potential for offence would be to outlaw jokes altogether.
You don't like a comedian? Then don't watch him. I can't stand Russell Brand. Lots of people like him. Good luck to them. They can pay to go to his gigs and I hope they have a thoroughly enjoyable evening. They won't see me there, but that's my choice.
*Just kidding. Uncle Jack is actually now making a living singing in a castrato choir.
** Because of this.
The point I take from it is quite different. I have said time and again, here and elsewhere, that I do not believe it is possible to tell any joke that isn't potentially offensive to someone. The panellist went on to mention Joyce Grenfell as an example of someone who was very funny without being offensive. I quite agree, as far as it goes, but the question is, was there any potential, any potential at all, for offence to be taken at her material?
Well, she did a lot of monologues about teaching in an infant school. One of them included a boy who had to wear his older sister's pink coat. Good grief! Was she crazy? That could have traumatized the child. Imagine having someone in the audience who has spent his whole life in therapy in a massive confusion of gender dysphoria because his mother sent him to school in a pink coat. That one joke could undo years of treatment. It has to go.
It's a ludicrous example and it's meant to be. It's meant to point up how any joke, however innocuous has the potential to offend someone.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Oh my God, why is that bankrupt poultry farmer taking out a gun?
Another panellist mentioned the comedian Tim Vine. I happen to like Tim Vine. I think he can be very funny and very silly. He likes rapid fire one line jokes. He holds some kind of record for the most jokes told in an hour. Imagine how horrified he'd be when including the four word joke "Velcro? What a rip-off!", if he discovered that my Uncle Jack is now known as my Auntie Jackie following a very unfortunate (and ridiculously unlikely) Velcro-related incident*. I'm sorry, that joke has to go.
The only way to avoid the remote potential for offence would be to outlaw jokes altogether.
You don't like a comedian? Then don't watch him. I can't stand Russell Brand. Lots of people like him. Good luck to them. They can pay to go to his gigs and I hope they have a thoroughly enjoyable evening. They won't see me there, but that's my choice.
*Just kidding. Uncle Jack is actually now making a living singing in a castrato choir.
** Because of this.
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