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Are we losing our rather quirky British sense of humour ?
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Nor me, kimbob. All this PC stuff's past a joke now, and the British've always turned tragedy into humour, and taken the mickey.
There's a vast difference between that, and being out-and-out offensive to someone. Any sensible person knows where to draw the line, and I doubt the vast majority would've been seriously upset by the BL jape.
There's a vast difference between that, and being out-and-out offensive to someone. Any sensible person knows where to draw the line, and I doubt the vast majority would've been seriously upset by the BL jape.
Very true, Naomi - but I don't give a fiddler's - and neither does anyone else I know. I have a feeling that some of the people who're so easily offended, are the ones who never had a sense of humour in the first place.
I think things have to be put into context. For instance, I have a disabled child, and if someone cracked an unpleasant remark in their ignorance, I wouldn't be very happy, but puns or witty references, in the context of a genuine joke, are slightly different. Some can be in VERY poor taste, but if a person doesn't like it, then they should walk away. Our freedom of speech is getting sucked away by the day, and I for one won't be dictated to by the few. On saying that, I'd never deliberately hurt anyone's feelings.
I think things have to be put into context. For instance, I have a disabled child, and if someone cracked an unpleasant remark in their ignorance, I wouldn't be very happy, but puns or witty references, in the context of a genuine joke, are slightly different. Some can be in VERY poor taste, but if a person doesn't like it, then they should walk away. Our freedom of speech is getting sucked away by the day, and I for one won't be dictated to by the few. On saying that, I'd never deliberately hurt anyone's feelings.
naomi, you could hardly be more wrong.
Our quirky British sense of humour is better, more vibrant and more innovative than it's been in a long, long time.
I know you like to harp on about political correctness. And it is taken to a ridiculous degree sometimes. But look at its effect on TV, radio and film comedy. It means that comedy writers now don't resort to the laziest stereotypes lying around. They try to be creative.
And you know what? It works. That's why international TV networks are falling over themselves to buy our comedy shows. We're exporting our comedy, especially to the US market, more than we have ever done. It's an absolute golden era. And without offending anyone, if it's not appreciated by the Daily Mail, that even more of stamp of quality. Not exactly the paper that likes to laugh.
And it's not all clever-clever, intellectual stuff that we're producing. What's driving a lot of the sales is the fact that our comedy has heart - which I think is a good thing. That's why critics across the world are gushing about Gavin & Stacey (not my bag, but fine).
It might not keep Freddie Starr in or Mike Yarwood in work, but the British sense of humour's in rude health. Cheers!
Our quirky British sense of humour is better, more vibrant and more innovative than it's been in a long, long time.
I know you like to harp on about political correctness. And it is taken to a ridiculous degree sometimes. But look at its effect on TV, radio and film comedy. It means that comedy writers now don't resort to the laziest stereotypes lying around. They try to be creative.
And you know what? It works. That's why international TV networks are falling over themselves to buy our comedy shows. We're exporting our comedy, especially to the US market, more than we have ever done. It's an absolute golden era. And without offending anyone, if it's not appreciated by the Daily Mail, that even more of stamp of quality. Not exactly the paper that likes to laugh.
And it's not all clever-clever, intellectual stuff that we're producing. What's driving a lot of the sales is the fact that our comedy has heart - which I think is a good thing. That's why critics across the world are gushing about Gavin & Stacey (not my bag, but fine).
It might not keep Freddie Starr in or Mike Yarwood in work, but the British sense of humour's in rude health. Cheers!
-- answer removed --
Are we losing our rather quirky British sense of humour ?
Anybody who thinks are sense of humour is going down should slap themselves three times, rent In Bruges and then come back and tell us we're afraid of offending people for humour (yes, all three main actors are Irish, and it's filmed in Belgium, but the writer/director and the bulk of production finance are both British, so it qualifies thus).
Also take a look at Peep Show (which reguarly takes the pee out of political correctness) for a great example of British humour ("Why do the people who want to talk about things always win?")
Sit down and watch some of our panel shows (Mock the Week probably being the best example of this) - they're really quite happy to be as offensive as they like.
Besides, the Chairman of the carnival committee quoted at the end of the article actually says that most people didn't mind about the costume. This seems to be just the DM seizing on all the negative responses and proclaiming the death of British humour.
Anybody who thinks are sense of humour is going down should slap themselves three times, rent In Bruges and then come back and tell us we're afraid of offending people for humour (yes, all three main actors are Irish, and it's filmed in Belgium, but the writer/director and the bulk of production finance are both British, so it qualifies thus).
Also take a look at Peep Show (which reguarly takes the pee out of political correctness) for a great example of British humour ("Why do the people who want to talk about things always win?")
Sit down and watch some of our panel shows (Mock the Week probably being the best example of this) - they're really quite happy to be as offensive as they like.
Besides, the Chairman of the carnival committee quoted at the end of the article actually says that most people didn't mind about the costume. This seems to be just the DM seizing on all the negative responses and proclaiming the death of British humour.
-- answer removed --
Trust the usual Daily Mail haters (Oneeyedvic, Quinlad, Kromovaracun, Steve.5) to blame it all on the D.M.
Oneeyedvic
So if it is being lost, it appears the the Daily Mail are helping it on its way, by reporting this non-event.
Hope you stop buying the DM in protest.
Steve.5
if theres nothing of any important significance to report you can bet the good old DM will invent some sort of propaganda which manages gives its readership the ump
If they took their heads out of the sand long enough, they would have noticed that this was reported not only in the D.M. but all over the media.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7610917.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/11 /police
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news /policeman-wore-bin-laden-outfit-925567.html
Oneeyedvic
So if it is being lost, it appears the the Daily Mail are helping it on its way, by reporting this non-event.
Hope you stop buying the DM in protest.
Steve.5
if theres nothing of any important significance to report you can bet the good old DM will invent some sort of propaganda which manages gives its readership the ump
If they took their heads out of the sand long enough, they would have noticed that this was reported not only in the D.M. but all over the media.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7610917.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/11 /police
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news /policeman-wore-bin-laden-outfit-925567.html
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