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Boyle’s back: ‘Adlington looks like a beagle’
The Glaswegian comic shrugs off criticism for his jokes about swimmer Rebecca Adlington
Glaswegian comic Frankie Boyle has refused to apologise for joking that Olympic medallist Rebecca Adlington looks like "some who’s looking at themselves in the back of a spoon", and has compounded his offence with another gag at her expense, saying she "looks like a beagle".
Boyle was censured last week by the BBC Trust, which said his original crack - made on the BBC2 show Mock the Week, where he has appeared more than 60 times - was "humiliating" and "offensive" to the swimmer. Refusing to accept this criticism, Boyle went further, blaming programme makers at the BBC for provoking offence.
In an interview with Time Out magazine, he said the BBC Trust ruling was "all bollocks", asking: "Who are these people? What authority do they have to judge comedy?"
Turning the blame to the show's producers, he said: "We're fighting two wars, there's swine flu and the economy is going down the toilet. People expect you to talk about this - and what do the production team send us? A picture of Rebecca Adlington.
"What are you going to write about, apart from the fact that she looks like a beagle in the photo?"
Boyle said he could have been "gentler, more whimsical and much more sophisticated" if programme makers had allowed him to talk about subjects with "more intrinsic interest for the audience".
The vitriolic comedian has now left Mock the Week. Last month he was taken to hospital just before an episode was to be recorded, sparking an internet rumour that he was dead. He described his collapse as the result of "too much coffee" and said he planned to take it easier in future, pulling out of a publicity tour to promote his autobiography, My Shit Life So Far. ·
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About time we banned the PC nutters who have no idea that comedy shows contain comedy (allegedly). Presumably the same kind of lamebrain that puts a warning on a peanut bag stating: "may contain nuts" FFS.
"Glaswegian comic, surely an oxymoron."
John Clare, you are an ignorant idiot of the highest order. That is one of the dumbest statements I've ever read on this site (and that's up against some pretty stiff competition) I almost feel sorry for you, what's life like in your little bubble mate?. You think that Glasgow Comedian is an oxymoron - well then here's a few more Glasgow comedians and comic writers to prove you wrong you ignorant plank.
Fred Macauly (comedian, writer and regualr panelist on several BBC radio and TV comedy panel games including QI, the News Quiz, the 99p challenge, mock the week and have I got news for you), Armando Ianucci (writer of some of the best satirical comedy this country has ever seen, and another BBC radio regular), Billy Connolly who has been entertaining people for some 50 years now and last but not least Chic Murray - billy connolly's hero and one of the finest comedians to ever grace our screens stages or airwaves. That enough for you? - I'm sure there are more - and did you notice as well - there's a spread of different kinds of comics there - storytellers, satirists, good old fashioned talk comedians and joke tellers - comedy is a varied medium - wherever it comes from. Bare that in mind and engage your brain before you inflict such idiotic twaddle on the world again.
Oh and Jayprime - the same goes for you - before you open your mouth (or put finger to keyboard) consider the fact that comedy and humour are subjective, and also that people can like many different kinds of comedy. I thought the joke was funny, cruel yes, unsophisticated certainly, but funny. This is far from the highest standard of humour that makes me laugh - but dumb blanket statements like that just make you look like an ignorant intolerant tit. and not some high minded moralistic crusader like you may think.
I won't be coming back here to check for further comment, as frankly seeing what you wrote above i couldn't give a flying **** what you think.
I agree entirely with Peter Simmons - some comedians have always and will always push the boundaries of what they can get away with - long may it be so. Comedy needs freedom, the audience is the ultimate censor, if they think a comic is crap - they will stop paying to see them. And the comic will either change their style, or stop doing comedy. simple - and exactly as it should be.
So, Pete Simmons, you think that "If comics aren't allowed to be offensive, there'll be no comedy"?
In the words of that offensive cretin Frankie Boyle, "That's a load of bollocks"!
So called 'Comedians' who find it necessary to frequently use swear words, or other offensive language, must be sorely lacking in imagination!
Likewise those who support such pitiful attempts to be 'funny'!
Is Mr Boyle a comedian? Such little talent for so much recognition.
Glaswegian comic, surely an oxymoron.
Not very keen on Boyle myself, but this sounds like a return to the days when the Lord Chamberlain had to vet all scripts before performance.
Frankie Boyle's a talentless gobshite. He won't be missed.
Since the Ross-Brand affair, TV is becoming terribly politically correct. If comics aren't allowed to be offensive, there'll be no comedy. Seems to me that a lot of people without the ability to think for themselves are applying some rigid rules to comedy which will ultimately kill it. People need to have thicker skins and to stop being such wusses, either on their own behalf or another's. She does look a bit beagle-like, but I thought the back of a spoon joke was funnier.