Is this really the same country that brought us "Sweet F.A?" Look it up. Humour seems to have got somewhat... Humourless. It's not all about laughter or smiling but wit and satire. However, most of it now seems to go straight over the heads of the majority of people.

I must be in the majority Makodragon because I find this extremely distasteful. Whether you believe the McCann's are guilty of any wrongdoing or not, (and nothing has been proven), there is a little girl missing. I don't find anything remotely funny about that at all.

The folks at The TV Show thank you for your comments on BB&F. Whatever side of the fence you sit on, the programme makers would like to invite those who are interested in a) coming on the show; or b) making a comment to be used on the programme; to email them on thetvshow@channel4.com.
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Meanwhile, here’s a supplementary question or three…

1) Those of you who consider the sketch shameful, tasteless, lazy or a cheap laugh – are there other comedians or comedy shows who you consider to have crossed the line, or is this as bad as it gets?
2) Those of you who think the sketch fair game – where do would you draw the line between good comedy and bad taste or aren’t there any taboos?
3) And generally, do you think today’s comedians and comic writers feel they must push the boundaries of good taste?

Keep an eye on The TV Show website for the latest on Saturday’s programme.

Tasteless.
"Wit" and "Satire" are not necessarily exempt because they're wit and satire.
I'm surprised John Fortune didn't have more sense, perhaps he did and was overruled.

Extremely bad taste which made me draw breath when I watched it. Would they have performed this sketch if it was a child that they knew? Script decision on such a deeply sensitive issue should be made on that basis.

I don't think this is bad taste at all, it's just humour. Most jokes have a victim, and before people start getting upset with a joke they should consider who the victim of the joke is. In this case it's quite clearly a dig at Brown - not Maddie or her parents, but Gordon Brown. I think anyone getting offended by this just hasn't got the joke.

I'm all for free speech and detest censorship, but judgment has to come into play here and I think this sketch was misjudged.

Also, it is an ongoing case and although any proceedings - should they arise - against the McCann's would be made in Portugal, it is unwise to prejudice people in the media here. I am probably overstating this, but do believe it was an unwise decision to air the sketch. There may be issues of neglect still to arise from the social services here too.

Of course, it's a topical show that is very well written. Taste doesn't come into it as far as I'm concerned. Just didn't think it improved on the show at all in my mind.

Guess I'm sitting on the fence a bit with this one.

Now what else is there left to discuss on this case, all the news is media created speculation that thinking people have frankly had enough of? There is plenty of news out there without the hand wringers overwhelming the media with made up nonsense. We are becoming no better than Mirror and Sun readers, next there will be an Alien slant on this story or perhaps an Elvis was in my Pie aspect. Do people have nothing better to do than make stories up, wildly speculate and defame people who should be allowed to grieve? Perhaps leave justice to take its course would be a better way forward instead of clouding the issues with garbage.

Surely the inability to be able to get on this forum (at most times) has a hidden, nefarious, most heinous explanation?

I didn't see the sketch, but the Madeleine McCann story is hugely ripe for satire, as Private Eye has been demonstrating for many weeks now.

Here's a funny thing though. Bremner and just about every other satirist on the block have been doing jokes about Iraq (100,000 brown people dead and counting) and Darfur (300,000 black people dead and counting) for years and no one's batted an eyelid.

However, they make one joke about one little white girl who may not even be dead*, and suddenly it's like a maiden aunt convention in here.

All the whingeing about it being in awful taste and not a proper subject for humour is sanctimonious, hypocritical claptrap. In fact, it's pretty much the reason why satire got invented in the first place.



*pfffft. Yeah, right.

quote:

Originally posted by brewstersmillions:
I'm all for free speech and detest censorship, but judgment has to come into play here and I think this sketch was misjudged.

how so? Do you think Brown should be exempt from ridicule?

I think a joke about Victoria Climbie would have been just as outrageous and shocking. Colour does not come into it.

For the last time - the joke was about Gordon Brown - NOT about Madeleine McCann.

quote:

Originally posted by Sheik Yahbouti:
For the last time - the joke was about Gordon Brown - NOT about Madeleine McCann.

Point taken, but a joke involving Victoria Climbie would have been just as shocking and outrageous, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Bizzie Lizzie:

quote:

Originally posted by Sheik Yahbouti:
For the last time - the joke was about Gordon Brown - NOT about Madeleine McCann.

Point taken, but a joke involving Victoria Climbie would have been just as shocking and outrageous, IMO.

Though incredibly misplaced on a political satire show don't you think?

quote:

Originally posted by Asarualim:
Though incredibly misplaced on a political satire show don't you think?

Yes, just as Madeleine MacCann was.

quote:

Originally posted by Bizzie Lizzie:

quote:

Originally posted by Asarualim:
Though incredibly misplaced on a political satire show don't you think?

Yes, just as Madeleine MacCann was.

Err, Victoria Climbie was brutally murdered.

Are you saying that Madeleine McCann is dead? I thought we were supposed to await her safe return.

quote:

Originally posted by Sheik Yahbouti:
Err, Victoria Climbie was brutally murdered.

Are you saying that Madeleine McCann is dead? I thought we were supposed to await her safe return.

Err, well have a think about what thoughts are going through her parents' heads, about what has happened to her, and then maybe you'll understand!

There is only one thing worse than losing a child to death ... not knowing where they are, what's happening to them and not being able to help them

I am not lacking in understanding.

The joke about which you complain evisaged Gordon Brown producing a LIVE Madeleine - to the cheers of all.

It is you who have introduced a tragic murder victim into the equation, quite inappopriately.

As to what thoughts are in the McCann's heads - I have no idea - nor do I know if they are regular viewers of Rory Bremner's programme.

quote:

Originally posted by Sheik Yahbouti:
I am not lacking in understanding.

The joke about which you complain evisaged Gordon Brown producing a LIVE Madeleine - to the cheers of all.

It is you who have introduced a tragic murder victim into the equation, quite inappopriately.

As to what thoughts are in the McCann's heads - I have no idea - nor do I know if they are regular viewers of Rory Bremner's programme.

I understand the 'joke', but I feel it is innapropriate to use a personal tragedy to make a satirical point, just as you seem to feel it was innapropriate of me to use Victoria Climbie's name to point out that I don't think skin colour is an issue.

quote:

Originally posted by Bizzie Lizzie:

quote:

Originally posted by Sheik Yahbouti:
I am not lacking in understanding.

The joke about which you complain evisaged Gordon Brown producing a LIVE Madeleine - to the cheers of all.

It is you who have introduced a tragic murder victim into the equation, quite inappopriately.

As to what thoughts are in the McCann's heads - I have no idea - nor do I know if they are regular viewers of Rory Bremner's programme.

I understand the 'joke', but I feel it is innapropriate to use a personal tragedy to make a satirical point, just as you seem to feel it was innapropriate of me to use Victoria Climbie's name to point out that I don't think skin colour is an issue.

It's only innapropriate because it wouldn't have fitted with the joke. What would Gordon Brown have to gain in producing a dead child's body?

quote:

Originally posted by Asarualim:
It's only innapropriate because it wouldn't have fitted with the joke. What would Gordon Brown have to gain in producing a dead child's body?

It doesn't have to fit that particular 'joke'. It is the principle of using the name of a child who is the subject of a personal tragedy.

Put it this way, if Madeleine had been a black child, do you think the reaction to the joke would have been different?

quote:

Originally posted by Bizzie Lizzie:

quote:

Originally posted by Asarualim:
It's only innapropriate because it wouldn't have fitted with the joke. What would Gordon Brown have to gain in producing a dead child's body?

It doesn't have to fit that particular 'joke'.

It does if it's going to be funny and make a valid point.

quote:

It is the principle of using the name of a child who is the subject of a personal tragedy.

Put it this way, if Madeleine had been a black child, do you think the reaction to the joke would have been different?

I'd hope not and don't see why it would be because THE JOKE WAS ABOUT GORDON BROWN, NOT MADDIE!

quote:

Originally posted by Makodragon:
There are jokes made about the Titanic, 9/11, the war, terrorism. People are getting too soft even about subjects be they about individuals, races, nationalities, women/men. How long before comedy is banned outright because it might offend -someone-?

That time cannot be too far away, Mako