That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
However, Mock The Week et al may soon find themselves, well, not exactly short of material, but most definitely short of the freedom of expression that has been so significant in their success. The fact that the comedians have had a licence to say largely whatever they like has left many of the jokes and sketches walking a very thin tightrope over a shark pool of political correctness. The BBC bigwigs, concerned about comedic content for a number of years, have now decided to put their overpaid feet down. This development has seen the BBC decree that its comedies must no longer be “unduly intimidatory, humiliating, intrusive, aggressive or derogatory”, as well as suggesting that the watershed for the worst swearing be extended from 9pm to 10pm.
I can kind of see where these proposals are coming from, particularly in the wake of Sachsgate, which resulted in the BBC receiving over 40,000 complaints regarding the Radio 2 ‘comedy’ of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. One of my personal favourites has also recently faced the wrath of the BBC Trust – Frankie Boyle was reprimanded for “humiliating” remarks made about swimmer Rebecca Adlington that “risked offending the audience”, and caused 75 viewer complaints. Boyle is notorious for the unique reckless abandon with which he approaches the joke opportunities on Mock The Week, and I have to admit as much as he’ll leave me speechless with laughter, he can equally reduce me to stunned silence with the more risqué types of his humour. (If you don’t believe me, just type into Google ‘Frankie Boyle Queen joke’).
Now, swearing simply for the sake of it has no place on modern television, even after 9pm, and traditionalists are understandably upset at what they see as a decline in standards. I, though, happen to feel that in certain situations the odd expletive or two can make or break a joke. A James Blunt here or a Donald Duck there can often add a little extra something: especially when used skilfully by the best in the business, as in the case of Thursday night comedy. I’m also a firm believer in that (not quite) timeworn phrase ‘humour is in the ears of the beholder’, and it has to be said that what one person might find cringeworthy, another could find hilarious.
So I’d rather like to (politely) ask the BBC to rethink their expulsion of expletives from my favourite programs. My advice to those who offend easily: if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Taxpayer’s money or not, as long as there’s an audience for programs like Mock The Week I think they should continue to be made in the same vein as they always have – with quirky, laid-back humour aimed at putting a smile on the viewers' faces.
BBC viewers should know by now that these programs are going to tiptoe the border between comedy and crudity on a regular basis, so I’d suggest to the more sensitive that they should steer clear of BBC2 on a Thursday night. ‘Nature’s Great Events’ provides a more family-orientated alternative – I think we can rely on David Attenborough to go easy on the swear words. Though with Frankie Boyle having last month announced his departure from Mock The Week, who knows if we won’t be hearing his soft Glaswegian tones on nature programs once old Dave has snuffed it. Now THAT would be comedy.
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