Update- Boyle scandal
More controversy!
Frankie Boyle has read the blog I wrote about the Down’s Syndrome
thing and taken offence. He penned a less than pleasant comment on this site and dropped my name on Twitter. I’ve now had some pretty colourful opinions from his fans.
I’m about to go away for the weekend so I just want to say I hope this will blow over. I’m not keen to start a fight with FB whom I respect and like. I’m sorry to have angered him but this is only a blog. I was trying to address the subject of taboos in comedy rather than attacking Frankie. I didn’t think he would give a shit quite honestly. And maybe he doesn’t really but his fans do.
Anyway. Just to let you know, personal abuse will not be published on the site.
See you soon. I’ve pre written blogs for Sat and Sun and I’ll pick this up again on Monday, but hopefully there won’t be much to pick up.
Posted by Barmy on September 26, 2011
Why are people talking about a PC police state? I don’t see comedians being arrested. Comedians may have a ‘right to offend’ but everyone else has the right to think they’re a twat. As it happens I don’t think PC is altogether bad, the PC comedians of the 80s led us away from the likes of Bernard Manning.
Comedians, by definition, are in a game of popularity. Frankie Boyle made a name for himself by saying controversial things, he saw how his notoriety grew and that encouraged him to do it more, it’s classical conditioning. It’s easy to see why he would push that and think that just by being offensive he was being funny and radical.
Some of FB’s defenders here are over-intellectualising the whole thing, it seems to give them a sense of superiority. ‘Mark is so naive’, really? Why? Because he doesn’t want to be horrible to people? I don’t see it myself. Maybe he’s just a nice bloke, it’s not a crime. Satire is about mocking the powerful, when you mock the victims in society, it’s more like bullying. (I’m not saying Mark is a satirist but when he is good FB is a satirist)
People are also trying to make this a political issue. Okay, Mark is pretty inoffensive and liberal but I don’t see anything constructive being offered in its place, all I see is some kind of dystopian worldview where nothing is sacred.
As far as I can see, Mark made a valid point and he said it modestly, avoiding the rabid knee-jerk reactions of the right-wing press.
Keep going Mark, you’re a good writer and comedian
Posted by iqthief on January 25, 2011
another boring posh comic whos only in it for the adverts
Posted by Laura on January 19, 2011
I miss your writing Mark. Please come back soon! Laura
Posted by alex on January 14, 2011
Good for you mark, you should look more at the so called comedian ‘lee nelson’ Not even comedy, just pure insults. You should get his slot on BBC3…
Posted by protopotato on January 14, 2011
Try to keep up Corry
if that is your argument then surely Frankie falls into the same category
Frankie has never denied that those with down syndrome have sexual desire (oedipal even). On the contrary we might say.
Posted by Sephy on January 13, 2011
‘Which bit did you find too difficult Sephy’
Your rambling arguments. But this is, of course, because my mind has been turned to mush by my “liberal lifestyle choices”.
If I could understand what you were trying to say, I might have a more interesting contribution to this debate. Why say in 10 words what you can say in 50 though right? Oh, and they’re super-long ones too! Very impressive.
You may find this website of some use; http://www.world-english.org/grammar.htm
Posted by Corry on January 13, 2011
OK just one more nibble…
If that is your argument then surely Frankie falls into the same category by having Fosters sponsor his show.
I have the feeling that we have had differing viewpoints in the past Mr Potato, your verbose and florid language alongside your questionable grammar is very familiar to me. If memory serves you mainly like playing devils advocate and don’t really give a damn about the subject at hand.
Enjoy.
Posted by FupperPing on January 13, 2011
Mark!
I’m one of this blog’s many lurkers. I have a solid, compelling reason to unlurk myself today- you haven’t been writing.
Middle finger the world!
Do, do, do write!
Posted by protopotato on January 13, 2011
If Mark was keen on muzzling his detractors I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have approved your posts to be visible on his blog.
Corry
Mark has never said that he wants to muzzle his detractors.
As other posters have pointed out, Mark has naively fallen into the category of liberal market ideology defender. The ideology of narcosis which represses discourse and promotes liberal lifestyle choice and denies the antagonistic relation to the traumatising Other of the language of real politics.
Regarding identifying oneself as a member of the disabled (mental health syndrome) community, Frankie has made the point that Mark promotes the sale of states-ponsored medication to the the communities who either describe themselves as clients or not!!
Posted by Corry on January 13, 2011
re protopotato
If Mark was keen on muzzling his detractors I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have approved your posts to be visible on his blog.
This is a ridiculous argument which is essentially intelligent fans of Mark and intelligent fans of Frankie moving on and letting it blow over what with the whole thing being completely trivial in the grand scheme of things…and then some ignorant and shouty people trying to stir up something that is irrelevant.
Really, you should find something more worthwhile to do with your time, maybe raise money for the environment, orphans, obscure football teams or children facing war, poverty and famine. Or you could just try to find good employment to feed yourself, your wife and your child. Maybe you could do something innovative that brings people from countries across the world together in a positive way creating friendships and memories that people treasure.
Or you could just go and watch someone say ‘fucking spastic’ then opine in an enthusiastic but flawed way on the blog of someone you clearly don’t like but apparently can’t resist.
That’s the last I have to say on the matter as my new years resolution was not to engage with idiots.
Posted by Suzy on January 13, 2011
Dear Protopotato,
I have no idea what you are talking about and I genuinely am trying to understand. If you have a point to make, surely it’s better to make it in language that people you are arguing with will understand, otherwise what is the point? Or are you just doing it so you can sit there smugly feeling above us? If so, go sit somewhere else, please.
If you really want to convince us of your argument you’re going to have to use normal English. Remember we’re a bit thick
Many thanks,
Suzy
Posted by Cat on January 13, 2011
To put it as simply as I can.
I think comedians out of anyone should know how not to take things seriously. It is your job after all.
Posted by protopotato on January 12, 2011
Which bit did you find too difficult Sephy (like you have not been created?).
John Bull
Basically agree with your point regarding the depoliticised.
THe word is spelt “anaesthetised” ya numpty.
Posted by john bull on January 12, 2011
Yes Frankie is extremely funny. And just what we need in the ultra PC police state we now find ourselves living in…
You police state defenders have been politically anaestheticised!!
Posted by Sephy on January 12, 2011
Is this protopotato a comedy character someone has created? Quite funny if it is.
Posted by john o shea on January 12, 2011
SELLING OUT versus Radicalism
The true corruption of the American academia is not primarily financial, it is not only that they are able to buy many European critical intellectuals (myself included), but conceptual: notions of the “European” critical theory are imperceptibly translated into the benign universe of the Cultural Studies chic. My personal experience is that practically all of the “radical” academics silently count on the long-term stability of the American capitalist model, with the secure tenured position as their ultimate professional goal (a surprising number of them even play on the stock market). If there is a thing they are genuinely horrified of, it is a radical shattering of the (relatively) safe life environment of the “symbolic classes” in the developed Western societies.”
Potato and Lacan et Malcolm,
Forgive me but this is Zizek on radical theory today.
And you expect some comic entertainer guy (Mark Watson) to understand the ideological puppetry of his narcissistic demand for group recognition\inclusion?
You need to get a grip!!
Posted by malcolm on January 12, 2011
Ha ha!
Regarding more liberal restraints, on what one can or can not say.
Just noticed reference to non sensical Godwins Law.
An example in itself par excellence of liberal naivete amounting to more imposed subjective constraint.
Posted by malcolm on January 12, 2011
Lacan and Prototype
I hear what you guys are saying in relation to repression and yes you are correct that even disabled children have sexual drive and desires.
But I do not think you can blame students for a lack of understanding of the radical implications of Lacan, Badiou, Zizek and other Freudian/linguistic theorists.
The fact is that we live in a world that has purportedly lifted sexual repression yet is far more oppressive than ever before in terms of what one is allowed to do or say.
Mark does not strive to consciously belong to the moral majority brigade.
But due to his liberal naivete re. sexuality he has actually aligned himself with moral (read market force) ideological restraints.
And as Frankie referred to, this is possibly where his sponsorship deal plays a sell out role.
Posted by Courtney on January 12, 2011
Aw, this whole thing makes me quite sad, as I do normally enjoy Frankie Boyle’s comedy, even though in recent times I think it seems like he’s resorted to becoming a caricature of himself, which a shame because he is wonderfully funny when he isn’t solely being offensive.
I rather hope that he was just having an off week, somebody happened upon your blog, misunderstood, sent him some snippets, and then he commented without taking a minute to make sure that your intent wasn’t to insult, or that he was just trying to provoke a response of some kind. I’m surprised that a comedian that makes his way by being often thought-provokingly offensive was so offended by your musings. I used to think that that sort of thing was one of the secret underlying reasons that he is so offensive, to get people to think and muse and consider the implications of pushing the boundaries of what and who a comedian should insult.
And the most hilarious thing, his fans reactions, innit? They’re fans of Frankie Boyle’s. Surely, SURELY, of all people, they should be immune to taking offense at anything, let alone a non-attack. Curious.
In any case, you are clearly neither a cunt nor a sell-out. You seem genuinely to be one of the classiest, most earnest, and nicest comedians I’ve seen; to insult you in such a way is just bizarre. And to call you a sell-out is groping at straws. I always think it’s hilarious when people act as though comedians doing adverts is something to be looked down upon, like “real” artists should prefer to starve to death than to give into bourgeois consumerism or some other pretentious idealistic sentiment they bizarrely expect from comedians. If doing a few adverts helps you do the other things that you love, that’s hardly selling out to me. I sincerely hope you don’t let anything of those insults bother you, don’t let it get you down, and I hope it all blows over quickly. Controversy isn’t fun
Posted by Amy B on January 12, 2011
@protopotato
“Same excuse as Adolfs defenders, we did not question , we just obeyed the days superegoic injunction..Baa!Baa!”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin‘s_law
You lose. Quiet time now.
Posted by Kev C on January 11, 2011
Ha! Frankie Boyle offended? You’re doing alright. Having seen him sorely misjudge the Bestival crowd in 2009, having regularly visited comedy fessies like The Cats Laughs, I think he needs self-awareness recalibration. Most of his act is now not even funny. Shame, he was an intelligent comedian. I thought you were pretty well balanced, for what it’s worth..
Posted by Lacan on January 11, 2011
Familiar with Jaques Lacan, protopotato? What you say makes sense to me.
Posted by protopotato on January 11, 2011
I think you might have just compared Mark to Hitler.
????
Your egoistic misrecognition demonstrates the level of stupidity of you depoliticised, studenty people.
Following ideologically slavishly the superegoic command to idiotically enjoy your bland lifestyle choice (denial of difference, repression of sexuality,disabled children can not have sexual desire). You are following the liberal market lead that denies antagonism and real sexual and violent difference!
Posted by Simon on January 11, 2011
I think you might have just compared Mark to Hitler.
Posted by protopotato on January 11, 2011
Unless you are a liberal cynic who loves to pretend that real (violence, sexual and racial) difference does not bloody well exist!!
Posted by protopotato on January 11, 2011
“Using jolly clever words”
Simon my dearest go back to jolly clrver world sleep!
Stop try to defending anal retented sycophancy and be careful of playing for the group. Same excuse as Adolfs defenders, we did not question , we just obeyed the days superegoic injunction..Baa!Baa!
Posted by Simon on January 10, 2011
protopotato: Just a quick heads up. Using jolly clever words like “geo-political”, “sycophant” and “depoliticise” won’t necessarily give your ramblings any extra meaning. Sorry mate.
Posted by Alan on January 10, 2011
A man who writes for the Sun and in no way challenges the beliefs of it’s readers or it’s publisher yet claims to be shocking and subversive and not care what he says is taking the money and running. He’s a massive SELL OUT! That he also doesn’t care about upsetting people but can’t handle criticism himself makes him look even more like the car crash he is probably going to become. He’s now self indulgent, self hating and a waste of what could have been a major talent if he’d actually had anything to say. And the people who think they’re edgy and dangerous for liking him are just sheep in SS uniforms at a student fancy dress party.
Posted by Ashamed Scot on January 10, 2011
Since when do we accept Boyle,s loud MOUTH insults as any type of comedy . This IDIOT needs to be controlled and brought to task over his comments . If this nasty attempt at comedy is not brought to task by television bosses it will lead to more and more insulting jokes
PLEASE LETS GET BACK TO COMEDIANS THAT ARE FUNNY AND NOT JUST IDIOTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by protopotato on January 10, 2011
Mark
You are a liberal wet round the ears sycophant.
You suggest that Frankie Boyles humour (which by the way amounts to a critique of cynical ideals (which depoliticises being) such as your own).Your suggestion that this may not represent progress gives lie to your own naive belief in geo-political,ideological progress,your retreat to safe liberal,market and state sponsored therapy and hugs. (as your fans put it) controls.Narcosis for the sheep.
That is what it means to be a sell out. You think your position as a comic is to muzzle those you are jealous of. You use your moralising,self appointed position to defend disability in order to jockey for attention.You are a complete sell out and waste of cultural space. Back to the drawing board methinks.
Posted by chris on January 10, 2011
time to grow a thicker skin mark, but perhaps not too thick, you dont want to end up like frankie with a face like an elephants foreskin
Posted by chris on January 10, 2011
thanks for letting me know youre away from home for the weekend so i can come round and shit in your breadbin, yours faithfully frankie
Posted by tinkissarah on January 9, 2011
Most people have pretty much said exactly what I feel on the subject so I’m not going to bore anyone but to quote Bry ‘I think you (Mark) are worth a hundred Frankies’.
Posted by Steve on January 9, 2011
Apologies, I meant Camay
Posted by Jo on January 9, 2011
Just wanted to say thanks for your comments about Frankie Boyle’s material. It’s great to see people challenging discrimination under the guise of entertainment. It’s a shame he has some very ignorant fans who have the gall to insult you for expressing an opinion. I’ve worked with people with learning disabilities for about fifteen years, so obviously find his comments particularly disgraceful. It’s funny he made comments about you selling out to do cider adverts (I can’t say I’ve seen them or even any of your stand up etc!) but I’d always considered Frankie one of those sell out comedians who end up just doing mediocre scripted panel shows! His defensiveness reveals a lot.
Posted by Steve on January 9, 2011
Mark, there’s no contest on humour level here, you’re miles above this sort of thing and you’re right – it will blow over.
As someone else pointed out, he can dish it out, but can’t take it. In fact he’s so sensitive, he would be a good voice for Imperial Leather as a follow up to his Mum/Sister/Aunt Katie.
Posted by charlotte on January 9, 2011
Ignore whatever abuse is being hurled at you. You didn’t attack him in 5hat blog and you certainly don’t warrant a four letter word (unless that word is nice). If you did, you wouldn’t have replied to a sixteen year old me about whether I could come to a show which, for some reason, the venue said was strictly 18+.
And I happen to prefer your adverts to tramadol nights anyway – they’re more entertaining!
X
Posted by JontyLarr on January 8, 2011
“A sellout who takes money to advertise booze to his teenage fans.” Said Frankie Boyle, whose programme is sponsored by Fosters.
1. If he’s playing the “I can say whatever I want” card, then you too can say whatever you want about that.
2. His “country of alcoholics” argument reeks of someone who hasn’t got anything rational to throw at you and reeks of Daily Mail style hysteria. Either Frankie Boyle’s struggle with alcoholism means that he now objects to the advertisements of alcohol, or more likely he’s cried like a little girl because someone from an industry that tends to stand by its own has offered both sides of the coin for a change.
Utterly bizarre overreaction.
Posted by Nikki on January 8, 2011
As a mother of a child who happen’s to have Down syndrome, I just wanted to say that we, in the Down syndrome community take these action’s quite seriously, we don’t find it funny, halarious, or even good comedy when our children are made fun of, in any manner. Here is the reality, life is hard, we struggle on so many levels, but most of all we struggle for inclusion, we struggle for our kids to fit in, and we struggle for basic human rights, which all of you take for granted. I have to fight tooth and nail for quality education, our children do learn, and they are quite bright even if the general public is totally unaware of this, so we fight for everything that our kids have. On a more important note, our kids work very hard for everything that they have accomplished, and are under the microscope for every move they make. So the reality is, that every single time someone makes a joke, or a movie, or uses the ” R ” word, you set us back 50 years, and we have to start all over again. We are parent’s just like anyone else, we want the best for our children, we want the to have success and be able to live in their communities without being bullied, we want our children to live independently and live full lives without having to resort to an institution. We want what everyone else want’s and it is unfair, for someone to stand up and make fun of our kids for the sake of a laugh. It’s not a joking matter. It’s their lives.
Posted by Ross Lawson on January 8, 2011
Here’s some self-awareness for you, Frankie.
Someone who writes a column for The Sun is in no position to be accusing others of selling out.
Posted by Bry on January 8, 2011
Seems a total over (and delayed) reaction from Frankie Boyle. What an absurd thing to take offence over. After all, you even say that you don’t claim to be above criticism yourself. For someone who gives an awful lot of criticism about people of different disabilities, races, genders etc, Frankie doesn’t seem very good at taking the criticism.
Well, I think you (Mark) are worth a hundred Frankies and there isn’t much that would possess me to see one of Frankie Boyle’s shows.
On the subject of being a sell out, are there many comedians left who haven’t made adverts? It’s your bread and butter. It’s a way to make a living. I’m not even going to pull on the “Britain is an alcoholic state” thread.
Posted by Josh on January 8, 2011
I personally think that Frankie Boyle is quite a funny comedian, and he has been over-blamed for a few controversial jokes. This just feels like a bit of a jibe too far, and I don’t understand why he would do that kind of thing when he’s looking to move out of the media spotlight. It’s a complete overreaction
I just can’t wait until the Mail gets a hold of this story
Posted by Meg on January 8, 2011
This says more about Frankie Boyle than it does about you. He’s obviously not a very nice person and has handled it badly, while you have calmly stated your side of the argument and removed yourself for a while which seems exactly the right thing to do. I really admire you for that, as I think we all do. We all care about you and think you are amazing and nothing FB says can spoil that. But it can’t be very nice for you so I hope you’re okay and that you still enjoy your weekend. *hugs* xx
Posted by Madeleine on January 8, 2011
Oh dear…
ARM THE BATTLEMENTS! STOCK UP ON TINNED CORN! We’re going to war!
How silly, what a dick move by that guy. I doubt it’ll last the weekend. In fact, it’s probably all over now and I’m too late to be at all relevent.
Posted by Becca on January 8, 2011
Hilarious. I can’t believe how out of proportion this has become, it’s ridiculous. Would like to echo all the other points saying he is a hypocrite! – maybe he was upset as there hasn’t been an article calling him outrageous for a few days and decided to take matters into his own hands.
Also, some of what his fans are saying on Twitter is ridiculous – saying they had to Google you then calling you the same word Frankie used – clearly they aren’t very intelligent because they can’t really judge if they didn’t even know who you were can they? Shows the level of those people I suppose. #teamwatson!
Posted by Sue (DiB) on January 8, 2011
As I said on Twitter, (haiku style)
Mark Watson is chalk
Stick-like, creative, arty
Frank is cheese, pungent.
Two very different people, I know who I like better; and Mark, you know how you really feel about cheese…
Posted by Hannah Mae on January 8, 2011
I just wrote a massive reply before realising how silly all this is. Essentially, he’s reacted with extreme oversensitivity to a blog that he can’t have read properly, as it quite clearly wasn’t the person attack he purports it to be. His sell out comments are, as well as hypocritical, utterly inaccurate. Selling out is not endorsing a certain cider; it’s noticing that irreverence gets laughs, doing it to death until it goes so far that the truth at the joke’s core has gone, and ending up an obnoxious dick taking cheap shots at vulnerable people in desperate attempts to try to live up to their ‘edgy’ image. His act has become boring, though, as lukewarm reactions to his new programme have shown. I don’t mean to lay into him because I’ve enjoyed his comedy in the past, but his twitter attack is disappointingly childish and really not on – he’s using his influence to encourage random strangers to give you a hard time.
You, on the other hand, have responded with the admirable grace and decency that we’ve all come to expect. Nice one, Watson. Don’t worry about it too much and have a lovely weekend.
Posted by Kate B on January 8, 2011
I really didn’t expect Frankie Boyle to be the type of person to take offense at something like that! Especially as it wasn’t even offensive in the first place. To be honest, he is being (to agree with previous commenters) a bit of a cunt. I hope you have a fantastic weekend and I hope by Monday this will all have blown over. x
Posted by Beth on January 8, 2011
Slightly off-topic, but I’m on a anti-”cunt-as-pejorative-term” kick at the moment.
Not because any of my delicate sensibilities are offended by the word (I am Queen, or at the very least, Princess, Pottymouth), but because vulvas and vaginas are amazing – they can do wonderful things like shoot babies outta there, so we should celebrate them!
Not uteruses (uterii?) though – uteresues are nasty and horrid and they should be done away with right this very instant.
Signed, Crampy Bloaty Queen Pottymouth
Posted by Irwin on January 7, 2011
Yeah look at Watson here. What a sell out with his big arena gigs, columns in The Sun, endless TV appearances, uninteresting autobiography and shameless courting of media controversy…
Oh wait. Hang on, Watson’s the one with an intensley loyal fanbase, an intimate and real relationship with those fans, original stand up shows i.e. 24 hour shows, a writer of several novels and host of pretty obscure but brilliant comedy quiz shows.
Doing a cider advert doesn’t make you a sell out. You’re a sellout if you have a talent and waste it on mediocre panel shows and the popular mainstream.
Doing a cider advert doesn’t make you less funny. Making tasteless jokes about the disabled doesn’t make you more funny, and the idea that someone like Boyle can claim to be in a position to label someone a sellout is laughable.
I’m starting out in stand up myself at the moment, and I aspire to be like, and have respect for comics like you. Even if you are a Bristol City fan. You’re an artist. Boyle is someone who had a few genuinely funny, outrageous jokes who has kept doing the same thing over and over and can only provoke reaction ang get the attention he clearly craves by picking on the weak and easy targets.
Any respect I might have had for Boyle has gone comepletely after seeing this. Your response has given me even more respect for you.
Posted by Alice on January 7, 2011
Gosh, there’s something off kielter about offending a professional ‘shock-jock’ to use an American moniker. I quite like it. I think that might make you a meta-comedian. It certainly adds a post modern self-awareness to the blog post (yes I’m working on the positives here, but I truly am amused that Mr Boyle takes offense without a trace of irony given the material in question). From the perspective of someone who’s also very competitive, often in unhelpful circumstances, I think you win this one. Rather a good way to start the weekend I reckon.
Really looking forward to another ‘Substantially Better’ series, Radio 4 comedy keeps me inspired and sane(ish).
Posted by Helen on January 7, 2011
All I really want to say is that I, like many other people, think you are brilliant and I hope you have a wonderful weekend x
Posted by Emily on January 7, 2011
Strange, I always assumed Frankie was cleverer, funnier, and better than his, at best, disappointing TV show. It is nice to see while his fans go into attack mode, your most loyal ones remain civil.
Everything has already been said in terms of support for Mark. Seconded.
Posted by Virtual Lintu on January 7, 2011
I guess a certain Mr B is looking for people to hurt /blame / attack following his mauling in the press for use of inappropriate language.
You, on the other hand Mr W, are a classy geezer!
Enjoy your weekend.
x
Posted by Penguins & Pessimism | Why Frankie Boyle Attacking Mark Watson Is A Step Too Far... on January 7, 2011
[...] lovely to see that Mark Watson has done the sensible thing and has refused to be drawn into an argument despite receiving a torrent of hatred from Frankie Boyle fans. Watson is a hundred times the man [...]
Posted by Anji on January 7, 2011
Oh dear. What a kick off to the new year….frankly 8 months behind or not, I couldnt give a flying hoot what FB thinks. Attention seeking, and just a rubbish atempt at it.
Mark, go enjoy your weekend! Have fun
Posted by The Brains on January 7, 2011
Just to let you know that it seems most of Oh No They Didn’t are behind you – http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/54897310.html
x
Posted by lisan66 on January 7, 2011
I’ve not read all the comments. But Misha is definitely right. A sellout would not have so many people coming to see you ir reading a blog like this every day. Frankie Boyle obviously has just proved that he’s not exactly nice by saying all that.
Posted by Josie on January 7, 2011
ne worry pas, mark watson!
Posted by Corey on January 7, 2011
Jesus, it was hardly an attack was it!?, it was a discussion on how far comedy should go. I should have thought given the content of his stuff he ought to be able to let it wash over him!?
Sellout because you used to advertise something?????, while his programme is sponsored by Fosters Lager….don’t get his argument. Most comedians do voiceovers dont they, and I bet most of the ones that dont wish they had the chance.
How is making a living selling out. If thats right, then he is for having a job on Channel 4. Dick
Posted by jeffinchicago on January 7, 2011
Classy response. Well crafted. Have a great weekend!
Posted by Lydia on January 7, 2011
I loved that post. I don’t think you said anything offensive though.
I hate Frankie Boyle. I know that your intention isn’t for us to bitch. But seriously. I hate him. All he does is offend people, and I do not see the talent in doing that. Anyone can offend someone. Even I could offend someone and I’m so awkward I can barely even speak sometimes.
I don’t understand why he felt the need to make the whole thing so public. He wrote that tweet knowing exactly how his fans would react, and the subsequent abuse that would be thrown completely unfairly at you. The man is pathetic.
I don’t understand how doing an advert makes you a sell out. Practically every famous person ever does adverts. I can’t help but think doing an advert is better than taking the piss about of people with learning difficulties.
I hope you’re okay and that your weekend away is fun xx
Posted by Gem on January 7, 2011
Don’t let them get you down.
Posted by Rachael on January 7, 2011
Ha. I just read the comment and I think it is the only time he has ever made me laugh.
Posted by Rachael on January 7, 2011
Seems he is abit slow on the uptake. Have a nice weekend!
Posted by Tibbs on January 7, 2011
I was really happy to read that blog post (when it came out, y’know, eight months ago!); it was nice to see that some people at least were thinking about the responsibilities of a comedian, and the place of offensive material in comedy. I think Frankie Boyle has overreacted ridiculously, and I honestly cannot see what in your post could have offended him so much.
This entire affair has only strengthened the opinions I already had of the two of you; Frankie comes off as a reactionary, unthinking jerk who just wants to stir things up, while you reply to what I see as unfair attacks in a very level-headed way. I also think the reaction of your fans and his speaks volumes.
Anyway, I hope you have a great weekend and that this situation doesn’t effect your progress toward optimism!
Posted by Paul on January 7, 2011
At a tangent slightly, ‘sell-out’ is an interesting concept, isn’t it. I don’t recall any of the material in your gigs being overly burdened with the hard-sell of booze, or smoothies for that matter. I’m no expert but I’m assuming voiceover work isn’t actually done on commission, on you going out and hounding people to drink the bloody stuff
)
When I hear a recognisable voice on the telly during the ads instead of inbetween them, I might think ‘what an odd accent for a rabbit’ but I can’t remember ever thinking ‘oh what a shame they’ve cheapened their art form’, especially when the people involved are ‘light entertainers’, to make myself sound a hundred. Regardless of your views on the material, comedy is about entertaining people and, if you’re good at it you make a little money along the way, allowing you to do what you love, and proving we kinda love what you do too. If it doesn’t alter your material, but allows you to continue writing it, I’m all for it.
Without wanting to get into the whole personal attack thing, the only comedy gig I’ve been to this year where I thought ‘sell-out’, and came away disappointed, was one of Frankie’s. He made it abundently clear he couldn’t be bothered with standup any more, and trotted through his little set piece with no enthusiasm at all, actually gloating about the fact he wouldn’t have to do it again.
It’s clear that someone who knows little of your work and wanted to cast a cheap shot could spend 30 seconds googling around, realise there were a few comments at the time around the fact that you’d (gasp) done a cider ad, tag the c word on for good measure and put a big tick on his daily to-do list next to ‘say something obscene and contentious’.
Posted by gib on January 7, 2011
I’m not sure why Mark apparently selling out has anything to do with his ability to discuss how appropriate Frankie’s joke is. Responding with insults to a blog that doesn’t draw any definite conclusions seems disproportionate. Perhaps Mr Boyle is upset that Mark didn’t discuss this with him directly. He’s right I suppose, if you’re going to say things that risk offending people you should do so to their face rather than to groups of your own fans.
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on January 7, 2011
I find it almost funny that Frankie seems to think that he alone is allowed to say what he wants to. He can offend a huge range of people on a weekly basis, but you can’t write a blog? It discussed the idea of offensive comedy, only using his work as an example because it was being discussed in the media at the time. There was no ‘attack’. Oh, and the idea that if anyone disagrees with him is automatically a cunt is charming too.
I’m assuming that he didn’t even read it properly, and is probably looking for a reaction that he can then ridicule.
You can ignore everything he’s said, Mark. You know what your fans and blog-readers think about you and your work. Chin up! xx
Posted by amycool on January 7, 2011
At the very least he should have mentioned your smoothie adverts. Smoothies are good for you, as are pears for that matter.
It all seems very pointless and petty to me. It’s a blog. A place where you air your personal views, and a place where you often have your mind changed about things. Fair enough if it was in a newspaper article but I imagine only a few hundred of us even read the blog in question. It certainly didn’t warrant swearing at you and I hope you’re not too upset by it.
Enjoy your weekend and try to forget about it. If a few people don’t like you, who gives a shit?
Posted by Tracey on January 7, 2011
I meant to add this to my earlier post but forgot – I blame the debilitating migraine I’m just getting over! I’m quite sad that all’s not well between my, personally, two favourite, funniest guys.Like I said, I expect and hope it’ll blow over.Tracey x
Posted by Aislinn on January 7, 2011
I would like to apologise in advance to you and to all the other Watsonians for this comment, but as calm as everyone else has managed to stay, I am going to get quite angry.
Quite frankly, anyone who uses the c word, particularly over something as indirect and inoffensive as your blog, is the real ….. For a comedian like Boyle, who has acquired so much renown from ridiculing whatever and whoever he likes, to get so worked up over what he seems to think is his work being criticised, is hypocritical and pathetic.
I used to like Frankie, and I’d defend him to friends of mine who were non-fans. As far as I know, though, he doesn’t have a blog with a brilliant community of friends and fans, he didn’t help make last August one of the best months of my life, and he hasn’t introduced me to any of my best friends. Zoe Fell knows quite how stony-hearted I am about things, often, but this blog (and what it means to me) is the one thing I’ll always be open about. It may be a lack of sleep but I’ve gotten a bit teary-eyed reading about this.
If you’re a cunt for commenting on your profession, in a blog aimed at your fans, and in the process of the blog bringing me together with people like Zoe, Simone, Misha, Katie, James, Sam, Hoffi, Rachel, Helen and many, many others then fine. That’s what you are and I like you for it.
Posted by Tracey on January 7, 2011
Hi Mark. I’m a big fan of both of you.I don’t use Twitter but I went and read the April blog from a year ago which I couldn’t see anyone taking exception to. I love you and Frankie to bits and hope you have a good weekend. I’m sure it’ll blow over. Tracey x
Posted by Bunky on January 7, 2011
Boyle has sadly become a parody of himself: foul-mouthed, obscene and no longer funny. He’ll soon be the butt of jokes himself. Shame as at his best he was cutting edge. But I suppose if you’re on the edge it’s easy to topple over…
Posted by Cathy on January 7, 2011
just wrote something on your HMV blog and now this, you’re not having a good New Year are you? It shows you care I suppose that you worry about this stuff but try and remember what’s important, your health, your family, your friends and your own self esteem. Don’t let it get you down, easy for us to say but hope you have a good weekend in spite of it x
Posted by Alex on January 7, 2011
This is all highly daft. I re-read the blog and I’m not even sure what he’s managed to take offence to. Seems a little hypocrtical really. He’s obviously quite keen on freedom of speech himself. It’s daft. It’ll blow over.
Speaking of blogs talking about interesting things, would anyone like to read this:
http://thesecretgaygent.blogspot.com/
It’s written by one of my best friends and I think it’s very funny and also insightful. I may be biased. But I don’t think so. He’s just done an interview with a journalist called Pip McCormac who is apparently quite big with the gays.
If anyone needs any more convincing, in one of the older blogs there is a picture of a tapir with the caption ‘wants your bad romance’.
So yeah… have a look. Spread it around if you like it. I know you all want to know what happens in gay saunas really.
Sorry to hijack the blog comments for my own purposes. I just think he deserves his own slightly cult-like following.
Have a great weekend. Remember- it’s daft. x
Posted by Phill on January 7, 2011
Just read the actual comment he left. I’ve changed my mind. It looks like a classic case of someone not reading the actual blog post. I reckon someone told Frankie that Mark had writing something derogatory about him, he came here and skimmed the blog post, assumed it was something negative, and then posted a comment.
To be honest though, assuming that someone has written something derisory about you and then posting a comment / tweet about it is pretty irresponsible given that he probably knew his fans were going to try and stir things up.
In fact, it’s the kind of thing which I would say deserves an apology from Frankie. Still, as I said before, hope this all blows over quickly. Frankie’s definitely the one in the wrong here!
Posted by Kathryn on January 7, 2011
His ire, as expressed through a four-letter word, seems pointless and misplaced. And his statement certainly hasn’t elicited the reaction he must have anticipated. We’re better than that. I hope you have a good weekend Mark despite this.
Posted by Shell on January 7, 2011
Mark – this is all nonsense and it strikes me that Frankie was ‘looking’ for something/someone to unleash his unpleasantness on this morning. A blog written last April?! Maybe he’s not had enough attention recently and is very needy. That his fans, who by definition enjoy his tone and nastiness go on similar attack is as unsurprising as it is irrelevant to the rest of us. Not people I would want to know.
You wrote two blogs mentioning his name (I re-read them) generally discussing comedy and offence, prompted because he was in the news (again) for courting controversy and with no personal attack on him. On the contrary you were respectful and pleasant about him.
Today’s tweet and blog comment by Frankie Boyle were ad hominem, utterly hypocritical, attention seeking & undeserved and have in no way improved my opinion of him.
Please try not to let this get to you and enjoy your weekend.
xx
Posted by MusicalLottie on January 7, 2011
I haven’t read the tweets but it sounds like I wouldn’t want to, but I did go back and read the comment he left. ‘Moral grandstanding’? He evidently hadn’t noticed that you actually came to no conclusion! He said some harsh things, though in fairness I was expecting the comment to be worse than it was. Though I am surprised that he took offence, as the blog wasn’t about *him*, just a choice of subject matter. And it was ages ago!
I for one think it’s important for people in the public eye to think about these things, rather than going through life not caring about causing offence. (Which, by the way, I’m not aiming at Frankie as such; it’s more of a general observation.)
Eh. Have some hugs, Mark; hopefully it will have blown over by the time you come back
Posted by Phill on January 7, 2011
It seems to me that Frankie Boyle here is just doing what he does best and being offensive. I don’t mean that in a derisive way to him, it’s just – he is known for being like that (hence the original blog post) – why get upset when he is offensive?
I don’t care much for his comedy to be honest, I don’t really pay attention to him. I just hope this doesn’t lead to any negative consequences for Mark
Posted by Hannahq on January 7, 2011
I just saw his comment and read it literally open mouthed. You were just inconclusively rambling, as you said in the blog. Also, why go stirring the whole thing up again? Publicity or something? It was last April! Anyway, you are much nicer and funnier.
Posted by Linzy on January 7, 2011
I would like to suggest just blocking him and any of his abusive fans; I found it very therapeutic!
Posted by ChrisP on January 7, 2011
Yup, like Misha says, he’s a cunt. I don’t like that word, but a few people just deserve it (It’s him and Ronaldo for me). Seriously, if he can’t tell the difference between a general statement encouraging a debate about comedy, and a personal attack on him, he’s clearly just a complete knob on an ego trip with a big bowl of shit and a whisk. Infact, his observation that you hadn’t seen the joke seems to be about as obvious as the fact he clearly hadn’t read the fucking blog anyway.
And as for advertising, plenty of comedians and entertainers do adverts these days. I’m guessing you all have bills to pay same as the rest of us. It’s not like you were selling crack to school kids or anything. If I had to watch more than about a minute of Frankie Boyle without a massive bag of sleeping pills or a couple of razor blades I’d probably turn to drink anyway. That god he’s not on TV much anymore.
Posted by Zoe Fell on January 7, 2011
Dearie me. It’s an interesting one. But what it does show is how much nicer Mark Watson fans are than FB fans. We don’t go picking fights for the sake of it.
We love you to bits Mark, please don’t forget that. And have a spiffing weekend.
Xxx
Posted by Katie on January 7, 2011
I’d like to second what Misha’s said. We wouldn’t be here if you were any of the things he chose to address you as. Have a lovely weekend, Mark. x
Posted by Misha on January 7, 2011
Also. An angry Watsonians might consider reading this first http://www.markwatsonfans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=489&p=17290#p17290
Posted by Misha on January 7, 2011
Oh Mark, I’d like to say Boyle is being a cunt (which he is) but I feel it would rather devalue any argument we could make against his anger or that of his fans.
Anyway, personally, I don’t think you’re any of the things he said in that tweet. Otherwise you wouldn’t have a whole load of us willing to read blogs, turn up to gigs with pens, trail half way across the country to see the show or start a stupid fan forum eh?
So, to conclude, ignore the shouty people. And have a nice weekend.
*hug*