[Shaun]

The mother of a five-year-old girl with Down's syndrome has criticised comedian Frankie Boyle for poking fun at people with the condition during a live show.

Sharon and Keiron Smith, of Hampshire, were sat in the front row of the star's sold out gig in Reading's Hexagon theatre when he made the jokes.

Mrs Smith said she told the comic she was upset but he told her she should have known what to expect at his show.

The former Mock The Week panellist refused to comment.

Mrs Smith, who has a daughter called Tanzie, said she was a fan of the comedian's "dry, cutting, sense of humour" during his appearances on the BBC2 show.

She told BBC Radio Five Live's Victoria Derbyshire she had been enjoying the live show before Boyle joked about people with Down's syndrome.

She said: "He made fun of their parents being old and out of touch, he made fun of the way people with Down's syndrome speak.

"He made a number of references to people with Down's syndrome dying early."

She added: "I have to say I had never heard him on Mock the Week poking fun of people with disabilities, it was not something I was aware of he did.

"We had obviously heard him making fun of other people, but quite often his humour appears to be clever humour or making a point about something.

"OK, he can be cutting, but he will often be using his humour to make a point, whereas the type of jokes he was making about people with Down's syndrome I don't see there was any point being made."

Mrs Smith said that during the whole segment her heart was racing and she wanted to cry but that most of the audience were laughing as far as she was aware.

She said Boyle noticed her talking to her husband and asked them what they were saying.

She wrote on her blog: "I told him that my five-year-old daughter has Downs syndrome and that I was simply upset at some of his jokes.

"He tried to laugh it off - 'Ah, but it's all true isn't it? Everything I have said is true isn't it?' To which I replied 'No, it wasn't'.

"He then went on to say that it was the most excruciating moment of his career but then tried to claw the humour back by saying we had paid to come and see him and what should we expect?

"To which I replied that I understood that and that it was my personal problem/upset."

She said Boyle then embarked on an explanation to the audience of his background and why he he was "so nasty".

Last year Mock The Week's producers were criticised by the BBC Trust over comments Boyle made about swimmer Rebecca Adlington's appearance on the show.

Another complaint against Mock The Week, relating to a comment Boyle made about the Queen, was not upheld as a breach of editorial standards by the trust.

Biased title? Kiss my ass. He's renowned for a controversial style of humour. What the **** was she expecting? Quirky obvservations of airline food?

[BB_Eye]

I hope she doesn't see this video.

Youtube video

[MrGaryy]

TBH I don't like it when comedians joke about disabled people especially kids. Only because with blacks, asians, gays, gypsies, jews, whatever, they can all fight back but with people with disabilities your picking on those who can't retaliate.

But then I don't like Frankie anyway so whatever.

[BB_Eye]

Originally Posted by MrGaryy

TBH I don't like it when comedians joke about disabled people especially kids. Only because with blacks, asians, gays, gypsies, jews, whatever, they can all fight back but with people with disabilities your picking on those who can't retaliate.

But then I don't like Frankie anyway so whatever.

I agree. He relies on cheap shocks to generate laughs without any of the requisite wit to give it a sense of purpose. I realise my comment is totally hypocritical given my previous post, but I don't care.

[WOMBAI]

She sounded quite reasonable to me - not some miserable old bitch! Good on her for having the guts!

[red]

im a big frankie boyle fan but think he's really gone too far this time, but then i havent heard his 'joke' ....still it would have been cool if he'd just apologised to the lady after the show

[arista]

Originally Posted by red

im a big frankie boyle fan but think he's really gone too far this time, but then i havent heard his 'joke' ....still it would have been cool if he'd just apologised to the lady after the show

Yes this Lady has a Daughter with this Condition
He should have spoken to her afterwoods.


She went on Radio 5 live
saying she just posted a twitter blog
and did not want to talk about it much.

If You post a Blog online and it gets big
then that is your fault.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by arista

saying she just posted a twitter blog
and did not want to talk about it much.

LOL. riiiiight.

[arista]

"He's renowned for a controversial style of humour."


Shaun the BBC sacked him
many will now have to Avoid him
although Brooker on Ch4 has him

[red]

Originally Posted by arista

"He's renowned for a controversial style of humour."


Shaun the BBC sacked him
many will now have to Avoid him
although Brooker on Ch4 has him

definitely did not get sacked by the beeb he said that he just got bored after 7 seasons and just didnt like the restrictions of the bbc

[arista]

Originally Posted by red

definitely did not get sacked by the beeb he said that he just got bored after 7 seasons and just didnt like the restrictions of the bbc

Sure but they see it as a Sack.

[InOne]

Originally Posted by MrGaryy

TBH I don't like it when comedians joke about disabled people especially kids. Only because with blacks, asians, gays, gypsies, jews, whatever, they can all fight back but with people with disabilities your picking on those who can't retaliate.

But then I don't like Frankie anyway so whatever.

Yeah i'd agree with that. Cheap humour.

[Jack_]

I have an uncle with downs syndrome, but seriously, a joke is a JOKE. Nothing more, nothing less. So I'm not going to get all pissy about it.

It really grates on me when people have to get on their high horse about these sorts of things. She should've known what to expect anyway.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I have an uncle with downs syndrome, but seriously, a joke is a JOKE. Nothing more, nothing less. So I'm not going to get all pissy about it.

It really grates on me when people have to get on their high horse about these sorts of things. She should've known what to expect anyway.

Maybe she went as a set up
someone asked her to go and then make a Blog.
You never know.


She shouted out at him as he said it.


He should have spoken to her at the end, though.

[WOMBAI]

Truly funny people don't need to resort to such jokes! Personally - can't see what is funny about taking the piss out of disabled people - think people that find it funny are just as sad as those telling them!

[setanta]

It's all about the context really, and before I pass comment I'd have to read or listen to the full sketch. Nothing is really off limits for a comedian in my eyes, as long as there's a method, form and weight of intellect behind the madness.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by arista

"He's renowned for a controversial style of humour."


Shaun the BBC sacked him
many will now have to Avoid him
although Brooker on Ch4 has him

Did they sack him? I thought he left.