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Frankie Boyle targets Jordan's disabled son
Friday 10 December 2010
Katie Price reacts to comedian's 'vile' jokes
Media watchdog Ofcom is to investigate the content of Frankie Boyle's Channel 4 show, after receiving complaints from members of the public and a letter from Katie Price's lawyers.
The model and reality TV star (also known as 'Jordan') instructed her lawyers to make the complaint following jokes Frankie Boyle made about her disabled son, Harvey.
During his Channel 4 show 'Tramadol Nights', the comedian's comments included: "Jordan and Peter Andre are still fighting each other over custody of Harvey. Eventually one will lose and will have to keep him."
He went on to say that he had a theory about why Price had married cage fighter Alex Reid, before delivering a highly offensive punchline about Harvey.
Eight-year-old Harvey Price is autistic and has septo-optic dysplasia. Price and her ex-husband, Peter Andre, have said that they are "absolutely disgusted and sickened" by the joke.
In a statement on her website, Price said: "Harvey Price is a little miracle. Every day he overcomes so many difficulties with the help of family and medical experts and has so many tiny battles to win... To bully this unbelievably brave child is despicable, to broadcast it on television is to show a complete and utter lack of judgment."
Mockery
Esther Foreman, Mencap's campaigns manager, said: "It is disgusting that Frankie Boyle has chosen to target a child with a disability with these so-called jokes. Ignorant views like this help to fuel the verbal and physical abuse that people with a disability, and their families, are regularly subjected to. 'Comedy' like this takes us back to the dark ages."
Channel 4 has said the joke was during the context of a late-night comedy show and an 'absurdist and satirical comment' on a high-profile individual.
Ofcom's investigation will look at whether the jokes breached the broadcasting code on harmful and/or offensive material and whether any offence that was caused to viewers is justified by the context.
Earlier this year, the learning disability community reacted angrily after Boyle mocked people with Down's syndrome in a live show.
Read opinion and comment about Frankie Boyle's jokes on Mencap's Talk Learning Disability website
Join Mencap's fight against discrimination by signing up to the Be Mencap enewsletter
Comments
And now making fun of Rebecca Adlington? Hmmm ... another one of Frankie's jokes? All noted and mounting up. Won't be the first to have a sudden non-career. His millions? How long will that stash last with a career like Jake Lamotta? Its only a matter of time. I'm suddenly taking an interest in this person.
It was a joke most jokes to target some 1 or groups but no offence is ment i did find it funny and kaite price is shocking how she can say anything about any 1 the fact when she was heavly pregnant she was getting wasted
disabled people are equal to everybody else! they are equal in the way that they should be treated with the respect that ordinary people are treated with! however, they are not equal in the way that they cant stand up for themselves! it doesnt matter if this is on the same scale as a terrorist attack! the fact is it is still wrong! this innocent child has had a VERY difficult life and it isnt fair to joke about something that he cant help! i liked frankie boyle but it is disgusting to bully a disabled child! if anybody finds this funny then they are sick! it is easy to joke about disabilities when you arent the one who has to live life in difficulty every day! these are the kind of jokes that will provoke and support attacks on the disabled! this to me is just the same as being racist! its bullying an 8 year old child who has a difficult life and that is just terrible! its like kicking a puppy with a broken leg! i hate frankie boyle now!! he deserves to become disabled and then we will see how funny he finds it when he is given funny looks and given abuse and bullied!! sick idiot!!!
I did have a good argument planned out in order to make the point that people laugh at all types of things they shouldn't. racist jokes, religious jokes ect. so you shouldnt start shouting at someone cause they did something you find offensive.
But then i remembered i was on the mencap website so id be preaching to a people who wouldnt understand. and i dont mean because of disabilities but because people here spend alot of time with disabled children and would find this the highest of insults.
Im not saying what he did was a good thing but people laugh at things far worse than disabilities, and before there is an argument about what is worse, as long as the kid is happy, i dont mean 100% normal but if he can have fun, his life to him, is good.
Its always the way, everytime a comedian is too lazy or useless to be funny they jsut fall back on being insulting then claim they're "Pushing the boundary" or "Being controversial".
Its just shame such talentless people are allowed to pontificate and cause untold distress to hundreds of people they've never met.
Hilarious?
What? Are you seriously saying that its is ok to target an individual child because they are disabled? Would you feel the same if Boyle choose your child to ridicule? Why not post a video of someone you care deeply about on the internet and invite comments from all comers. Then see how funny it is.
Boyle infers that disabled children are so worthless and burdensome that no parent would want them. He then goes on to accuse a child of being a danger to his mother because he has a learning disability. One of the first questions I get asked by professionals about my son 'is he agressive?' as soon as they learn he has LD.
Boyle did not make fun of people with disabilities, he made vile, unfunny comments about ONE child and named him.
As for KP doing herself no favours by exposing her children - why was Harvey the only one targeted?
I am astounded that anyone would think these comments funny. They are purile and attention seeking. A sign of desperation not wit.
I thought it was hilarious. Are you trying to tell me that disabled people are above everyone else and should be free from being made fun of ?
I'm afraid Katie Price has done any of her children any favours....I am not defending what the comedian did or did not say but through out his life in my opinion she has exploited all her children for her own aims. When asked how she juggled her "modelling career" and having to be a hands on carer.....in a magazine article she stated "when he was 'playing up' on photo shoots she would throw a bag of crisps all over the floor and because of his eye sight it would take Harvey two hours to pick them up leaving her time to carry on with her photo shoot. Are these the words of a mother respectful of her son?
Channel 4 ought to be ashamed of such a pathetic attempt to justify an outrageous comment which is completely unacceptable however late at night it was broadcast. Instead of effectively endorsing Mr Boyle's behaviour and discriminatory attitude, they should insist on a public apology, and if that is not forthcoming, remove him from their schedules immediately.