Despicable Frankie Boyle

Comic Frankie Boyle slammed by family of Maddie McCann for jokes at Liverpool Philharmonic
Oct 27 2010 by John Sutton, Liverpool Echo

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THE LIVERPOOL grandad of missing Madeleine McCann hit out after a comic made “low” jokes about her disappearance.
Brian Healy, dad to Madeleine’s mum Kate, told the ECHO he and his family were angry and hurt after Scottish stand-up Frankie Boyle made gags about the night the three-year-old went missing and how the family were coping.
Boyle is best known as a panellist of TV game show Mock the Week, but when he transfers from screen to stage is notorious for telling shocking jokes, regularly using rape or child abuse as his subject matter.
Mr Healy, 71, said although he hadn’t seen the show at the Philharmonic Hall on Hope Street on Saturday night, friends had told him what was said.
Mr Healy said: “If he’s making jokes like that he must be very short of material.
“That is really low, bottom of the barrel stuff, going to that sort of level just to get a laugh.”
Advertising for the show, called “I Would Happily Punch Every One of you in the Face”, carried warnings about the content.
Boyle played three sell-out shows at the Philharmonic over Saturday and Sunday, and was seen by nearly 5,000 people.
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A spokesman for the venue said not one complaint about the content had been received.
Mr Healy, who lives with wife Susan on Wembley Road, Allerton, where GP Kate, 42, grew up, said the family still haven’t given up hope Madeleine, who would have turned seven in May, might one day be found.
He added: “He might think he’s joking, but things are very difficult for us.
“People say about things like this ‘move on’, but we’ve nothing to move on from.
“There’s nothing to suggest she’s been hurt, and miracles can happen.”.
Madeleine went missing from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007, sparking a worldwide search that continues to this day.
Mr Healy said: “Kate and Gerry haven’t given up. We last saw them about a month ago, and they are holding up and holding on. It might seem like it has faded from other people’s minds, but it hasn’t from ours.”
The ECHO contacted Boyle’s London-based management company Chambers Management for a comment, but our calls and emails were not returned.

Maddie loss is no joke
Oct 27 2010 Liverpool Echo

THERE are few things more subjective than humour. What makes one person laugh, will leave another unmoved.
But there can be few, if any, who would consider the disappearance of a little girl and the subsequent turmoil of her family to be an appropriate subject for comedy.
Gerry and Kate McCann must live every day with the spectre of what happened in Portugal; the not knowing and the soul-searching.
And yet seemingly Frankie Boyle considers that to be a situation to make fun of.
Liverpudlians are sometimes accused of lacking a sense of humour when it comes to jokes at our expense.
But this isn’t a good natured jibe, teasing the city and its residents. This is specifically aimed at one girl, one family, one tragedy.
We are renowned across the country for our wit and our quick turn of phrase, but it takes no quick wit to pick on an innocent target like the McCanns.
In Liverpool, of all places, Boyle had a right to show some kind of sensitivity and respect.
But perhaps that isn’t his strong suit. After all, the tour is called “I would happily punch every one of you in the face” and the comedian has carved himself quite a reputation for his shocking material.
Perhaps he would simply attribute these jokes to his ‘pulling no punches’ routine, something he has so successfully traded on.
There is a world of difference, though, between attacking a public figure or faceless organisation in the name of comedy, and exacerbating the suffering of a family who have already been through so much.
No matter what a comedian’s style, certain subjects should be off limits. What those subjects are is dictated by the inherent sense of decency within most people.
This is a trait which appears to be sadly lacking in Frankie Boyle.
Although perhaps the fact that he has upset a traumatised family further will simply appeal to his sense of controversy.

Frankie Boyle, know this: you have no right to makes jokes about Madeleine, or about any other family, she is not lost, so, shame on you.

What would be your reaction if someone started to make jokes about you, about your family? I´m sure you wouldn´t like that. So, stop once and for all your disgusting jokes, because they are not appreciated, not needed nor welcome.

Shame on you Boyle.

bad taste is just plain bad taste, it is not funny, and if a so called comedian can only get a laugh by 'shocking' and bad taste jokes on sensitive issues, then it is time he gave it up and got a real job.

After all, the job of a comedian is to be funny.

I just say this: sweet Madeleine McCann is very much alive in our prayers, thoughts, hopes, minds, until the day of her safe return.

It's also not even topical anymore. It's three years old - he's still using this material? He IS lazy.