Jo Brand and Battery Acid

chris_bass

What do people make of the Jo Brand joke about using battery acid instead of milkshakes, the actual quote is:

Jo Brand wrote:

Well, yes I would say that but that's because certain unpleasant characters are being thrown to the fore and they're very, very easy to hate and I'm kind of thinking: 'Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?

I think the mistake in the "joke" is that she said something that wasn't far fetched enough - if she had said hot lava or something obviously ridiculous it would have been an obvious joke that no one in their right mind or not could have taken as an incitement of violence.

But given the number of actual acid attacks has been increasing recently it is a reasonably real situation. and some deranged individual may think it sounds like a good idea.

that said, the type of person likely to carry out such an attack is not likely to be listening to radio 4 in the evening (probably). so the fact it has now been so widely reported has meant that far more mad/deranged/unstable individuals will have heard it. kind of the Streisand effect at it's best!

keef66

Made me wince a bit.
I always chuckle when she does "the way to a man's heart is through his hankie pocket with a bread-knife" but chucking acid at politicians doesn't work in the same way.

meursault

I don't believe she is being literal. But it's not in good taste. Humour is humour is humour. You find things funny or you don't. I don't believe there is some kind of line to cross or not.

dabber

A crass comment from an unfunny woman.

rjsterry

Chris Bass wrote:

What do people make of the Jo Brand joke about using battery acid instead of milkshakes, the actual quote is:

Jo Brand wrote:

Well, yes I would say that but that's because certain unpleasant characters are being thrown to the fore and they're very, very easy to hate and I'm kind of thinking: 'Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?

I think the mistake in the "joke" is that she said something that wasn't far fetched enough - if she had said hot lava or something obviously ridiculous it would have been an obvious joke that no one in their right mind or not could have taken as an incitement of violence.

But given the number of actual acid attacks has been increasing recently it is a reasonably real situation. and some deranged individual may think it sounds like a good idea.

that said, the type of person likely to carry out such an attack is not likely to be listening to radio 4 in the evening (probably). so the fact it has now been so widely reported has meant that far more mad/deranged/unstable individuals will have heard it. kind of the Streisand effect at it's best!

First of all there's a bit more of the quote after the battery acid bit.

"...That’s just me. I’m not going to do it. It’s purely a fantasy, but I think milkshakes are pathetic, I honestly do, sorry."

Secondly it's on a programme called Heresy, the whole premise of which is saying the unsayable.

Jokes out of context are always a tricky one, so difficult to judge without hearing the whole thing as opposed to reading an edited version.

I agree that chucking milkshake over people is pathetic, though.

Jez mon

Not very funny, but a big waste of police time.

In the nazi pug case a judge ruled that context doesn't matter. If it goes to court and that was concluded again, then I guess Brand will get into trouble.

Of course, the right should stop being bloody snowflakes about things.

Matthewfalle

Dabber wrote:

A crass comment from an unfunny woman.

this. she was never funny, just really annoying. now she's just outdated and unfunny.

joe2008

oxoman wrote:

Personally who is she, last in the queue for receiving her looks that's for sure.

Nice... would you have posted a similar comment on the Danny Baker thread?

PhilipPirrip

joe2008 wrote:

oxoman wrote:

Personally who is she, last in the queue for receiving her looks that's for sure.

Nice... would you have posted a similar comment on the Danny Baker thread?

With the Big Girls Thread gone misogynists have to take their opportunities wherever they can.

craigus89

Who gives a t0ss?

Does anyone think some lunatic is going to do actually do it with their motive being because Jo Brand said it in a joke?

joe2008

oxoman wrote:

Biggest problem nowadays as already mentioned is to many snowflakes. People getting upset for other people who really don't give a monkeys is really annoying. Some subjects should be left alone, like atrocities from WW2 to today and harming others, otherwise poking fun in jest at others within reason is acceptable.

But you're not poking fun in jest are you? You're being sexist.

You should also look at getting your 'to' and 'too' sorted out

Wayne Plunger

The reason there is not more "engineered social outrage" is that Farage is white, male and to my knowledge has never "come out"

If the subject of the joke had been a black lesbian you can be sure the police would have set up a task force by now to investigate.

awavey

Craigus89 wrote:

Who gives a t0ss?

Does anyone think some lunatic is going to do actually do it with their motive being because Jo Brand said it in a joke?

no the issue isnt the joke, its the double standard, say if Jim Davidson had used the same style of joke against Jess Phillips, do you think the commentariat including the MSM would have been demanding anything less than a full police investigation, prosecution and sacking from any paid work he was getting from the BBC ?

no the police shouldnt be wasting their time on this kind of thing at all, but that should apply to anyone making such styles of joke from across the entire political spectrum, people shouldnt be making judgements about whether they approve of those things just because it chimes with their own personal political outlook.

robert88

I'd rather she had not said it. But it did remind me of Farage defending Katie Hopkins:

Hopkins took to Twitter the slam the Scottish NHS after Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey was transferred to London’s Royal Free Hospital for treatment.

She chastised the "little sweaty jocks" for "sending us Ebola bombs in the form of sweaty Glaswegians".

In a separate message, she tweeted: "Glaswegian Ebola patient moved to London's Royal Free Hospital. Not so independent when it matters most are we jocksville?"

Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said it is a "terrible waste of police time" to investigate Katie Hopkins over allegedly offensive tweets she sent about a Glaswegian nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Farage made the comments after police in Scotland confirmed they are making inquiries following complaints about the controversial media personality’s outburst.

He suggested the response was disproportionate, telling the Daily Mail: "There’s no need for police intervention, it’s a terrible waste of police time.

Now

Nigel Farage has demanded police take action against Jo Brand for "incitement of violence" after the comedian joked about throwing battery acid at politicians.

Admittedly Farage is a figure who might well fear physical attack due to his politics but I would suggest his supporters are far more dangerous than his opponents and might see acid attacks as a fair reprisal for a milkshake.

So yes, I wish Jo Brand had thought twice.

Jez mon

Wayne Plunger wrote:

The reason there is not more "engineered social outrage" is that Farage is white, male and to my knowledge has never "come out"

If the subject of the joke had been a black lesbian you can be sure the police would have set up a task force by now to investigate.

The police are investigating, there's been tons of engineered social outrage...

Maybe farage could boycott the BBC if he feels this strongly about it.

FocusZing

Jez mon wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

The reason there is not more "engineered social outrage" is that Farage is white, male and to my knowledge has never "come out"

If the subject of the joke had been a black lesbian you can be sure the police would have set up a task force by now to investigate.

The police are investigating, there's been tons of engineered social outrage...

Maybe farage could boycott the BBC if he feels this strongly about it.

It's a tricky one for the Police and the BBC after Danny Bakers faux pas.

Jez mon

Robert88 wrote:

I'd rather she had not said it. But it did remind me of Farage defending Katie Hopkins:

Hopkins took to Twitter the slam the Scottish NHS after Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey was transferred to London’s Royal Free Hospital for treatment.

She chastised the "little sweaty jocks" for "sending us Ebola bombs in the form of sweaty Glaswegians".

In a separate message, she tweeted: "Glaswegian Ebola patient moved to London's Royal Free Hospital. Not so independent when it matters most are we jocksville?"

Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said it is a "terrible waste of police time" to investigate Katie Hopkins over allegedly offensive tweets she sent about a Glaswegian nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Farage made the comments after police in Scotland confirmed they are making inquiries following complaints about the controversial media personality’s outburst.

He suggested the response was disproportionate, telling the Daily Mail: "There’s no need for police intervention, it’s a terrible waste of police time.

Now

Nigel Farage has demanded police take action against Jo Brand for "incitement of violence" after the comedian joked about throwing battery acid at politicians.

Admittedly Farage is a figure who might well fear physical attack due to his politics but I would suggest his supporters are far more dangerous than his opponents and might see acid attacks as a fair reprisal for a milkshake.

So yes, I wish Jo Brand had thought twice.

This would be the same Farage who won brexit 'without a shot being fired' and would would 'pick up his rifle' if politicians don't deliver brexit.

Apparently that's a metaphorical bullet, and a metaphorical rifle. So perhaps when it comes to language, it's fine to talk in metaphors, but jokes are to be taken literally.

cougie

That Farage is a bit of a snowflake isn't he ?

rjsterry

Jez mon wrote:

Maybe farage could boycott the BBC if he feels this strongly about it.

We can but hope.

crispybug2

Just a really unfunny remark, I don’t think it was deliberately malicious, in much the same way as Danny Baker, but very badly judged!

rjsterry

oxoman wrote:

Joe, one comment only, Dilligaf.

Yes.

chris_bass

oxoman wrote:

Biggest problem nowadays as already mentioned is to many snowflakes. People getting upset for other people who really don't give a monkeys is really annoying. Some subjects should be left alone, like atrocities from WW2 to today and harming others, otherwise poking fun in jest at others within reason is acceptable.

I think here is the problem - who gets to decide what should be left alone and what should be ok?

you seem to think that making fun of how women look is fair game - others would disagree
you don't think jokes about WW2 are not ok - some people will

we live in a time where people seem quick to take offence (often justified) but equally many people seem to get as offended by people taking offence and it escalates and then only the two ends of the spectrum end up arguing with each other.

Jez mon

Chris Bass wrote:

oxoman wrote:

Biggest problem nowadays as already mentioned is to many snowflakes. People getting upset for other people who really don't give a monkeys is really annoying. Some subjects should be left alone, like atrocities from WW2 to today and harming others, otherwise poking fun in jest at others within reason is acceptable.

I think here is the problem - who gets to decide what should be left alone and what should be ok?

you seem to think that making fun of how women look is fair game - others would disagree
you don't think jokes about WW2 are not ok - some people will

we live in a time where people seem quick to take offence (often justified) but equally many people seem to get as offended by people taking offence and it escalates and then only the two ends of the spectrum end up arguing with each other.

I caught the end of the radio 4 show in question, there was a joke concerning World War 2 atrocities. It was much funnier imo, than brand's joke.

rolf_f

Craigus89 wrote:

Who gives a t0ss?

Does anyone think some lunatic is going to do actually do it with their motive being because Jo Brand said it in a joke?

You have to remember - people are really, really, really, really stupid (some are so stupid they throw acid on people). I actually don't think it is entirely impossible that morons joking about the Jo Brand comment might finish up with "wouldn't it be funny if we.....".

Though of course the irony is that this is all far more likely since it got splashed across the front pages of the tabloids. Buried in an obscure Radio programme nobody would have noticed.

Also ironic Farage playing the "incite to violence card". He's based his career on that at least indirectly.

robert88

Brand has apologised for her joke. As former leader of UKIP, Farage will know how that 'sorry' is the hardest word.

DeVlaeminck

I think an apology is the right thing to do. I like Jo Brand, I find her funny, I'd probably laugh at her joke if she made it in private conversation.

However I do agree with whoever made the point earlier that if this joke were made by a right leaning public figure or comedian about a left leaning politician many of the people who found it funny would find it at the very least distasteful.

There's a difference between what is acceptable amongst friends and what is acceptable on a mainstream public performance or broadcast and this probably crossed it - it's not a hanging offence though.

rick_chasey

So am I right in thinking Farage now *does* think that what people say popular platforms say can impact people's behaviour?

photonic69

An ill judged remark - but in Farage's case funny as f*%k as it might make the little cnútz face more bearable.

She would have been better to have said "...throw a bucket of piss instead of milkshake, but it would be a shame to waste a bucket of piss like that" which I personally think is funnier than the acid remark

Anyway, it's Radio 4 FFS! They think mindless, impressionable yobs listen to that? (Tory cabinet as an exception). What's said on Radio 4 Stays on Radio 4

Edit -why can't I say "piss" and it auto translates to "wee-wee"!!! Haha!!
pi$$ pi$$ piS$ pizz

Stevo_666

I'm sure she didn't really mean it, which is just as well. It would be a risky strategy for anyone who is quite partial to a milkshake or two.

chris_bass

Stevo 666 wrote:

I'm sure she didn't really mean it, which is just as well. It would be a risky strategy for anyone who is quite partial to a milkshake or two.

Kelis?

rjsterry

Chris Bass wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

I'm sure she didn't really mean it, which is just as well. It would be a risky strategy for anyone who is quite partial to a milkshake or two.

Kelis?

I now want protesters to turn up to Farage events with a big sound system playing Milkshake and some dancers. Much more effective than some hoodies lobbing drinks. Maybe Jo Brand lip-synching as well.