Comedy

Controversial comedian Frankie Boyle is set to return to The Hexagon later this month
advertisement

Frankie Boyle set for return to The Hexagon

April 13, 2010

Controversial comedian Frankie Boyle is set to return to The Hexagon later this month.

But his performance there last Wednesday proved a distressing experience for a mother of a little girl with Down’s Syndrome.

The comic started making jokes about the condition to the distress of Sharon Smith from Hampshire sitting in the front row.

Mrs Smith, 36, in her blog described her daughter as a “beautiful, feisty, determined five-year-old”

She wrote: “I expected dry, nasty, crude humour, yes, but unimaginative humour poking fun at the stereo type of people with Down Syndrome was not something I expected.

“I don’t know whether he had planned to include a section on poking fun at people with Down Syndrome or whether it simply led on from a joke he was making about Microsoft (following audience interaction) so I have no idea whether or not this part of his show will be included in the rest of the ‘I would happily punch every one of you in the face’ tour or not.

“He did not seem to be stopping – jokes about the way people with DS talk, jokes about the way they dress, jokes about the jobs they can do, jokes about their haircuts, jokes about their parents being old and old-fashioned.”

She went on: “The more jokes he made the harder I found it to stay unemotional and detached – my husband noticed and asked if I was OK. At which point Frankie noticed him talking to me and came over (Oh how I wish I had not booked front row seats).

“He asked why we were talking during his show. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I have never felt so small, so stupid, so emotional and so pathetic.

“How can a stranger make me feel like that?”

Mrs Smith spoke up and said she had a five-year-old daughter with Down’s Syndrome to which Mr Boyle suggested that what he had said was all true and she replied that it was not.

Mrs smith said he then admitted it was the most excruciating moment in his career going on to say it was his last tour ever and that he “didn’t give a f***”.

The comments turned the night into “a complete disaster” for Mrs Smith

Sarah Cox, head of communication at Reading Arts said she would not comment on the matter.

And Mr Boyle’s agent also refused to comment.

The comedian is returning to The Hexagon on Wednesday, April 28.

| Submit Comments | View Comments (27)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 27

1 | 2 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

Oh hush up, hes hilarious, get a sense of humour lol

Detective John Kimble, Tilehurst, Reading
15/04/2010 at 08:11

Look he can't be that much of a good comedian if the only jokes he can come up with are little more than playground smut jokes.Anyone who finds him funny shows they're not much pass school age. As for mocking someone born handicapped who can't defend themselves that just shows him up as a school playground bully.

bahumbug, Reading
14/04/2010 at 23:08

Haha, she should have known wot was gonna happen, its frankie boyle for Gods sake!! If we can't laugh about lifes problems then how can we expect to face them clearly. Plus i agree with everyone else, i think she was probably laughing at everything else so it seems a tad hippicritical!!

Detective John Kimble, Tilehurst, Reading
14/04/2010 at 08:12

' "Frankie Boyle is brilliant, he's a comedian" no he's not. he's a foul mouthed attention seeking idiot. We had to turn off Mock The Week because of his vile, crass and unwarranted idea of a 'joke'. And I say that as a committed Viz reader.' YER WHAT??

He is one of the reasons I watch Mock the Week - and I used to like Viz, in its early days..... LOVE Frankie Boyle!!

Rags, West Reading
14/04/2010 at 01:04

Frankie who?

Victoria
13/04/2010 at 23:56

One of those "Quotes Of The Day" that I thought quite ... apt : Well, the telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful. - Kurt Vonnegut

Zadadka, Reading
13/04/2010 at 22:42

My wife suffers from Epilepsy, and was a child born out of wedlock to an under age mother. She doesn't go whinging to the press everytime someone uses the word bastard or takes the mickey out of epileptics. This woman wants to accept that some people can find humour in any sort of difference between people, short, tall, fat or thin. Get over it !

rebel without a corset, blackpool
13/04/2010 at 21:38

Did anyone else spot him as an extra in 'Outnumbered' on Saturday? He was behind the lead character in Trafalgar Square.

I've been a great fan of his - but have been put off by these revelations about his DS joke. I'm undecided (and a little uneasy now).

Steve Berry
13/04/2010 at 19:27

The five year old girl wasnt in there with her mum, it was adult jokes, i dont like some comedians not keen on Jimmy Jones but my mate loves him im sure it was just one of those thing but like everything now you cant talk about to much as you get sued or put in the local paper!!!

local res
13/04/2010 at 17:58

I've got to admit to thinking, that prior to the down syndrome jokes, this lady was probably belly laughing about other things other people in the audience may have found a bit too close to the bone.

If you pay your money for this type of show, excpect to get a little shocked by what you hear.

We need not fear what we find funny, by the same token we must not bully. Fear and Bullying are both survial instincts and both by some degree can be controled.

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
13/04/2010 at 15:41

As someone who actually witnessed what happened, yes Mr Boyle was 'unimaginative' and the 'face off' between the comedian and the couple was awkward to watch I find that the couple are in the wrong just as much as Frankie. They weren't just talking amongst themselves they were also texting other people. Also after the incident took place, Mr and Mrs Smith remained in their seats, with what can only be described as enjoying the show before - if this is inaccurate I do apologise, but were the Smiths laughing at all the other crude jokes before the DS section? I think so. The proper thing would be to leave after the offending material, speak to the house manager and then ask to speak to the theatre manager these two didn't. They ran straight to their blogs, and to the media - I opened my Saturday paper to see the Boyle story with a picture of the child. How distasteful, using a child to pull at the hearts of the nation. Boyle's never claimed to be tame, and the Smiths should have known this or they would never have bought FRONT ROW tickets. This just seems to be a sitiuation that's got out of control.

studdedthorns
13/04/2010 at 14:47

I'm just glad we have comedians like Frankie Boyle who aren't so PC that they aren't funy anymore for fear of upsetting a couple of people. You can't make controversial jokes without upsetting someone, and we all know what Frankie Boyle and even Jimmy Carr are like - the best! Thats why they sell out most of the dates on their tours.

Hugh J, Reading
13/04/2010 at 14:44

Find me a joke that isn't offensive to someone ...... another slow news day

Spanky
13/04/2010 at 14:43

LOL @ Arthur Mo comparing Frankie Boyle to Viz, that's like comparing Jade Goody to Princess Di, there will only ever be one English Rose RIP Jade

Tredder, Sandhurst
13/04/2010 at 14:10

I agree with many of the sentiments here - don't go to watch a comedian like Frankie without accepting that his humour has no bounds. He was known as the 'dark heart of Mock the Week' after all.

If you aren't thick-skinned then stay home and watch the Chuckle Brothers.