Bernard Manning

I'm no fan of Manning's, and never have been -- more because I don't find him funny than the offensive part of his act -- I accept that there are offensive comedians out there and someone is bound to cater for that sector, it's inevitable.

But I must agree with the parallels being drawn with the, frankly, far more offensive Sacha Baron Cohen.

Bernard Manning was a Jew who made racist jokes about a whole host of races despite the fact that he must have known damn well what racism felt like.

Sacha Baron Cohen is a Jew who made racist jokes about a whole host of races despite... see a pattern building here?

The difference is, while Manning was merely an anachronism, a product of his time out of touch with the modern world, this insidious and evil little man conducts his racist filth in a more subtle way, a way that supposedly more sophisticated and enlightened people find funny.

Cohen is far worse than Manning ever was.

I thought he'd died years ago!

That would be a more cogent argument if Lenny Henry was actually funny. I don't even think his wife thinks so*.

As always you raise some interesting points. Laughing with or at ? I can't be sure. I saw a documentary featuring Bernard with a host of Asian friends saying he wasn't at all racist.

As with any form of art, I accept that the interpretation of the material is with the audience. All too often however I have seen less-evolved individuals recite the most offensive of Manning's material to validate their own bigoted views.

I suppose the conclusion is that if the comedian isn't going to take responsibility for putting those "gags" out there, and what that might fuel (intentionally or not), then the commissioning editors of televisions channels should.

And I'm glad they do.

* Source: Dawn French's "Girls Who Do Comedy"

I don't imagine Cohen is a racist in real life. He is clever, and he uses his Ali G, Borat, and Bruno, to show up the inherent racism, and sexism in the people he interviews. He also makes himself look foolish, but he is only a persona. Manning was being himself on stage!!

how does that apply to tony benn?

Trust you, Gavin. Ask yourself this - why is it that many 1970s TV sitcoms are as popular as they were then? Because they weren't subject to the politically correct sanitisation that is these day mandatory, and therefore produced the genuine belly laughs. Part of the reason for Little Britain's success is because it refused to pander to Noughties sensitivities.

Most people who enjoy Fawlty Towers, On The Buses and the like roared with laughter but are well-adjusted enough not to have become bullies or bigots as a result. And much as I can't stand political correctness, I can't stand these types either.

What sticks in my mind from 30 years ago, is Manning on Tiswas, doing a sketch involving a speak your weight machine. Tarrant invites him to stand on it, but ATV's SFX dept overdid things. There's a bang, and flares, followed by 'concrete blocks' from above. Manning was thrown backwards by the force of it all, uttering ISTR, "fooking 'ell".
Magic stuff, there was a brief clip on the reunion show last weekend, sadly without the full audio

TISWAS Clip - "Manning On Weighing Machine": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcyaaNbavM

Fantastic, (my memory of him actually swearing is faulty though !)

You keep saying that, but not explaining why it isn't funny?

Besides it isn't funny in your opinion -- that's your view. If you were speaking from the first person, then fair enough then, then it's your view.

You cannot state something is/isn't funny as fact . Humour is down to individual taste and opinion, as is any art form (as I feel Gavin superbly pointed out in his post on this thread).

From what I've read so far many people aren't fans of Bernard Manning or his material, and that's fair enough, I'm not his biggest fan either. What I will say there are people of an older generation who grew up with his humour, most likely in the 1960's and the 1970's who found it funny as at the time it was rather normal, as other comedians were the same too, hence forth the popularity of Granada's The Comedians, or The Wheeltappers.

Say what you like about Mr Manning but for many people today it is of a great loss to the Club circuit.

The Sky News website is showing a good selection of his classic jokes: http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/0,,70141-1271102,00.html