[Archived] Bernard Manning Dies

[Flopsy]

In regards to the dambusters thing, we showed it to our cadets a few months ago, the shocked silence when they heard what the dog was called was amazing, especially if you knew how hard it usually is to get them to shut up.

In regards to Manning, I never thought his jokes per se as being any more than crap stereotypes, the punchlines themselves were usually quite funny. But I dont believe there was ever any malice behind them.

But you'll forgive me for not being to upset about his passing, considering, I didnt know the man, only saw bits of his shows and I have to go to a friends funeral on Thursday.

[Paul Mellelieu]

So Frank Carson is the arbiter of humour?

As for charity, I run rings round you for no payment whatsoever.

[adopted scouser]

Racist pig. Good riddance.

Idiot.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Pray why?

[SouthAussieRover]

Pray why?

Because AS said so.

I suppose some of us grew up in the era of the likes of Love Thy Neighbour,Alf Garnett,Bernard Manning,Monty Python and the delightfully vulgar Peter and Clive.

I guess some of us laughed at the type of humour they excelled in.

We didn't all grow up thinking it was okay to act out our daily lives in the way the comedians portrayed life.That was because some of us knew it was comedy and knew what line you didn't cross.

We were also brought up to not speak ill of the dead.

[Drummer Boy]

We were also brought up to not speak ill of the dead.

Well said, that man!

It is exactly these kind of values that make this MB worth visiting rather than the more common playground. My faith in this MB is reaffirmed.

[Eddie]

That is true SAR, although I don't think you can compare something like Monty Python to Manning.

[the original david brent]

Racist pig. Good riddance.

Get a life!

RIP Bernard Manning. Legend!

"Bernard, how do you reply to those who say your insulting, racist etc?"

"Id say there about 8 million quid too late!"

[Drummer Boy]

that wasn't really my point, but if you don't think that some of what Manning said was racist or, more importantly, that it reflected the feelings of a significant part of the population then I don't think you can make that distinguishment. What I was really getting at was the fact that those who most wish to protect their own "culture", even in its ugliest form, are those who are most upset when they see others doing the same.

Eddie,

I think you misjudge some of us with this line of debate. It is not about cultural protection in terms of some mythical indigenous culture - there are several threads arguing the toss on that already - I believe we are arguing that in this country, regardless of cultural background, there is an inherent tolerance that sits comfortably with differentiation between people by stereotype and having a laugh about it. This is far removed from racism where there is discrimination rather than differentiation or denial of opportunity due to what marks you out as somewhat different.

Taking this back to Bernard Manning, I believe it was fundamentally wrong for the so-called arbiters of taste to remove Bernard from the mass media as he did far more good than harm with his particular brand of humour. Once side-lined he reacted in a way that is typically British, he went to the extreme because somebody had told him what he could and could not say. If freedom of expression is cultural protection then "guilty as charged".

On the other hand, you rightly make the point that could you tell the joke in front of your Asian/Catholic/left-handed/American friends; however, I do feel that we have gone too far in being sensitive to the point that we feel afraid to differentiate and laugh about it: These are two key features of the integration process - a process that has been stymied (not wishing to be anti-semitic) by the liberal intolerance described earlier which fails to rejoice in differentiation and is therefore counter to the fight against discrimination at every opportunity.

That's how we find ourselves being told it's "right-on" to laugh at Little Britain that differentiates and deals in stereotypes yet it is unacceptable to laugh at Bernard Manning - because we are being told what to think, say and do by people who have a half-baked concept an, haven't thought it through properly. The classic example mentioned earlier was Richard Wilson who made a career out of performing an ageist stereotype yet felt moved to be hugely intolerant (and rude) of Bernard Manning for doing exactly the same thing!!!

It's not the intolerance or cultural protectionism - it's the sheer hypocrisy, arrogance, self-importance and "I know better than you-ness"of the PC/luvvie brigade that grates in this situation. They need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

[Paul Mellelieu]

When some of my mates - all, like Manning, Mancunians as it happens - say Blackburn's stuck in the 1970s, they have a point.

So it's "PC", whatever that means, to object to calling someone nigger, Paki, for calling them second class citizens and the rest.

As for not speaking ill of the dead, if they deserve it, why not?

[SouthAussieRover]

As for not speaking ill of the dead, if they deserve it, why not?

Because they can't defend themselves you muppet.

We aren't talking about Hitler or Stalin here.

[SouthAussieRover]

That is true SAR, although I don't think you can compare something like Monty Python to Manning.

True I never thought of the Life of Brian as being irreverent.

Imagine if they'd have done the Life of Muhammed.

[Paul Mellelieu]

So you can speak ill of the dead then. Glad we cleared it up.

[SouthAussieRover]

So you can speak ill of the dead then. Glad we cleared it up.

Whatever.

Hitller or Stalin weren't exactly your average run of the type humans were they?

[Paul Mellelieu]

Are there any other dead people we're allowed to talk about?

[thenodrog]

When some of my mates - all, like Manning, Mancunians as it happens - say Blackburn's stuck in the 1970s, they have a point.

When my mates all agree that all the Mancunians on this board are ignorant, bad mannered embittered and stuck up their own arses they also have a very valid point too.

I'd take the 'Blackburn stuck in the 1970's' thing if it came from anywhere else that isn't just as bad. Where is Manchester stuck Paul the OK Coral?........

'Pray tell'.

[blue phil]

Your trouble , McGarry (or whtever you're calling yourself this week) , is that you are totally incapable of differentiating between harmless human beings like Manning who , in his instance tell jokes for a living ........and the real racists who would willingly kill and maim others of a different race .

To you they all fall into the same category . You've a lot to learn about life .

[thenodrog]

Is that who it is? No wonder my spidey senses are tingling.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Tremendous the twin peaks within three minutes of each other.

A small point: my web name has changed once, for good reason as it happens.

OK "Phil" (is that your real name?), real racists that kill or maim people: like your mates in the BNP you mean?

I believed Manning when he said he was a racist. I found his humour puerile and insulting. The man never made adulthood, emotionally speaking, as far as I can tell. Nor funny, not clever, not a genius.

Well you lot behave like you're stuck in that 70s cop show Theno. I am constantly amazed how backward looking, bitter and smallminded you can be.

[Rovermatt]

Tremendous the twin peaks within three minutes of each other.

A small point: my web name has changed once, for good reason as it happens.

OK "Phil" (is that your real name?), real racists that kill or maim people: like your mates in the BNP you mean?

Oh dear. Slinging the BNP insult around on here is just as annoying as those who are constantly harping on about 'educated, middle-class, liberal, facist snobs'.

[blue phil]

You seem to need someone to vent your twisted rage upon , Paul....

All I'm saying is that there are more suitable targets out there than a harmles dead comedian ...

Learn some sense of pespective and grow up .

[Paul Mellelieu]

To be honest I was sick of the pages of "great comdian" crap, when to my ears, and by his own admission he was a racist.

[thenodrog]

A small point: my web name has changed once, for good reason as it happens.

70's cop show?....... hmmm you must be a 'grass' then. Living in a safe house are you?

Anyway two user id's on here aren't allowed are they?

[blue phil]

To be honest I was sick of the pages of "great comdian" crap, when to my ears, and by his own admission he was a racist.

It all depends on the definition of a "racist" ........

Someone who believes that certain races have different characteristics and tells a few jokes highlighting those differences is hardly in the same category as those such as Himmler .

Your trouble is you brand everyone a "racist" who doesn't share your view of the world . It's as daft as it is counter productive .

[Billy Castell]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Anyone mentioned Muslims yet?

Oh, and you can speak ill of the dead. No-one is sacred, no-one is pure, no-one is above criticism. If you can make fun of Hitler and Pol Pot, you can make fun of me when I die, or any of you. We are all the same species, so why are some exempt from criticism, like Princess Diana?

Bernard Manning, racist bile aside, was far better than that tool Ben Elton at stand-up. I hate Elton even more than the likes of Manning.