Even though his piece was highlighting the ‘unacceptable nature’ of such phrases Digital Spy writes that politicians and anti-racism campaigners have ignored the context in which his words were meant and have called on the broadcaster to take action.
In rant about war on Tuesday’s edition of Tramadol Nights Boyle said: ‘What gets me is our callousness as a society when we read out our dead on the news first, because our lives are more important. Other people's aren't worth as much.’
He then impersonated a newsreader saying: ‘A bomb went off in Kandahar today, killing two British servicemen, three UN relief workers and a whole bunch of pakis.’
…and added: ‘The Ministry of Defence? At least in the old days we were honest - it was the Ministry of War! ‘Hello, Ministry of War, department of nigger-bombing, how can I help?’’
Conservative MP John Whittingdale who is Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee said: ‘The words ‘nigger’ and ‘paki’ are deeply offensive to a large number of people. I don’t think even in comedy it is justified.
‘Frankie Boyle is becoming a serial offender. I really think Channel 4 will have to think whether it’s appropriate to screen programmes which are regularly causing offence to a lot of people. It might be a breach of the Broadcasting Code. Ofcom will have to determine that.’
Channel 4 said: ‘Channel 4 strongly refutes any suggestion we are endorsing or condoning racist language by our broadcast of Frankie Boyle’s Tramadol Nights.
‘This cutting edge comedy is clearly intended to ridicule and satirise the use of these words - Frankie Boyle was not endorsing them. Channel 4 would not have broadcast these words had they been used in a racist way. All the jokes highlight the unacceptable nature of this language.’
Do the words outweigh the context in which they’re meant? Let us know your thoughts below…
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Copyright : Comedy Central UK