Page 82 - The Language of Humour

‘CRIKEY, THAT’S A HARD ONE!’ 69
Extension
As you have already seen with the other taboo areas discussed, the way
that the topic is treated can push it across the boundary of acceptability.
Compare the following extract from the stand-up comedy of John
Dowie (Rosengard and Wilmut, 1989) with the extract from the
previous activity. You should see that it has a number of factors that
would make it too offensive to be broadcast.

The Vatican said two things not long ago, guaranteed to make
everyone’s life so much better and happier…the Vatican said, ‘It’s still
a sin to be a homosexual and it’s still a sin to wank.’ Well, the Vatican
didn’t say ‘wank’ obviously. The reason why the Pope doesn’t like
homosexuals and masturbators is because they don’t breed, hardly at
all. The Pope likes people to be Catholics and breed. And make more
Catholics—and they breed—and make more Catholics and more
Catholics…all those Catholics go to church and give all their money to
the Pope. And he spends all their money on a long white dress with an
artificial hand, and underneath—he’s wanking all the time… I’d like to
go back two thousand years, stand at the foot of the crucifix and say to
Jesus Christ, ‘Do you know what you’re doing means?’ ‘Yes, I know
what it means, actually, thank you very much… I don’t get nailed to a
piece of wood for no fucking reason. Of course I know what it means.
I’m taking the sins of the world on my shoulders—through me you
shall be redeemed.’ ‘It’s got fuck all to do with that, pal… two
thousand years from now—no wanking.’ ‘What? No wanking? Are
you mad? You think I got nailed to a piece of wood to stop people
wanking? It stops me wanking, I agree.’ ‘And no homosexuals.’
‘What? Do me a favour! Haven’t you noticed I hang around with
twelve men all the time? It was snogging with Judas that got me into this
mess in the first place. Who’s been filling your head full of all this
crap?’ The Pope.’ Who’s he?’ ‘He’s in charge.’ ‘I’m in fucking charge,
pal—I’m in charge—I’m the Bruce Forsyth of this particular gig.’…
Interesting, also, isn’t it?—the Pope drives around in a car with bullet-
proof glass in the windows…and Jesus Christ never wore nail-proof
gloves, did he?

Commentary

First there is the use of taboo words that are still ‘out of bounds’. The
reference to religion is not general, but specific. Another taboo is
broken when explicit references to sexuality are linked to revered
figureheads of the Christian religion. And there are flippant comments