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Bernard Manning

Started by Geoff_N, June 20, 2007, 04:01:47 AM

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Geoff_N

Bernard died this week - a self-confessed racist and bigot, he was nevertheless a funny man. His bigotry served a purpose in that we could look and listen to him and know we were better - I hope!

In a serious way he was the last joke because he couldn't understand why people found much of his humour offensive.

Just to show how funny his jokes could be and not be bigoted is this classic: – as I remembered it.

An old man lay on his deathbed in hospital, his wife Betty at his side, her hand on his.
The frail old chap has last words for his wife:

"Betty, during the war, you were with me when the Gestapo took me to the concentration camp. Through that horrendous ordeal, you were always at my side.

"After liberation the boat bringing us to England sank, but clinging to the wreckage, Betty, you stayed at my side.

"Every time I lost my job, Betty, you stayed with me.

"When our car crash broke both my legs five years ago, Betty, you were at my side.

"When the finance company said my pension was worth nothing and they were on their way to re-possess my house, Betty you stood by me.

"Betty, you're a jinx!"

Ed

I don't think he was all bad, myself - I think political correctness overtook him in popular culture and people are now afraid to laugh at the differences between us all that we should be celebrating through humour. He often said, "I tell jokes, and jokes shouldn't be taken seriously." Lots of Irishmen tell Irish jokes. Eddie Murphy built his whole career on telling jokes about black people. As long as there's no hatred behind the humour I reckon it's all good :smiley:

Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]

Crabb

Hello there, long time no see/mither/contribute,

I never went to see Manning, although being a northern girl brought up in a working class pub I had many opportunities, I was terrified he would find some reason to pick on me or would say something I didn't find funny and I would be the odd one out and picked on anyway as the outsider. That's the humour and the crux of it. Me mum, a publican, used to love the fact that the alcohol in his club was very well controlled and watered down so the rabble was controlled and had a good laugh at everyone's expense but never caused any trouble whilst they were in there. They all leave jolly and not too worked up. The best that you could expect if you were a target was that he was kind enough to make sure you had a good night and took it in the best dignified sense and laughed off your insults. Rather like when you're bullied but try your best to rise above it.

All his material relied on gang mentality for laughs, it was scary not to find it funny, to be in his club and wait for who would cop for it is my idea of hell on earth. He made his mark, made his money, end.

Ed

Sounds awful, Cathy :/  I can understand how those experiences would leave you with a deep seated loathing for the man. That kind of person doesn't bother me, TBH. Working in the building trade means there's a lot of that type of humour about, and people take the mick out of each other all the time. Though, if I think back to when I was an apprentice, I remember being quite miserable because of it sometimes. I suppose I just developed a thick skin and a fast mouth over the years, to compensate.

It's quite strange listening to the various opinions people hold on Bernard Manning - it seems people really did either love him or hate him.

Good to see you, Cathy :smiley: I hope everything's going well for you.
Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]

Ed

Just watched Bernard Manning's farewell programme. It was filmed as if he was at his own funeral service listening to what others said about him, and as if he was talking to St Peter at the pearly gates.

He came across as a complete jerk, I thought. A braggard, full of pride, with no regrets - just plain ugly.
Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]

Geoff_N

And he had no real comeback against the arguments put to him that by making racist jokes, even if funny, makes racism acceptable. Well argued I thought by the black Comedy Store chap.

I have to admit though, that I wish I'd have created some of his jokes. Like the one where he said:
"Some folk say they can't wait for me to die so they can dance on my grave. I have no problem with that (PAUSE) I'm being buried at sea."




Ed

#6
No, I didn't think he managed to say anything intelligent. By keeping his club all these years I think he's created a microcosm of approval for himself that's enabled him not to move on with the times with everybody else. There's no mistaking he was a man of a different era, much as my grandparents were (but they were much more respectable) - brought up in the age of empire, where, as was said in the programme, fat white men were the masters of the universe and any person of colour was considered a 'wog'.

Personally, I think racist humour is fine as long as it's a celebration of the differences and misconceptions rather than hateful sneering - stuff like white men not being able to dance and black men being well hung. And let's face it, there's a whole new bunch of jokes sprung up about Essex girls and chavs, which are just recycled Irish and blond jokes. Somebody somewhere will always be insulted by humour, which is a shame because we could all do with more laughter in our lives :smiley:
Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]