BBC defends Jo Brand over 'battery acid' joke

The BBC has defended Jo Brand against claims she incited violence through comments made during a radio show.

The comedian, a guest on BBC Radio 4's Heresy on Tuesday, joked about throwing battery acid at "unpleasant characters" rather than milkshakes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48611424

Farage isn't really upset at it, he highlights the double standards we seem to have on that hate speech thing we hear so much of. Jo was being hateful and whether that makes the grade as comedy is arguable, although there were quite a few laughs from the audience, Farage is pointing it out and calling for the prescribed treatment to be dished out. He knows full well there will be none and so do we, which is the point he makes. It's not even as if he thinks there should be some, it's just that were it the other way...

The question isn't so much about Jo, she can be loose and cheap, it is about why the BBC decided to leave it on. That was their editorial choice and we know why that was too. To the best of my knowledge, it wasn't a live show.

Maybe its because there was no incitement and it was a joke of questionable taste.

Feel free to explain how this amounted to incitement and what law was broken.

Nah, that's not the point. The point is that, were it a joke about a Remainer (no examples of any having anything thrown at them for comparison, let's pretend though) and the BBC would have cut it out. Audience wouldn't have laughed either.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48611424

Farage isn't really upset at it, he highlights the double standards we seem to have on that hate speech thing we hear so much of. Jo was being hateful and whether that makes the grade as comedy is arguable, although there were quite a few laughs from the audience, Farage is pointing it out and calling for the prescribed treatment to be dished out. He knows full well there will be none and so do we, which is the point he makes. It's not even as if he thinks there should be some, it's just that were it the other way...

The question isn't so much about Jo, she can be loose and cheap, it is about why the BBC decided to leave it on. That was their editorial choice and we know why that was too. To the best of my knowledge, it wasn't a live show.

So you agree there was no incitement , just a poor taste joke? As you say you need to pretend.

Incitement to violence, was there any? I've already said that is not the point for me and that Farage may well be playing it for effect but how the law defines it I'm not sure, we need a lawyer if one is reading this. I'd say that tacitly endorsing the act of throwing milkshakes at politicians and claiming to have a fantasy where battery acid would be a more suitable form of expression of hatred of them isn't that funny.

People have dark humour, what's the real problem? I find some filthy sexist jokes a lot more uncomfortable, but accept there is an audience for that ****. Is it because of recent acid throwing terrorist attacks?

You are missing the fact it was clearly a joke. Go and google incitement up and then explain how it fits the requirement. Because it is Jo Brand you know by her comedy she says a lot of drivel, none of which is to be taken seriously.

The problem is that there are no sexist or filthy jokes at the BBC, their sanitised comedy department is now more dedicated to making fun of anything Brexit related. The Mogg and Johnson are particularly tapped into and nobody would really care weren't it for the double standards where anybody aligned with the Guardian is immune as if by magic.

Are you saying they usually sanitise every other 'extreme' joke and so you're surprised this one didn't get cut?

You are missing the fact it was clearly a joke. Go and google incitement up and then explain how it fits the requirement. Because it is Jo Brand you know by her comedy she says a lot of drivel, none of which is to be taken seriously.

If that is just a way of avoiding the point being raised we've had enough of it, i don't care if it's incitement to violence or not anymore. Would you agree that if somebody made a joke at the BBC about dreaming of throwing a milkshake at Soubry or Cooper they might have thought twice before laughing?

I thinbk you are being a drama queen and making much more of it than was needed. It is Jo Brand she makes comments but her comedy isnt to be taken seriously its more hit and miss but easily forgettable. The only reason this has come to light is because of all the fuss people who want to be offended are taking rather than just letting it fade into the obscurity it deserved.