A Tangled Web

Billy the Dik



I number myself among the hundreds of thousands who were utterly appalled at the cruel flippancy displayed by Billy Connolly at the plight of Ken Bigley. In front of an audience at the Hammersmith Apollo in West London Connolly, about the reach the crescendo of his skittish act, said of Bigley's captors: 'Don't you wish they would just get on with it?'



I'm sorry, but I don't find anything remotely humorous about making references to an imprisoned individual who must have been afflicted with levels of pain and fear beyond the comprehension of man. I couldn't have lived with myself if I had sought cheap laughs at the expense of someone who apparently cried out for his mother as he was being decapitated.



Eilis O'Hanlon has the same viewpoint. Her article in the Sunday 'Indo' admonishes Connolly for his obvious lack of moral fibre, as well as questioning his subject matter as a comedian. She says 'he is one of the comics who have long since ceased to have anything vaguely resembling material, but who cover up the fact with a stylised repertoire of tics and mannerisms....' I am pleased several members of the audience had the good sense to boo and criticise him after his outrage, but I am a trifle irritated by the fact that so many chose to say nothing at all.



O'Hanlon is right. Poor 'comedians' seem to get their kicks from appealing to the lowest common denominator, with discourses frequently consisting of incalculable references to 'tits' and 'arse', verbally garnished with inclusions of 'f*** off' and 'b******s'. Connolly further demonstrated his true character by abusing assembled journalists at Heathrow Airport who wished him to explain his behaviour. I do not rate Connolly as a comedian, though I do like several films he has appeared in - most notably 'Mrs Brown' and the fabulous 'Debt Collector'. In the light of his unforgivable faux pas at Hammersmith, I will be loath to make future purchases of any of his movies.