Has Billy lost it?

[slimjim]

What was Billy Connolly thinking when making sick jokes about Ken Bigley (and his wife)? How has a once great comedian managed to turn into Bernard Manning?

[Larry1]

From the official BC website.... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT REGARDING REPORTS OF REMARKS FALSELY ATTRIBUTED TO BILLY CONNOLLY ABOUT KEN BIGLEY Billy Connolly is angry and disgusted by reports that he joked about Ken Bigley being harmed. Billy's stage comments were restricted to pointing out the hypocrisy of some people including sections of the media faking concern about Mr Bigleys predicament while enjoying the drama of the tragedy and exploiting it for their own ends. Billy is saddened by any distress these false reports have caused Mr Bigley's family and he hopes that Mr Bigley returns home safely. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JetBlack]

Right, while i wouldn't wish Ken Bigleys current predicament on anyone, especially as they're reporting he may now be dead, some of the people who have been lambasted for criticising Mr.Bigleys decision to go to Iraq raise very valid points. I used to work in Saudi Arabia on contract up until recently however even in that country the situation is far too dangerous to remain there IMO. If i were inclinded to do so, i could get a job in Iraq, in the North or the South, and earn more in 3 months than i could in a year in Saudi. Truck drivers over there now earn more doing a 10 mile trip than they could if they trucked across Europe. To say that he could have gone elsewhere and earned just as much is absolute codswallop. While i have every sympathy for Mr Bigleys family, it was HIS decision to go to Iraq to earn the danger money being offered to contractors and while many people here seem to use this as an argument as why the whole Iraq war was illegal and a mistake, i'd invite you to consider that Ken Bigley went there to profit from the war.

[jimmyboots]

Given that the Irish are white europeans, in what way is it 'racist' to make an Irish joke?

[tomd]

Oneeyedvic, you really are the first person I've found that agrees about Ken Bigley knowing the risks beforehand, and must have head off out there with the intention of getting rich quick.

[Judd]

My message to Billy Connolly would be very short and simple: "scum." My message to oneeyedvic is that regardless of his choice of work, Ken Bigley did not deserve to meet his death like this and certainly his family did not deserve the suffering. So what if he married a Thai girl - what are you getting at? Their marrriage had lasted longer than many in the UK. Are you incapable of any human compassion? Or are you just another thick skinned, ignorant pleb? My message to thgrimreaper: I don't know your background, but I picked up your comment about the Irish and I am confused... here we have a small country which despite being starved and oppressed by the English, eventually succeeded in kicking them out (something Scotland and Wales never managed to do,) they have rebuilt their country, and now through smart moves in Europe and their strong links with the USA they have a higher standard of living, a better educated workforce, a better quality of life, and a people who are more highly respected and welcomed internationally than the British. Can you please explain to me the comment about the Irish passport? I wish I had one. The way we are going, a British passport will soon be like a carrying a sign that says "leper."

[Moggy]

OK, guys, I respect your various thoughts on the Bigley/Connolly situation, could if I could just throw a few opinions of my own in here.. 0. A man has lost his life. 1.Mr Bigley went to Iraq to make money. This is a valid capitalist idea. He happened to be employed rebuilding a devastated country. 2. The country has been devastated by a "strong government" since 1979. The coalition invasion of Gulf War III was, I believe, justified due to the fact that we (ie the Western World) require a need to stabilise our oil supply. The fact that one sees only ruins on CNN or Al Jazeera is a consequence of the need for oil and the aforesaid "strong government". 3. OK, people die. Wars, famine, accidents etc. This does not justify anything. 4.we know that Saddam had WMD. We have the receipts. 5. Iran next.

[blade_s]

1) He had been out in the area for 17 sodding years 2) yes there are thousands who die every day in horrible ways but why should that stop compassion for an individual 3) the poor man was doomed from day one to die it an utterly barbaric way after watching two others go the same way, how can anyone dimiss the absolute terror and fear that poor damned man must have felt 4) there is no point is debating the rights and wrongs of the way he got there, the fact is an ordinary man with a mother and wife has been butchered, thats the only fact that matters

[tartanwiz]

To answer the original question, Billy Connolly lost it a long time ago. He was funny in the 1970s with his Glasgow humour. From 1980 onwards he was no longer funny and should have quit then.

[tartanwiz]

oneeyedvic - so Mr Bigley has (or had) a young Thai wife. Is that bad, somehow? Has he done something wrong? As to him going out to Iraq knowing the risks - does that mean he deserves all he got? Does anyone deserve to die in such a manner? The man would have had no sleep, knowing that any moment he could be killed in a slow, inhuman way that no-one would even do to an animal. The last thing Mr Bigley's family (or the concerned public) need is a sick so-called joke from the jaded Billy Connolly.

[mimmnifech]

Hey Wullie, Now I ken why ma faither left glesca fer england. He telt me it wis fulla nyaffs. Ah didnae want tae believe it but ah do now. Yer aboot as funny as pc Murdoch an yer startin tae look like him. Ah want tae be there when ye do yer next gig in Liverpool.

[bernardo]

I find it very odd that some people have continued to criticise Billy Connolly even after it has been pointed out that he did not in fact say the things which he was accused of.

[mattiebabes]

to quote marilyn manson...'the death of one is a tragedy, the death of millions is just a statistic'. People tend to sensationalise issues such as Mr Bigley's death however shut themselves off from the thousands killed daily in some African countries

[FP]

mattiebabes - exactly. This is what I have being trying to convey in my thread on Iraq. Also, What is going on in some African countries is beyond belief and yet the power mad countries are just not interested as there is no financial gain in interfering.

[ianess]

tartanwiz is correct. Billy Connolly has lost it and is now a total embarrassment to a large percentage of his countrymen.

[Oneeyedvic]

I haven't replied earlier as my internet connection at homehas been down - however in response to people who have mentioned my viewpoints: Yes, if someone gets paid a high wage for doing a risky job, if he loses - that is what he was getting paid for. Its like complaining that a casino makes money out of you. Is anyone out there denying that he is in the country to make money? He certainly wasn't there for humanitarian grounds or on charity work or even as a reporter. Yes he died, and I am sorry that in this day and age a man can be murdered in such a way. HOWEVER, as I have said previously, people die every minute of every day, some of them in more horrific ways. At the beginning of the 21st century, I personally find it very depressing that war, famine etc are still in the world. The fact of the matter is that they are. Ken Bigley took a gamble - it did not pay off. No I am afraid I do not have any hippocritical sympathy for someone I have never met.

[cruthinboy]

It's not likr compalining that the casino makes money out of you: it's like compalining that some militant anti-gambling fundamentalist abduct yo rom your home, play cat-and-mouse with your life, force you to watch while 2 people you went to that casino with have their throats cut, force you to read messages condemning the policies of the particular casino you frequent, demand that your casino reimburses money even though it was another casino which took it, cause untold misery for your family, and finally after 3 weeks cut your head off on camera. Get your analogies right.

[Oneeyedvic]

I don't see your analogy - see foreign office advice: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcel erate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid =1013618386640 Guess what - the foreign office advises that you do not travel to this country. It also says there is a kidnapping risk. It also says there is a risk of being killed. He did not take this advise - he got paid to go over there. He got kidnapped - he got killed. That is why the foreign office recommends you don't go there. If you go to a casino, most sensible advise would be that you lose money - if you do lose money - well you took the risk. Your analogy is just strange!?!

[cruthinboy]

"he got paid, he got killed " - by God you're all heart arent you?

[Oneeyedvic]

I have said on more than one occasion - I am very sorry about his death - I have also said on many occasion (and given logical arguments) that he took a risk, got paid highly for it and died. No I am not "all heart" but I (and others) have given clear and concise arguments why I don't think that Ken Bigley deserved as much recognition as he received.