Comments on: Douche.0: Daniel Tosh digs rape jokes, proposes a female audience member be raped

By: Bill Beaty

Bill Beaty — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Not castration.

Instead, being stalked by groups anonymous murderers from the internet. “Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if Tosh…” etc.

By: BarBarSeven

BarBarSeven — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:30:00 +0000

“Comedy Central,” does this to all specials it airs. There is a Mitch Hedberg DVD out there that presents the “as aired” show with the laugh track bellowing every few beats, and the raw live show where the laughter wasn’t so great.

Which is not to say Mitch Hedberg wasn’t a great talent, but laugh tracks are still quite common.

By: Incipient Madness

Incipient Madness — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:29:00 +0000

Yeah, and isn’t an audience member shouting out something at a comedian free speech too? And isn’t posting the story here on Boing Boing to raise awareness of what a creep Tosh is personally and to show how pervasive rape culture sometimes is also free speech as well.

By: Nizaris

Nizaris — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:27:00 +0000

I think the Carreon debacle is proof enough that not all press is good press.

This could easily be one of those cases to a person who already has a crappy-ass show. I didn’t even know people watched it still. Even RWJ is better.

By: Jeff Dunn

Jeff Dunn — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:27:00 +0000

Though I totally agree with you about your point. Screaming “DEAD BABIES” is not really comedy. It’s just odd.

By: Jeff Dunn

Jeff Dunn — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:26:00 +0000

Nah I think it’s about the subject of the joke mostly. I could be wrong, but somebody name for me any rape joke that people have been okay with. Not taking a side either way, but I really can’t think of one.

By: perch

perch — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:24:00 +0000

Thanks for reporting this, Xeni!

By: Vian Lawson

Vian Lawson — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:23:00 +0000

Christ, what an, as you say, arsehole. Wonder if he knows any wife-beating jokes?

By: Nizaris

Nizaris — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:23:00 +0000

In fact, the First Amendment isn’t even a law that says you have the right to say whatever you want. See 10th Amendment and subsequent obscenity and defamation cases. There’s plenty! :)

By: Jesse Yules

Jesse Yules — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:23:00 +0000

He’s deliberately trying to get a rise out of you guys, and it working. Tosh thanks you for the free advertising.

By: retchdog

retchdog — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:21:00 +0000

at college, someone advertised a show with fliers depicting a line drawing of a cock-and-balls being cut off with scissors. a lot of other guys found it very threatening (although they’re not allowed to say it in those words, it was obvious). i found it kind of funny in how over-the-top it was.

some rape jokes are funny; some castration jokes are funny. it just takes a lot finesse and context, and most people probably shouldn’t bother with either. 99% of everything is crap and all that.

By: Nizaris

Nizaris — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:21:00 +0000

To tack on to what you’ve said which is 100% true, the 1st amendment to which some are referring only applies to speech that redresses the government.

Venues could easily ban him for content and victims, if given powerful enough evidence, could use the 10th amendment legalese for their lawsuit and site “obscenity” as their bedrock.

I’m not saying that they’d ever take up such a lawsuit or that it’s even advisable when you can just shrug it off, but people thinking that the 1st Amendment is some bastion of security for speech are a bit misled.

By: msw141

msw141 — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:20:00 +0000

The parent comment was removed, but I think it was something to the effect that this shouldn’t have been shocking unless you were completely unaware of who Tosh is as a comedian. You can’t defend Tosh’s comments much as anyone that speaks ignorance, but you should temper your anger a bit when the victim, if a more informed consumer, would know that this was not going to be their liking. People that attend these shows know what they are getting into and are on board with his brand of shock. If I took my grandmother to a GG Allin concert—would I be entitled to complain that I was subjected to filth?

By: Xeni Jardin

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:20:00 +0000

If you read the post, she explains that she didn’t “go see Daniel Tosh.” She went to see Dane Cook, and Tosh was on the same bill. Now, going to see a Dane Cook show where Dane Cook comes out looking classy? That’s quite a feat. My hat is off to Mr. Tosh.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:18:00 +0000

“Change “rape” to “castrate” in all the “jokes” and maybe you’ll start to understand. Or not.”

Yeah – I imagine “or not” is the correct answer, as then the poor offended guy would start whining about those oppressive “feminazis”.

By: michiexile

michiexile — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:18:00 +0000

Alas, I’m pretty convinced noone who doesn’t get it wrt rape jokes would get any closer by replacing castration; castration is not a present threat for most males; while rape is in fact a risk factor too many women (inter alia) have to stay aware of at all times. Putting your head in a non-privileged mindset is not trivial, and I do not know of any metaphor that really drives it home enough.

The above formulated from the point of view of someone (me) who hits almost all the privilege majority properties, but at least tries to be an ally…

By: bkad

bkad — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:17:00 +0000

Yes, this is an important point, the amendment is protect you from government persecution. As the kids say, “it’s a free country”, but private citizens/venues/companies usually can (with some exceptions) punish people who say things they shouldn’t, or at least refuse to do business with them, which is a reasonable request here: Venues and Cable TV shows: stop showing this guy’s act!

Now, concerning broadcast TV and radio, which has probably come up in some discussions of TV comedy (though not SouthPark) that’s a point of weirdness. The US government regulates radio spectrum as a limited public resource (good). It does also regulate the content allowed to be broadcast on that spectrum. I think that is as obviously unconstitutional as unconstitutional gets, but I am not a lawyer and US courts disagree with me, so just put that it in the category of national hypocrisy. More severe, in my opinion, than a lot of the ones we talk about, but it’s not a pressing issue for most people.

By: aluchko

aluchko — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:15:00 +0000

I can’t speak speak to the specific incident the woman was talking about, though undoubtedly Tosh’s primary concern at that time was to avoid further disruptions and keep the room.

As for the two clips posted, I actually found the first clip fairly funny. He isn’t joking about rape, he’s joking that him and his friends are so degenerate that rape is the source of a practical joke.

As for the second it’s a bit more borderline, but he’s pointing out how there is a hypocrisy in people pretending to be better people than they are by denying that they find an inappropriate situation funny.

If you got rid of all the inappropriate jokes then there wouldn’t be a lot of comedy around.

By: Alcofribas

Alcofribas — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:15:00 +0000

I’m more surprised that someone could go see Daniel Tosh and act shocked at hearing such. The guy has a weekly show that’s endlessly rebroadcast–not like it’s hard to know there’s a high probability he’ll say something dumb and offensive.

By: stabitha

stabitha — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Confidential to all invoking the First Amendment: Having a right to say whatever you want isn’t a shield against criticism if you say something idiotic.

By: retchdog

retchdog — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:12:00 +0000

believe me, i’m not upset about the story and even think the reaction is a bit extreme.

it’s just unfortunate that people think the bill of rights is some sort of moral prescription, rather than a charter for federal government. i guess that’s what happens when you gut civics from public education.

i’m just planting some seeds here.

By: Marc45

Marc45 — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Gotta hand it to Xeni for stirring the pot!

By: stabitha

stabitha — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:08:00 +0000

To me, this is less about the subject of the joke and more about how incredibly ham-fistedly Tosh has handled himself, both in the midst of and after the joke. It is indeed possible to tell hilarious jokes about awful things (i.e., South Park). However, a joke about something awful isn’t innately funny just because it’s a joke about an un-PC subject. I wish more people understood how much talent it takes to tell funny jokes about terrible things. Louis CK and the writers of South Park have this talent. Tosh should keep rehearsing.

By: BarBarSeven

BarBarSeven — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:07:00 +0000

Again, rape isn’t funny, but the guy does have free speech.

!?!?!? What does “free speech” have to do with one person expressing their opinion about someone else’s comedy act?

Do you understand the concept of freedom of speech: It’s about THE GOVERNMENT getting in the way of a citizen expressing their opinions & ideas. Is there legislation out there designed to ban comedy acts like this? No. And that’s 100% great! Because the same freedoms that allow Daniel Tosh to express is wretched comedy also afford anyone the freedom to speak out against him.

That said, I have to counter what Xeni says:

…he made some stupid rape jokes. Not that there are any other kind of rape jokes.

Nonsense! What about if the ghost of Hitler appeared on stage and raped a bad comedian up the up the butt with a dildo & then suddenly Einstein appeared & said, “I have a theory about this guy being raped up the butt… It’s hilarious!” Now that is a non-stupid rape joke right there.

By: Hugh Stimson

Hugh Stimson — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:07:00 +0000

The 1st amendment cannot prevent you from being booed and shunned if the speech you choose to utter reveals you to be a repugnant asshole and/or hurts the people around you.

Boo to that asshole. I hope his live shows are shunned.

By: Xeni Jardin

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:05:00 +0000

added, thanks

By: retchdog

retchdog — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:05:00 +0000

DID ANYONE CALL FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BAN DANIEL TOSH?

By: retchdog

retchdog — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:04:00 +0000

if he really has strong social anxiety, he might have felt a life-or-death impulse to deflect the criticism in any way possible.

this isn’t a defense. mitch hedburg (rip) had it worse, and was a much better comedian. it’s just an observation.

By: neilk

neilk — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:03:00 +0000

“Wouldn’t it be funny if that girl got raped by like, 5 guys right now? Like right now?”

That is just the sort of thing someone who doesn’t think actual rape is funny would say!

By: gadgetgirl

gadgetgirl — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:02:00 +0000

”Anyone going to his standup should have known this already.”

Oh please. I’ve gone to standup nights where I had no idea who was going to be one stage — friends just say, “we’re going to hear some comedy — wanna come?”. Besides, putting the onus on the audience to vet a performer’s entire professional history is just as ludicrous as calling someone finding rape jokes unfunny “hypocritical political correctness”.

This isn’t about “a joke that went a bit too far”. This is about something that wasn’t a joke in the first place getting posed as one.

Change “rape” to “castrate” in all the “jokes” and maybe you’ll start to understand. Or not.