Crowd angered by Connolly's 'get on with it' hostage joke

Doper Than U · 08-10-2004 02:54PM

Fair enough, there are far more important things to be focussing on, I agree. Can't say I'm surprised at the media attention for it though, timing was crucial for the "joke" to work, but also for many people to be upset and offended by it. As I said "if you can't take the poison, don't provoke the snake"... surely B.C. would have known a comment like this would provoke media interest? As such, he now has to deal with the "persecution". His tough luck.

(I still think the guy is hilarious, just hated this joke)

Hagar · 08-10-2004 03:04PM

Wether the joke was funny or not this isn't....

Sky News wrote:

The Foreign Office is checking claims that British hostage Ken Bigley has been murdered in Iraq.

The 62-year-old from Liverpool was reportedly killed despite pleas to the terrorists holding him to show mercy.

Militants in the Iraqi city of Fallujah say they believe Mr Bigley was killed on Thursday in the town of Latifiyah, 22 miles south-west of Baghdad.

The captive's family had begged Tony Blair to step in and attempt to secure his release.

Engineer Mr Bigley was abducted in Baghdad along with fellow construction workers Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong three weeks ago.

A news presenter in Abu Dhabi said on television: "We have learned from informed sources in the Iraqi capital that the kidnappers of Kenneth Bigley have killed him."

Mr Bigley's brother, Paul, said: "I have heard these reports and I am looking into them right now."

British embassy staff in Thailand said they were in "close contact" with his wife, Sombat.

The Tawhid and Jihad terrorist group beheaded the two Americans within a week and their remains were found in the Iraqi capital.

Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who ranks as one of Washington's most wanted men, is believed to have killed at least one of the Americans.

The men's kidnappers had initially called for the release of all women prisoners held in US-run prisons, but their demands later became more muddled.

The horrific alert comes just 24 hours after Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, said there were promising behind-the-scenes to secure Mr Bigley's release.

If the reports prove true, Mr Bigley would be the first British captive killed since Coalition forces invaded Iraq in March 2003.

Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and his colleagues at the Foreign Office were doing all they could.

She said: "Our top priority is to find out if the reports are true. We have to do everything possible and hope that they are not confirmed."

Ms Hewitt reiterated that the Government could not negotiate with terrorists.

the_syco · 08-10-2004 03:26PM

Fysh wrote:

I take it you've completely ignored the way that Bertie supported the US/UK coalition for a good amount of the war and is still allowing the US military to use Shannon airport - effectively eliminating our supposed neutrality.

Oh f**king gawd! You people piss me off. Sorry for going off topic, but the Irish goverment lets ANYBODY through. They let the soviet army through during the cold war. And they brought guns. They have let alot of the left-wing goverment troops through. And one right-wing goverment army goes through, and you call it a damn outrage???

Also, as for the Billy joke, fair balls to him. So the dude goes over, and gets rich quick, as any westerner over there gets paid lots of money for doing anything over there. When the people holding him were told that there was only 2 women in the Irai jails (and none in the jails they mentioned), they gave the guy to someone who'd demand money for him.
Now, these guys NEVER let ANYONE go alive. Everyone knows this, but refuses to believe this, so if anyone says something, its bad.

Final thought for the moment; even though he wasn't born here, Bertie bends backwards to get Bigley an Irish Passport. Shows you; it doesn't matter where your from, how many generations ago your family moved from Ireland (looks @ the Americans), EVERYONE wnats to be Irish! :cool:

fragile · 08-10-2004 03:49PM

Going off topic a bit, but if there is such a huge demand for this kind of sensationalist journalism reporting on torture and captivity (as there obviously is) then the journalists should be in Guantanamo bay not Iraq

Cindy Love · 08-10-2004 04:27PM

just thought id post this message its up on the hotmail message board that ken has been killed.(fingers crossed its a hoax)

simu · 08-10-2004 04:34PM

fragile wrote:

Going off topic a bit, but if there is such a huge demand for this kind of sensationalist journalism reporting on torture and captivity (as there obviously is) then the journalists should be in Guantanamo bay not Iraq

There's a bigger demand for it when the victims are white Europeans/Americans.

Sad but true.

Fysh · 08-10-2004 05:04PM

the_syco wrote:

Oh f**king gawd! You people piss me off. Sorry for going off topic, but the Irish goverment lets ANYBODY through. They let the soviet army through during the cold war. And they brought guns. They have let alot of the left-wing goverment troops through. And one right-wing goverment army goes through, and you call it a damn outrage???

No, I call it an outrage to let any army through and then claim that you had no involvement in the damn conflict. Especially when Bertie didn't claim to be opposed to the war in Iraq until after the reconstruction contracts had all been awarded and Ireland didn't get any of them. Letting another country's military use your facilities constitutes a tacit agreement with what they are doing - this is my point. Perhaps others have argued a similar case in a different way, but that's hardly my fault.

ven0m · 08-10-2004 06:07PM

The Irish government decides on our 'neutrality' & weighs it against it's own needs/desires as often as it needs & always demonstrates that we do not indeed live in a democracy, but a semi-facist state.....

What I ALSO find hilarious, is recently we all voted about the rights of 'who is considered irish' & the government tog over a passport - understandably, it was to save a man's life - fair enough - his own government left him to the dogs, but why must we dance along the fence - either we're neutral or not....& we stick by our guns on things or we change them & make it official....

As a side point - Bigley's hostage takers did say that "they had no quarrel with the Irish people & knew of our struggle to rid our lands of the rape, murder & imperialism of the British" - dunno how to take this statement TBH....

It's all a very f**ked up situation & to be honest, the media played a huge part in making it more messed up. As long as people remember that the media are NOT there to report the truth & their SOLE purpose is to shift units[i.e. papers, magazines etc etc], airtime & the rest - you'll understand the media are nothing more than glorified whores hawking their a$$es to the highest bidder in a disguised bid to pass off 'their truths' as fact & as an insidious form of entertainment, reminiscent of Romans feeding christians to Lions for entertainment of the masses....

::: ven0mous :::

segadreamcast · 08-10-2004 06:57PM

Kaimera wrote:

he only said what some people are thinking [perhaps a lot of people even]

hehehe..I laughed when I heard it

I'd understand if it was even funny - but Connolly was just going on shock value for this one. His outrageous, unbelievable, unreal stories are okay - sure, I'll listen to them with a pinch of salt. But this? Well, frankly, I find it disgusting.

Nevertheless, I also find the 'media circus' which engulfs the situation quite sickening too - why couldn't this have been left to those who would have an impact on the scenario.

either we're neutral or not....& we stick by our guns on things or we change them & make it official....

It's widely accepted that Ireland was hardly ever neutral. Talk to a history student about our stance on prisoners (German Vs. UK) in WW2 and see what they tell you...

Doper Than U · 08-10-2004 09:00PM

Well, why don't you just call me a Commie Pinko **** and get it over with? You're forgetting that the democracy your capitalism is based on gives me the right to dissent.

Lmao!! Now THATS funny. Wow, you gave me neg rep coz we disagreed? Why not behead me while you're at it. As for it being "my" capitalism, I was merely saying that making money is not a good enough reason to behead someone, and it seems this is ALL Ken Bigley is accused of according to those who say "It's his own fault". Thats it! Making money!! Even Iraqis want to make money! They don't deserve to be beheaded for that, and if you think they do, then YES I suggest you move to a regime that better suits your tastes. As for being a "Commie Pinko ****" :rolleyes: that's a rude and horrible thing to say, and you would never hear it from me, those are your words, don't assume you know what I would say.

It's just an opinion Fysh, just an opinion.. and people said I was being dramatic... :rolleyes:

Zombienosh · 08-10-2004 09:05PM

STATEMENT

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.

Statement Taken From www.billyconnolly.com

kaimera · 08-10-2004 10:23PM

I think billy hoping he returns safe is a bit late dont ya think?

GreeBo · 09-10-2004 06:02PM

Fysh wrote:

I take it you've completely ignored the way that Bertie supported the US/UK coalition for a good amount of the war and is still allowing the US military to use Shannon airport - effectively eliminating our supposed neutrality. And that we're talking about violent extremists who, in case it has escaped you, probably see an English-speaking man with a British passport and don't really give a damn beyond that. Because, if you suffer from this specific and localised form of blindness, then YES MY GOD YOU'RE RIGHT! Oh, wait...

Whether or not Ireland are neutral or not makes no difference to the attempt.
The fact that the attempt might not succeed does not negate the effort.
You seem to miss the fact that the Irish Government were making an attempt to save the guys life.

Your initial post stated "because apparently, killing him when he was English would be different, and not quite as evil.", I merely pointed out why he was granted the passport.

Oh and maybe its just me, but I havent seen too may Irish flags being burnt out there.

Try not to be a dickhead *all* the time dude.

GreeBo · 09-10-2004 06:11PM

Fysh wrote:

Letting another country's military use your facilities constitutes a tacit agreement with what they are doing - this is my point.

Huh????
How exactly did you come to this understanding?
Looking out for your own interests and not pissing off a superpower (that can do more for you than you can do for it) is not agreeing with their policies IMO.

If we knew that giving a passport would save his life but decided not to as "we are neutral" would that be a tacit agreement with the captors?

billy the squid · 09-10-2004 06:16PM

Giving the passport was better than turning to paul bigley and saying "sory mate **** all to do with us we are neutral"

It was unsuccessful, but it was worth the try and the minister for foreign affairs has to be at least commended for that.

Crowd angered by Connolly's 'get on with it' hostage joke

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