Frankie Boyle: Excited For You to See and Hate This

6th August 2020

I’ve always loved Frankie Boyle. While some of his jokes have been deplorable over the years, I have always enjoyed his ability to surprise. How he keeps us guessing in the set-up, only to deliver a deadpan punchline that’s far beyond what we had imagined. Although, being Frankie Boyle, we do know that the gag will probably be disgusting. In his words, “the tension arrives in the punchline.” 

Boyle is not to everyone’s tastes, then, but his latest stand up show Excited For You to See and Hate This, recorded in Glasgow at the end of his first tour of Scotland for 12 years, is refreshingly self-reflective. All the usual Boyle shock moments are there (including a joke about how he found out Santa Claus isn’t real), but there are moments of introspection where he examines his complicity in societal sexism.

He recalls a joke he had written for Live At The Apollo about female boxing, in which he stated that if female boxers fought in 3 minute rounds rather than 2 minute rounds, he would “ejaculate his own pelvis”. On reflection, he realises that the joke is consistent with playground sexism and social media trolls, and that, in his words, “he was conforming with a deeply sexist society.” This is rounded off with a brilliant joke that women are “obsessed with true crime podcasts because they’re doing research for their relationships.” 

It was uplifting to watch a successful male stand up acknowledge societal sexism, let alone admit to his own complicity in it. As he says, “these things trickle down.” Every example of sexism feeds into a much larger, deeply ingrained structural misogyny, leading to greater acts of violence if they are left unchecked. Moreover, it is a great example of how people should be given the room to change; to reflect upon past mistakes, examine problematic behaviours and own up to them in order to move forward and do better. 

In another section of the show, Boyle states his love for trans women and the trans community, criticising Ricky Gervais’ transphobia. Again, Boyle uses his powerful platform to do more than deliver the outrageous jokes that his fans are accustomed to. He uses his time to speak out for minorities and publicly support them.

Indeed, he goes on to recommend Hannah Gadbsy’s incredible Netflix special Nanette, a show that explores how Gadsby had previously used their comedy to make themself the butt of the jokes, and how they can no longer let the audience off that lightly. Boyle respectfully disagrees with Gadby’s commentary on comedy. While Gadsby states that punchlines are designed to dissolve the tension that they establish in the build up, Boyle’s comedy does the opposite. He lulls the audience into a false sense of security and then shocks them. Both are valid forms of stand up that cater to different tastes, and it was interesting to hear Boyle engage with Gadbsy’s ideas. In a similar way to Nanette, Boyle uses this show as something more than a usual gig. It is thought-provoking and considered, sprinkled with commentary and contemplation. 

While many male comedians continue to plug the “political correctness gone mad” rhetoric, Boyle offers a refreshingly honest and self aware show in Excited For You to See and Hate This. He proves that addressing inequalities in society doesn’t have to mean that the usual material his fans know and love has to be scrapped. Boyle masterfully retains his usual acerbic tone, while encouraging us to examine our own behaviours, and consider how we can all do better.