Billy Conolly

[olbod]

I watched his docco thingy about death last night.
Mildly entertaining.
But crikey Billy looked crook. He's seventy one.
He said that on the Monday he got new hearing aids, on the Tuesday he was told he had prostate cancer and on the Wednesday he was told he had parkinsons disease. They told him he was not going to die.
Not a good week.
He wandered slowly through each scene, same old Billy but by cripes he looked crook.
I had the impression that he was making peace and coming to turns with his mortality.
Dont think he will be up for much more work but he said he wanted to be remembered as someone who made them laugh.
Next stop he will be amongst friends and in good company.
Whats to fear.

[ramblingboy42]

He made me laugh....probably more than any other comedian in the world.

I often you tube him and up there for hours laughing.

I thought he was very poignant last night , but he still made me laugh.

[Pickles2]

I noticed that Billy was on, but I watched another program on SBS, "Walking Through History", which ironically last night was focussed on Scotland.
I like Billy, always have. My mum did too, she didn't like swearing, never swore in her life, but she liked Billy, always watched him because (her words) "He is so funny"!
I'd heard that he wasn't well, so I wish him well.....a genuinely funny man.
Pickles.

[ramblingboy42]

He's got 3 good topics to take the **** out of himself now.

Watch him go....once he settles in.

[gordo 350]

met him once at a fish and chip shop in Glasgow. Both of us were seeing in stereo at the time. I said " are you Billy Connelly ?" he leans forward and looks at his reflection in the bain marie and says " so I am !!!" then we both went back to leaning on the wall waiting for our fish supper

[TheTree]

Hi

I also thought he looked pretty crook but admired him for the way he is handling it.

There were some pretty interesting bits in the show

Will be a sad day when he goes:(

Steve

[Redback]

2 comedians that come to mind as the funniest, Spike Milligan and Billy Connelly, both funny and both took or in Billys case, taking death in their stride.

I watched Billy last night, loved it, always makes me laugh.

Baz.

[p38arover]

I don't watch him as I can't take the language.

[TheTree]

2 comedians that come to mind as the funniest, Spike Milligan and Billy Connelly, both funny and both took or in Billys case, taking death in their stride.

I watched Billy last night, loved it, always makes me laugh.

Baz.

Ahh Spike was a genius and a true groundbreaker, he lived just down the road and described Woy Woy as "the worlds only above ground cemetery" :p

Steve

[TheTree]

I don't watch him as I can't take the language.

Ron

He was much more subdued last night

The show was kind of a bizarre walk through American funeral "culture". I couldn't help thinking of Evelyn Waugh's "The Loved One" :p

Steve

[olbod]

I don't watch him as I can't take the language.

I dont usually watch him for the same reason but last night there was no bad language. I was there because I am having antenna problems and cant get most channels.
Not sorry I watched it tho as it was interesting.
Sad to see Billy so weak now but thats life.
Been here done that meself now so I can feel for him.

[Ausfree]

I don't watch him as I can't take the language.

Tend to agree, but I still used to watch him because language aside, he was a good comedian. Why he used bad language has me scratching my head, as it's not necessary.(the bad language I mean, not me scratching my head).:p

Will be a sad day when he goes!!!:(

[Bundalene]

2 comedians that come to mind as the funniest, Spike Milligan and Billy Connelly, both funny and both took or in Billys case, taking death in their stride.

I watched Billy last night, loved it, always makes me laugh.

Baz.


Billy Connolly is a great comedian...I remember one of his shows, when he was travelling around Australia and he put a segment together where he was frolicking around the Pinnacle Desert in WA....and he was totally naked!!! .....That was an absolute scream!!


Irish comedian Dave Allen was very funny as well...He's been long gone, but took the **** out of the Irish...and the Catholics also. Most of the time he had a glass of something to drink....:angel: while he was sitting on his stool telling jokes.
Always ended his show...."May your God be with you" Which I thought was quite good....considering people have different religious beliefs.

[p38arover]

I also liked Dave Allen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nznZL6i9_co

I'd like more comedians, e.g., Jimmy Carr, if they could remove the bad language from their acts.

[AnD3rew]

I think the thing that made Billy look "crook" in that thing last night was the Parkinson's disease (and it's drug treatment) symptoms. It can change both the way you move and your expression and affect and make it seem very flat. It doesn't necessarily mean he is particularly unwell (other than having Parkinson's disease of course)

Don't know what the stage or severity of his Prostate cancer is but many men at his age survive quite well for years with prostate cancers and a large percentage die with prostate cancer rather than from prostate cancer.
(Edit to add I just a Googled it and from what I can see it looks like it was caught early and treated successfully.)

[V8Ian]

For some reason Billy could get away with language with which others would make me cringe.

[AnD3rew]

If you have ever had much to do with anyone from a working background from. Glasgow, Billy Connellys language is just everyday language and is an fact pretty mild.

[gordo 350]

growing up in the same town and work place as mr Connelly , I don't see his language as a problem. In the shipyards it was normal, at the pub it was normal, at home it was normal(except when mum was around). "bad" language was (is) normal. it was omly when he drifted south of Newcastle that it became a problem.

[sschmez]

Thanx for the thread.
Billy Connolly can make me laugh till I hurt.
Had to go find the program on iview (http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/billy-connollys-big-send-off/ZX9948A003S00)
Glad I did.

Stevo

[Didge]

As others have said I don't see the need for all the profanity but remember he grew up in Glasgow, not the most refined part of the world, worked as a welder and grew his comedy from sitting in pubs watching people interact.
Not one for swearing myself, I do find it odd that people find so much offence at swearing (and I don't like it myself) but then accept (I don't) gratuitous violence in movies as entertainment . It's a strange society with odd morals/ ethics in which we live.

I have a number of his old vinyl LP's and they're full of hilarious stories - I especially like the one about Football violence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjVg0Sbsh4&feature=kp

makes me laugh every time.

I must say sschmez, that is the strangest link to hut photos I've ever encountered - strange but mesmerizing :) good stuff :)
Thanks for the iview link as well :)
live for today!!!!

[p38arover]

growing up in the same town and work place as mr Connelly , I don't see his language as a problem. In the shipyards it was normal, at the pub it was normal, at home it was normal(except when mum was around). "bad" language was (is) normal. it was omly when he drifted south of Newcastle that it became a problem.

My wife and I both grew up in homes where bad language was not used - and, as a result, we don't use it and our kids don't (in front of us). When I started work in 1965, bad language was never used in front of women - these days some women seem to be worse than men.

I think the worst I've ever heard day say is "bloody". My daughter says mine is "Curses". :D

[Redback]

growing up in the same town and work place as mr Connelly , I don't see his language as a problem. In the shipyards it was normal, at the pub it was normal, at home it was normal(except when mum was around). "bad" language was (is) normal. it was omly when he drifted south of Newcastle that it became a problem.


As others have said I don't see the need for all the profanity but remember he grew up in Glasgow, not the most refined part of the world, worked as a welder and grew his comedy from sitting in pubs watching people interact.
Not one for swearing myself, I do find it odd that people find so much offence at swearing (and I don't like it myself) but then accept (I don't) gratuitous violence in movies as entertainment . It's a strange society with odd morals/ ethics in which we live.

I have a number of his old vinyl LP's and they're full of hilarious stories - I especially like the one about Football violence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjVg0Sbsh4&feature=kp

makes me laugh every time.

I must say sschmez, that is the strangest link to hut photos I've ever encountered - strange but mesmerizing :) good stuff :)
Thanks for the iview link as well :)
live for today!!!!

My Mother grew up in the same district as Billy Connolly(Anderston)actually the same street from memory, my Mother never used bad language and neither did my Grandparents, just because you grew up in these areas of Glasgow, doesn't mean you swear and no I don't think it would have been the norm, maybe on the docks, but not at home or in front of women.

Personally it doesn't bother me, I just think he's funny.

Baz.

[Ausfree]

For some reason Billy could get away with language with which others would make me cringe.

I think he would have been better not using the bad language, it is not necessary. Probably off topic at the moment but female pop singers (Mily Cyrus) why do they have to gyrate around half naked, it is totally not necessary if you are a good singer.

[JamesB71]

For gods sake theres some stiffs in here. Accept that his language is as much his culture as anything. I doubt he sets out to upset you lots delicate sensibilities. Wasnt there an Agatha Cristie on or some thing? Its just words and the only reason you take offence is your own particular cultural mores.

[BMKal]

Billy's language is tame. ;)

I don't like so called entertainers who just think it's funny to use foul language and just swear for the sake of it. However, I get a good laugh at those who are clever with their use of these words. Billy fits into that category.

I'm a fan of "Kevin Bloody Wilson" who uses worse language than Billy ever does, but is also clever in the way that he uses it.

My mother is very religious and does not like foul language at all - yet she also gets a good chuckle out of both Billy and some of Kevin's songs. I'm very careful though not to play some of Kevin's songs with a certain "C" word in them in the presence of my mother - I don't really know what her reaction would be to that - and to be honest, I'd never use the word or knowingly play anything with that word in her presence.

Other "entertainers" such as Austen Tayshus, Rodney Rude and similar who just think it's funny to swear, but really have no skills when it comes to actual "humour", just don't do anything for me.

[bob10]

Time & a place for everything. I can swear like a drover [ my dad was one] , or a sailor [ I was one] but it doesn't take much to know when to be a bit couth. I guarantee, Mr Connolly would be worldly enough to understand just that. Bob

[sheerluck]

......... Probably off topic at the moment but female pop singers (Mily Cyrus) why do they have to gyrate around half naked, it is totally not necessary if you are a good singer.

She was singing was she? Didn't notice. :angel:

[mikehzz]

I thought she was fully naked swinging on that ball? Half naked just doesn't cut it anymore. Billy could have a lot of fun with this conversation...:)