Last year during stand-up comic Frankie Boyle's sell-out tour he was challanged and protested against for making crude jokes regarding Down's syndrome sufferers by a mother of a Down's syndrome child who was in the audience. The mother - Mrs Smith - was offended by Boyle's remarks and the Daily Mail (granted along with other right-wing papers) smelt a great story highlighting the troubles of modern day society.

The truth is there are no laws on offending. Correctly so. How can you make a law on something as subjective as this? What might offend you might not offend me and vice versa. Though the jokes were very cringeworthy and cynical; this is precisely the unique selling point of Boyles' shows and therefore his audience should know what they are paying for. To put Mrs Smith's role and complaints into a different context and perspective - you wouldn't go to a 50 Cent gig and complain about his constant references to weapons, drugs and violence; or his derogatory attitude towards females. Another would be going to a Frankie Boyle show and...oh wait.

Is comedy going the way that it treads on eggshells in the worry there may be a Mrs Smith watching, or focus on the man in the crowd who is not satisfied until atleast three religious and ethnic groups have been poked at. If only comedy had that thing...what is it called...oh yes - variety. Hang on, it already has that!

If you want "clever and funny jokes" (as Mrs Smith put it) - go to see an intelluectual comedian such as Marcus Brigstocke or David Mitchell. Or if you are partial to more close to the knuckle comedy go for your Frankie Boyle's and Doug Stanhope's of the world. If you find out the genre or protocol of thier usual routines then you will not get shocked when seeing them and avoid becoming offended and wanting to either tell a tabloid or purchase a gun.

Using Frankie Boyle as an argument is common practise within these free-speech vs ill humour debates; yet it is never less poignant the more it is used.

Everyone loves to have a laugh. Everyones humour is different. If you order a foul mouthed comedian - don't complain if he makes a risqu gag in the same way you wouldn't moan if you ordered a vindaloo and subsequently ran out of toilet paper.