The Big Yin abuses photographer

Ben D Bus

"Billy Connolly says he does not regret verbally abusing photographer in Killarney"

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0504/390387-billy-connolly/

According to RTE she was the official photographer (for the venue or the promoter or whoever, it doesn't say)

Is she a boardsie?

It all sounds a bit unpleasant.

Kenny Logins

He tweeted about it earlier today, forgot to look it up. Cheers.

I wonder what she has to say about it, or if the press are just acting offended on her behalf..?

Kenny Logins

https://twitter.com/Billy_Connolly/status/330645744371507200

omerin

What a pr**k, hopefully someone will give him a Glasgow kiss when he's in Cork.

Kenny Logins

omerin wrote: »

What a pr**k, hopefully someone will give him a Glasgow kiss when he's in Cork.

That's a bit much. Were you there?

omerin

No I wasn't there, and why is it a bit much? Someone doing their job and call a c***, that's not a bit much? In any case he is due one

Kenny Logins

omerin wrote: »

No I wasn't there, and why is it a bit much? Someone doing their job and call a c***, that's not a bit much? In any case he is due one

You do know he's a comedian, yeah?

Zombrex

Never understood the appeal of Billy Connolly. Most over rated stand up comedian ever (after Ben Elton). His jokes are just him shouting in a Scottish accent.

Uberbeamerman

Kenny Logins wrote: »

You do know he's a comedian, yeah?

So comedy has turned into mindlessly insulting people until they're in tears

Kenny Logins

Uberbeamerman wrote: »

So comedy has turned into mindlessly insulting people until they're in tears

Is that what happened? Not what I have read...

Storm in a teacup IMHO.

Uberbeamerman

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Is that what happened? Not what I have read...

Storm in a teacup IMHO.

Doing your job and getting fcuked off the stage and being called a C**t
The photographer was the INECs own and has been for the past 20 years.
Her appointment for the night was ok'd by the INECs management as well as Billys own. He turned around on the night and annihilated her for the sakes of entertainment. Hardly confined to a teacup methinks

Kenny Logins

Uberbeamerman wrote: »

Doing your job and getting fcuked off the stage and being called a C**t
The photographer was the INECs own and has been for the past 20 years.
Her appointment for the night was ok'd by the INECs management as well as Billys own. He turned around on the night and annihilated her for the sakes of entertainment. Hardly confined to a teacup methinks

So do you also hope that somebody gives him a 'Glasgow kiss' in retaliation?

This just sounds to me like another (social) media witch hunt, with people that weren't actually there keeping it going, offended on behalf of the photographer in question. That's all.

FWIW, I do think he was out of order, but it may have been nothing that an sincere apology wouldn't fix.

Uberbeamerman

Kenny Logins wrote: »

So do you also hope that somebody gives him a 'Glasgow kiss' in retaliation?

This just sounds to me like another (social) media witch hunt, with people that weren't actually there keeping it going, offended on behalf of the photographer in question. That's all.

FWIW, I do think he was out of order, but it may have been nothing that an sincere apology wouldn't fix.

A glasgow kiss? No, I don't wish that upon him at all.
He was seriously out of order, and to be humiliated like that is just horrible...
He has since said that he is 'proud' of the incident and 'doesn't regret it', and all thats after doing is throwing more fuel on the fire.
Kinda takes the sincerity out of any forthcoming apology IMO. Regarding the 'witch hunt', If that was a friend of yours or acquaintance it was done to, you too would be up in arms over it.

Kenny Logins

Uberbeamerman wrote: »

A glasgow kiss? No, I don't wish that upon him at all.
He was seriously out of order, and to be humiliated like that is just horrible...
He has since said that he is 'proud' of the incident and 'doesn't regret it', and all thats after doing is throwing more fuel on the fire.
Kinda takes the sincerity out of any forthcoming apology IMO. Regarding the 'witch hunt', If that was a friend of yours or acquaintance it was done to, you too would be up in arms over it.

I really don't know, I wasn't there to witness the tone/situation and, like the rest of us, I only have the second-hand reports to go on.

Hang on, this helps -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn1vCQWCwXQ

That gives a bit more insight into what actually happened, and could change my mind about it.

RayM

Uberbeamerman wrote: »

Doing your job and getting fcuked off the stage and being called a C**t
The photographer was the INECs own and has been for the past 20 years.
Her appointment for the night was ok'd by the INECs management as well as Billys own. He turned around on the night and annihilated her for the sakes of entertainment. Hardly confined to a teacup methinks

Billy Connolly was doing his job, and the photographer was distracting him. He didn't swear at her for the sake of entertainment; he swore because she continued taking photographs after he told her to stop. In fairness to her, it's possible that she didn't think he was being serious at first.

It's also very possible that Connolly's promoters didn't inform him that she had permission to take photographs. Knowing a little bit about his history with photographers, I doubt that he would have consented to having one present while performing.

Finnt

Kenny Logins wrote: »

That gives a bit more insight into what actually happened, and could change my mind about it.

what's that about whos he giving the finger to?

Uberbeamerman

Taken from the INEC Facebook page:

Valerie O’Sullivan has been the in-house photographer for the INEC and Gleneagle Hotel Group for the past twenty years. As our official press photographer and as part of our ongoing public relations strategy she was engaged to photograph the recent Billy Connolly performance for INEC exclusive use. Permission had been granted for same in advance by Billy Connolly’s Irish promoter. The success of Valerie as our in-house photographer and her popularity with visiting artists is due to her discreet demeanour, professionalism and unobtrusive nature.

Patrick O’Donoghue,
Managing Director,
Gleneagle Hotel Group

Rew

Piss poor for one supposed profesional to do that to another. If he wasn't told by his promotor he could simply have explained it in the media today instead he takes to twitter to abuse her further and goes on the radio and says he's proud of what he did, he's the one who's a c***.

She's a great photographer and an extremely nice person who was there doing a profesional job and didn't deserve what happened. She was sitting on a step keeping a low profile at the time.

andy_g

To be honest i have dealt with him a number of years ago when working in dublin airport and didnt have a great experience for want of a better word,

flight went delayed he went mad at the boarding gate staff and wasnt good.

Since going freelance for some of the paper's i have met him and he does not like photographers of any kind intruding on him.

Norwesterner

RayM wrote: »

Billy Connolly was doing his job, and the photographer was distracting him. He didn't swear at her for the sake of entertainment; he swore because she continued taking photographs after he told her to stop. In fairness to her, it's possible that she didn't think he was being serious at first.

It's also very possible that Connolly's promoters didn't inform him that she had permission to take photographs. Knowing a little bit about his history with photographers, I doubt that he would have consented to having one present while performing.

Yet he waved to photographers outside the Cork theatre today.
He was acting like an arrogant, obnoxious fool trying to appear controversial and shocking a la Frankie Boyle.
He left a local woman in tears and she is not even able to answer questions from the media.
He thought she was paparazzi (in Kerry ffs)and this shows his delusions of grandeur.
And to cap it all off, he refuses to apologize for his knacker behaviour and reckons he's "proud of it".
Billy was funny for a period sometime in the late 1970's, but he's an arty-farty has-been who shifts his humour depending on where he is....
i.e Rude and Vulgar in UK and Ireland.
And a Luvvie in the U.S

Norwesterner

Kenny Logins wrote: »

I really don't know, I wasn't there to witness the tone/situation and, like the rest of us, I only have the second-hand reports to go on.

Hang on, this helps -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn1vCQWCwXQ

That gives a bit more insight into what actually happened, and could change my mind about it.

And the polite, "shure it'll be grand", lets-not offend-our neighbours, awkward Paddies clap this nonsense!

condra

Funny if people brought a ton of flash cameras to the Cork gig.

the_syco

Uberbeamerman wrote: »

Her appointment for the night was ok'd by the INECs management as well as Billys own. He turned around on the night and annihilated her for the sakes of entertainment. Hardly confined to a teacup methinks

Was he told about her, and where was she standing? He said he didn't know it was even a woman, so I'm guessing no-one told him, seeing how he doesn't like photographers.

It seems (from digitalspy.com) that he thinks he "seem to have caused a little ripple on the lakes of Killarney by telling a photographer to get the hell out of my eye line." (Not so) Funny how he rephrased what he said when talking to people that are not his fans?

I'd say most people would've been subtle, but I've never seen Billy do "subtle".

IamBlip

Zombrex wrote: »

Never understood the appeal of Billy Connolly. Most over rated stand up comedian ever (after Ben Elton). His jokes are just him shouting in a Scottish accent.

I hate Connolly he's an a$$hole, after his joke about wishing Ken Bigley's captures would just get on with beheading him, I can't believe that he still has a career and that people still pay to see him.

Scarlet42

I don't like him since the Ken Bigley thing and started to see him in a completely different light .. he just isn't a nice person. His staff should have warned her and not have let her into that position, but there is no excuse to treat anyone like that.

monkeysnapper

I've met Valerie a few times and she's a lovely lady. She's got a real passion for photography. She photographed the queen in cork when she was over .

Obviously she was good enough for the queen but not good enough for billy.

I have to say I was gutted not to have got chance to see him but since all this happened I'm glad I kept my well earned money.

Zirconia

Add your "Like" to this to show your appreciation:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/billy-connolly-is-a-dick/266838752093

Promac

Famously foul-mouthed Scottish comedian tells someone to f*ck off. Nation shocked...

I love Billy. I think he's hilarious and a great character. And if he's acting a bit off, so what? He's 71. When I'm 71 I'll most likely be a damn sight less polite to people who tick me off.

Zirconia

Promac wrote: »

Famously foul-mouthed Scottish comedian tells someone to f*ck off. Nation shocked...

I love Billy. I think he's hilarious and a great character. And if he's acting a bit off, so what? He's 71. When I'm 71 I'll most likely be a damn sight less polite to people who tick me off.

I disagree, he's not a "great character" he's a more than a bit of an ar$eh0le in real life, so just because people find him to be "hilarious" dosent mean he can treat other people like sh!t and then brush it aside as if it's not important. Behaviour like this should result in damage to his career, particularly because he dosent think what he did was wrong, when it so obviously is. :mad:

Promac

By whose standards is he an ar$ehole? Have we examined the entirety of his behavioural spectrum and deemed it to lie firmly on the side of "not very nice"? Is there a questionnaire or multiple choice? Your idea of ar$ehole is very different, I'm sure, from mine. Anyway, I'm sure anyone who doesn't like what he said or did won't be at his next concert so you can consider his career "damaged". What else would you have done to him for having a bit of a rant at some random person?

Edit: This has absolutely f*ck all to do with Photography - for a minute there I thought I was in AH.

Rew

Promac wrote: »

By whose standards is he an ar$ehole? Have we examined the entirety of his behavioural spectrum and deemed it to lie firmly on the side of "not very nice"? Is there a questionnaire or multiple choice? Your idea of ar$ehole is very different, I'm sure, from mine. Anyway, I'm sure anyone who doesn't like what he said or did won't be at his next concert so you can consider his career "damaged". What else would you have done to him for having a bit of a rant at some random person?

Edit: This has absolutely f*ck all to do with Photography - for a minute there I thought I was in AH.

By any normal standards. Only an ar$ehole would say they were proud of their actions the next day instead of saying "Sorry I wasn't told my management had signed off on a photographer, I wouldn't haver agreed to it my self and I thought they were there without permission."

Borderfox

He was funny for about six months in the 80's, now he's just a sad old man.

Maybe a change of tack is needed by the photographer for the future, 300-400mm f2.8 from the back of the theatre would save anymore outbursts

Storm in a teacup.

I'd hate to see some people here at Frankie Boyle if you think this was abuse.

Borderfox

Borderfox wrote: »

now he's just a sad old man

You know him or something? I'd say he's happy enough.

Bit of a sad comment tbh.

Rew

rarnes1 wrote: »

Storm in a teacup.

I'd hate to see some people here at Frankie Boyle if you think this was abuse.

A guy who pokes fun and disabled kids yeah he's ****ing a legend... :rolleyes:

Rew

Borderfox wrote: »

Maybe a change of tack is needed by the photographer for the future, 300-400mm f2.8 from the back of the theatre would save anymore outbursts

From what I read ids say thats not a millin miles from what she was doing. She had been up in the balcony shooting down then went down the main level and sat on a step about half way down the auditorium shooting. No idea how big the INEC is though so half way down could be anything!!

Rented Mule

Kenny Logins wrote: »

I really don't know, I wasn't there to witness the tone/situation and, like the rest of us, I only have the second-hand reports to go on.

Hang on, this helps -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn1vCQWCwXQ

That gives a bit more insight into what actually happened, and could change my mind about it.

They are the exact same clothes that he wore three years ago when I saw him in Chicago. Poor thing could probably use a wash as well.

Borderfox

rarnes1 wrote: »

You know him or something? I'd say he's happy enough.

Bit of a sad comment tbh.

I know him about as much as you do.

Rew

Rew wrote: »

A guy who pokes fun and disabled kids yeah he's ****ing a legend... :rolleyes:

Comedy isn't real life.

Rew

rarnes1 wrote: »

Comedy isn't real life.

He explicitly named one kid and he told the mother of a downes syndrome kid that jokes he made abouts DS "Well its all true" so she shouldn't be upset by them.

Not sure what your definition of real life is but seems pretty real to me.

eisenberg1

Promac wrote: »

By whose standards is he an ar$ehole? Have we examined the entirety of his behavioural spectrum and deemed it to lie firmly on the side of "not very nice"? Is there a questionnaire or multiple choice? Your idea of ar$ehole is very different, I'm sure, from mine. Anyway, I'm sure anyone who doesn't like what he said or did won't be at his next concert so you can consider his career "damaged". What else would you have done to him for having a bit of a rant at some random person?

Edit: This has absolutely f*ck all to do with Photography - for a minute there I thought I was in AH.

By the standards of any normal person, and yes I agree, his career has been damaged, you dont hear or see half as much of him since the Ken Bigley fiasco, which was nothing short of a disgrace. There was a time when I thought he was the funniest thing ...but frankly, his time has passed, aside from this incident and the begley thing, he just aint funny anymore. I would have liked to have been at this show for one reason....to stand up and walk the *uck out!! As far as I am concerned, Scotland can keep him and that other ass Boyle.

Beano

eisenberg1 wrote: »

By the standards of any normal person, and yes I agree, his career has been damaged, you dont hear or see half as much of him since the Ken Bigley fiasco, which was nothing short of a disgrace. There was a time when I thought he was the funniest thing ...but frankly, his time has passed, aside from this incident and the begley thing, he just aint funny anymore. I would have liked to have been at this show for one reason....to stand up and walk the *uck out!! As far as I am concerned, Scotland can keep him and that other ass Boyle.

Thats a bit harsh on poor Susan.

eisenberg1

Touche Beano Ha!

just to clarify, I was of course referring to frankie Boyle the guy who slags off special needs kids.

Someone else on the thread made reference to Billy being 71 and give him a break. WTF has his age got to do with it?...should we be making allowances because of it, perhaps you should ask him this the next time you attend his show............but give us a warning so someone can film it, and we can see how funny you think being abused is.

Rew

Rew wrote: »

He explicitly named one kid and he told the mother of a downes syndrome kid that jokes he made abouts DS "Were all true" so she shouldn't be upset by them.

Not sure what your definition of real life is but seems pretty real to me.

It's comedy. Thiags are said that aren't true believe it or not.

Some comedians say anti semetic stuff, some racist stuff, some slag off diseases.

If people don't like no holds barred comedy, don't go. Simples. It's not for everyone.

eisenberg1

rarnes1 wrote: »

It's comedy. Thiags are said that aren't true believe it or not.

Some comedians say anti semetic stuff, some racist stuff, some slag off diseases.

If people don't like no holds barred comedy, don't go. Simples. It's not for everyone.

Slagging off any, let alone a specific child with DS is NOT funny, and only a very lazy "comedian" would try to pass it off as such. Putting it in the same category as anti semetic/racist jokes is not on either because adults will choose to either ignore the shoite or defend their race/ethnic background......a 7 yr old with DS cant always do this.

The people who find this crap funny to tell or listen to are usually someone with no siblings or relatives with any sort of special needs..

If they had a child with a disabilty, and some similar remarks were passed in a school yard, they would on to the principal ASAP to accuse some 7 yr old of bullying.....

we are off the thread so I leaving it at that

homerun_homer

I don't buy the storm in a teacup comments. Put yourself in her shoes and imagine shooting a show in front of 2,000 people and you are pointed out, picked on and called a c**t and then your name is plastered over the papers the next day. That's a very embarrassing position to be in though you did nothing wrong.

I shoot gigs and would be mortified if a performer pointed me out and made a any sort of negative comment. It happened a friend of mine recently at a small show in Limerick and he was taking photos for the venue/promoter!

Zombrex wrote: »

His jokes are just him shouting in a Scottish accent.

Isn't that Tommy Tiernan with an Irish accent?

Splinters

This going off the point. It has nothing to do with the material in his routine. It would be the same issue if a photographer was singled out by a band or an actor in a theater performance.

Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of his comedy the way he treated that photographer is disgusting. Even in the heat of the moment he could almost be forgiven for the incident if afterwards he apologised and admited how unprofessional he acted. But by defending it and outrightly saying he was proud of it, hes just fueling the fire even more.