Thanks to uncreative sitcoms and stand-up comedians, jokes about in-laws have been a staple of comedy for ages. They are hilarious everywhere except, apparently, Italy. No, Italy will not be tolerating anyone badmouthing in-laws any longer, as evidenced by a recent court decision to fine a man for insulting his mother-in-law. The man, in the midst of a fight with his wife, went straight to the Holy Grail of mother-in-law insults by calling her both a "b*tch" and a "wh*re."
Despite the fact that the mother-in-law in question wasn't even present, the man now has to pay a fine to his wife, as the court felt that her husband "indirectly damaged her dignity."
The amount of damages awarded was not disclosed, but it undoubtedly means that in the future, Italians who get involved in battles of words are either going to have to be careful of what they say or preface all insults with things like "I don't personally believe this but I've heard that ... "
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Thursday 17 September
By Keep It Clean
"Shock" comics who use insults and profanity to elicit nervous laughter aren't really funny at all. Yes, it's high time to charge them for their bad behavior.
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Thursday 17 September
By NELSON
JUST A QUESTION. ARE YOU TO STUPID TO CHANGE TO CHANNEL??
Thursday 17 September
By Josh
You charge them by not going to they're shows!~```````````````````````
Thursday 17 September
By barleygoogle
If you would read the short article again (or possibly for the first time), you would see that it does not say anything about charging comedians for their mother-in-law jokes. It mentioned comedians and those jokes, but went on to the article's very different issue: a man in Italy being fined for insulting his own mother-in-law to his wife during a fight the two were having.
When you write that it's high time shock comics were charged for their behavior, I think you didn't read the article, but only a couple lines.
Thursday 17 September
By buddycro
Nelson, I just wanted to say that, before you call someone stupid, learn how to spell TOO correctly.
Thursday 17 September
By John F. C. Taylor
Well, that'll teach that guy. See, there's a big difference between making jokes about in-laws and calling someone names like that. Something to do with defamation of character, I believe.
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Thursday 17 September
By NELSON
BUT NOW THE PROBLEM, IF THE MOTHER IN LAW, IS IN FACT A "B*TCH" AND A "WH*RE". HE HAS A COUNTER SUIT.
Thursday 17 September
By NELSON
NOW THAT'S JUST ABOUT NINE YARD'S WORTH OF STUPID.AND THE A-HOLE'S WHO CAME UP WITH THE FINE IDEA SHOULD BE SOAKED IN BULL CRAP.
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Thursday 17 September
By John F. C. Taylor
In response to your response to my previous comment. Of course, it goes without saying. Don't you think though that he would have been able to present the evidence in court when he was being sentenced and fined?
Thursday 17 September
By Hughie Miller
Good Lord! Italy is getting more and more like us her is the good old USA. Now days, just look at someone the wrong way and bam! Your suied!!!!!!!!!!! Years ago I use to say that one day the country is going to take to heart the little old witch on the coner and make laws she thinks there should be. Fast forward 25 years and BINGO! It all came true. Man I love my country, but i'm also very embarassed at it. Like having your grandparents went wild and started running around nude everywhere. Does anyone get what i'm saying?
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Thursday 17 September
By immayT
No.
Thursday 17 September
By Duc
No
Thursday 17 September
By barleygoogle
No.
Who is this woman you are talking about? What is a coner?
What law is around now that wasn't 25 years ago that you are referring to, that is related to this article about these people in Italy??
Thursday 17 September
By jacob
italins can do whatever they want over there. its there country
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Thursday 17 September
By huh?
yes, freedom of speech isn't a big thing in italy.... coming soon to your country
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Thursday 17 September
By readsthearticle
Didn't anyone actually READ the article? It doesn't say THIS man was a stand up comic! The article states that he and his wife had a fight (doesn't say if was in their home or in public) and during the fight he called his mother-in-law some names AND that the mother-in-law wasn't even there to hear it and his WIFE was the one who he "indirectly damaged her dignity" and the wife is the one who he has to pay the fine to.
SO, apparently in Italy if you have an arguement with someone and say something that hurts their feelings you have to pay them money! Good thing that isn't a law in the U.S. or else the court system would be back-logged for decades!
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Thursday 17 September
By johnjfoote@aol.com
Yes but black comics still say cracker etc. , that is OK right.
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Thursday 17 September
By sarah brown
thank god this still is the USA...although racial slurs are horrible..i don't want my freedom of speech FINED
Thursday 17 September
By C. W.
YEP...NO MORE THAN ''WHITE'' COMICS SAY THE ''NIGGER''....does Michael Richards (a-hole) ring a bell...........HELLURRRRRR
Thursday 17 September
By lobo121148
Get use too it, the PC train is rolling into a station near you! It's now racist to call the President a liar, instead merely being bad manners? You do your job a s a cop, someone calls you racist, and suddenly YOUR defending doing the job you were hired too do? Black comics/REVERENDS/Commentators make insulting remarks ALL the time, about rednecks/trailer trash/Southern Whites, you call them Negro/Black instead of AFRO-American, your a racist. Problem with the PC train, is that once it gets up a head of steam, it runs down EVERYBODY! When its YOUR turn, just remember you thought it was funny/appropriate when it was the OTHER guy!!
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