BAFTAs

I absolutely love Fry and think he presents this brilliantly every year, and Rebel had me in absolute tears of laughter with her speech. So a good start there!

That was nasty and uncalled for wasn't it? However if challenged I'm sure SF will wheedle his way out of it. He appears to be untouchable.

He said what a lot of us were thinking. The trouble is, he said it, whereas we just thought it...

I only watched the last half or so (the 'big' awards) tonight - the last few years of the BAFTAs have been ruined for me by Frys alternating between over the top toadying and unfunny bitchiness.

I feel really bad now because I likes Stephen Fry last night especially the "bag lady" joke. She could have put a frock on at least.............
I also liked Rebel Wilson's speech but have to admit I have not idea who she is. I thought she was off TOWIE until she started talking and realised she didn't have an American accent.
Apart from Lady in the Van, the only film I fancy seeing is the Spanish one

Alternatively she could dress how she wants to dress because it's no one's business how she dresses except her own? I know it's hard to tell, society being the way it is, but an awful lot of women wear the clothes they want to wear because it makes them happy to do so, and not the clothes other people tell them they should wear because somehow it's reasonable to not only have expectations of women but also to expect them to act on those expectations.

If Stephen Fry doesn't want people to think he's an asshole, then he needs to refrain from making assholish comments in public. Sure, we all have friends we verbally abuse as a sign of affection, but I consider my audience before I start screaming "HEY THERE MOTHERF***ER" across the room at them. How on earth do the two-thousand-odd people at the ROH and the worldwide television audience know that I consider that person a dear friend if that's what I lead with? And even if I explain, does that automatically mean my dear friend - who accepts my joshing on a one-to-one basis and gives back as good as she gets - wants this particular aspect of our relationship broadcast to so many strangers in this way? People thought his rude comment was rude - if he doesn't like people thinking this, then he needs to not do this in the future. Or if it's very important to him to be able to make rude comments, then he needs to accept that some people are going to think he's rude, and move on.

If it had been a man he would have been regarded as subversive (and cool) or as anti-establishment (and cool).

You'll have no lambasting from me for using "as a woman"! I'm a man (and only 21 at that) so any insight for me is so totally useful and I thank you Beamax for being so open about your feelings. Being a man, it's hard to comprehend how society is towards yourself and other women. In fact, I was watching This Morning about 45 minutes ago and they were talking about this situation and Stephen Fry and "but they are friends" and "she won a BAFTA she can wear what she wants!" - then straight onto a best dressed section! I will say though that yes, I'm a man, but I'm a younger and much fuller-figured man. I think there's one occasion in my life where a drunk man said something on the street about my weight but other than that it's just the feeling of not fitting in with what people want men to look like to be deemed attractive - so on that one, I'm with you there 100%!!

That's a good rule of thumb with comedy, but I will say that there are those (and there always will be on both sides of any argument!) who criticised Fry by criticising his appearance, which in my view just makes their whole point null and void! However, it's hard to tell, in Fry's eyes, whether he was indeed mocking up or down, which maybe is a case for Fry to have just not saying anything in the first place! Maybe it's why Rebel Wilson (a brilliant and successful woman far from what society deems to be 'normal') has been praised so much for her speech as it was clearly a joke and obviously very funny, even if it was a woman purring over the attractive men in the audience and using Idris Elba (a fine actor) for a joke based on skin colour. And that's not me trying to make a point as I genuinely was in tears of laughter at Rebel, just thinking out loud! And yes, your explanation is fully understandable as why you don't consider it hypocrisy!

I definitely don't think it's over-sensitivity and I sincerely hope I didn't make it feel like that with my wording, I just feel that, as a man who feels he doesn't meet societies criteria in maybe a different way to how women are made to feel, certain things can get labeled quickly! But luckily having a good discussion with yourself and other members of this board can make one feel happy in a safe environment!

As for his storming off twitter, interesting that he's done it for effect before. However, on a slightly different strand about Fry, he's a man with well-documented mental health issues, you do wonder how much abuse one can take. On the other hand, maybe that's another case for him to have just said nothing!

Or that he can dish it, but not take it.

Sorry but I've heard enough about Mr Fry's mental health, celibacy, rediscovered sexuality, marriage to a toy boy and regular flounces off Twitter to last a lifetime.

I can, actually.

And that's not to dinimish the issue of mental health, it's an indication of my interest in Stephen Fry's private life.

Well like I said, mental health issues are not more important in some people than others.

Unfortunately, you do diminish the issue of mental health when you decide who you would and would not like to hear about it from - but your opinion of Stephen Fry is your opinion and I can and will do nothing but respect it.

Do the guests expect some kind of 'British' humour from the BAFTAs? I watched on the telly and thought Fry was terrible. Maybe they should allow someone like one of the edgier young comedians have a go. Or goodness me no! Shock horror, a woman!!! Miranda Hart would have made a better job of it and that' s saying something.
I watched on YouTube the Gervais act at the previous award gig, forget which one and it was really out there and really funny.... And in America.
I missed the bag lady moment. Sounds like another attempt at humour. Perhaps it was a line he wanted to use for Maggie if she had won.