This is where it all started...

Can you believe that the 'situation' with Frankie Boyle is still being discussed in the media 9 months on? And this is despite me refusing to discuss it or make any comment on it (even when contacted by the press at the time he made jokes about Katie Price's son).

Yesterday it was brought to my attention that Doug Stanhope had written a piece about comedy and what is/isnt acceptable and that 'my name was written all over it' - eek! not really what I wanted to hear.

This is the link to the piece

As you can see, Doug Stanhope doesnt think a lot of me! I have today spoken to the Editor of the paper, who has said the only thing I can do is to write a response to their letters page which he may or may not print, or may partially print. I have drafted a very quick reply, probably could have written more/worded it better but tbh I want this all over with (will that EVER happen??)

I give up - I have been misinterpreted, misunderstood, attacked, ridiculed. I have no fight left in me. I cannot change people's perceptions of me, and I have no more energy left to try to do so.

Thank you to everyone who has offered me support and encouragement - its been a shitty 9 months and I just cannot spend any more of my time thinking about this. Let people write/print what they like about me. You win!

My letter to the editor of the newspaper:

Dear Mr Walker

I read with interest the article you published on 1 February 2011, by Doug Stanhope, as it referred to me in name and also discussed both myself and my daughter.

I have to wonder how much research went into this ‘opinion’ piece by Mr Stanhope before he decided that he should take me to task?

It appears from his article that he thinks I confronted Frankie Boyle at the show last April, which is not actually true. I was on the front row, got upset, my husband asked me if I wanted to leave and Mr Boyle noticed and confronted us, demanding to know what we were talking about, even though we made it clear that we wanted to be left alone.

The media furore that ensued after the show was due to my naivety in writing a blog, written to update friends on my evening out, not realising the potential for it to be picked up by the press as it spread across twitter. The blog was merely a personal recollection of the events of the evening before, and how it had made me feel, it was never a discussion into what topics should or should not be mentioned by comedians. For the record, I believe that all topics have a place to be discussed, even Down syndrome, as long as the humour is being used to either entertain the audience, or to challenge society/stereotypes. I do not believe in censorship and am certainly not the complaining ‘Mrs Smith’ that Mr Stanhope is making me out to be.

I was most upset by Mr Stanhope’s comments in his article about ‘wearing hardships like a crown of thorns’ and ‘defining themselves by their misfortunes because they can get sympathy from them’. Firstly I do not have any hardships or misfortunes and I do not see my daughters birth or genetic condition as a hardship or misfortune. Nor have I ever asked for anyone’s sympathy. When my daughter was born we specifically told friends and family that we did not want any sympathy because we had nothing to feel sorry about. We have a beautiful daughter who we are very proud of.

The article may well be written to encourage discussion about what is or isnt acceptable in comedy, and when an audience has the right to be offended, however I am unhappy with my association with this article as I have never once said that any topics should not be discussed, nor have I tried to engage in any discussions or press coverage about what is acceptable or offensive. I never wanted publicity or for my family to be brought into the spotlight, and I am tired of my name and my family being discussed in this context.

Yours sincerely


Sharon Smith