When Dapper Laughs was first described to me as a misogynistic, out dated, highly criticised TV personality, my preconceived idea of what the show would be like went along the lines of something only available on Fox, filmed on a handheld camera with tumbleweed rolling about in the background. I was very unpleasantly surprised to see this man wandering the streets on London followed by an ITV film crew and being given the power to manipulate poor vulnerable men with obvious confidence issues. His idea of ‘pulling’ women is much like poaching. He recommends the correct camouflage and strategies as if the number of women a man’s slept with should be displayed on their shag-pads mantelpiece much like that of an ivory tusk.
Honestly I’m not sure where to begin with this one. Daniel O’Reilly, alter ego Dapper Laughs, has recently risen to fame through the people’s power of popular demand. He began by posting short ‘comedic’ clips on Vine while working as an Estate Agent before moving to put on his own stand up performances and has now landed his own TV show on Mondays at the oh so accessible viewing time of 10:30.
To write this review I was asked to watch the two episodes of On the Pull, now available on ITV player, but after viewing the first 22 minute instalment I’m sorry to say I couldn’t face the second. However, for some unknown reason people seem to love him. ITV’s head of comedy commissioning, Kate Maddigan, says: “Dapper Laughs is brilliant new talent so I’m excited to bring him and his risqué brand of humour to ITV2.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to risqué humour but this show has taken it a step too far by involving everyday participants and laughing at them for their lacking sex lives to be considered as ironic.
Among many outrageous Vine’s, an early one of his includes, “Just show her your penis. If she cries, she’s just playing hard to get.” I’m sorry, but what? That’s just straight up condoning rape culture, no two ways about that. Frankly I think it’s a little frightening, if not slightly unbelievable, that this idiot is on our TV screens as a direct effect of people watching his acts online. What the hell does this say about what people find amusing?
But maybe I’m being a little harsh, could young Dapper just be a little boy stuck in a greasy orange shell with too much power, just looking for a bit of attention and to make people laugh? Possibly, but from my perspective it doesn’t make him any less of a plonker.
Mira Mookerjee