[Daley Mayle]

She probably sees it as a badge of honour.

[crabcakes_windermere]

Mad as in "angry"? Whilst I'm sure someone can (and will) dig up a youtube clip of her being incandescent with rage, I can't think of an instance where she has been anything other than articulate and measured, albeit often rather forthright. That is one of the reasons she has such a wide constituency and why she should be challenged on her views.

You don't have to be jumping up and down and red in the face to say something clearly coming from anger, just as you don't have to be sobbing into a hanky to say something sad or guffawing on the floor to tell jokes.

To describe the UK as 'sliding into a moral cesspit' because people are concerned about children being killed clearly comes from enormous, relentless anger at Palestinians for not letting Israel have everything exactly its own way. That anger has skewed Mel's view of the world to the point that nothing but the complete crushing of those she now invariably sees as outright enemies will suffice. In fact, I suspect if Hamas laid down all their arms tomorrow and their leadership surrendered immediately she'd be complaining that they weren't being executed quickly enough and that we should all be condemning the women and children of Gaza for not turning them over beforehand, even while they are watching their sons and fathers being shot.

She is one of the angriest people I have ever come across. And all the more dangerous for being so clinical and cold rather than cartoon angry like Gordon Ramsay going off his head because someone's burnt a scotch egg.

[Big Rob]

If it was just anger then why not call her Angry Mel?

Probably because mad is more insulting as it implies being irrational, delusional or insane.

[crabcakes_windermere]

Because she says some mad stuff? Dictionary definition of mad:

(of behaviour or an idea): foolish, not sensible.
(informal): very angry

So when Mel says she thinks Ed Miliband is vile for not sucking up to Israel and showing concern for disproportionate action, she's saying something that's not sensible. Ergo, her nickname fits perfectly. She's angry and says things that aren't sensible.

[Safe_Timber_Man]

This is so ridiculous.

[crabcakes_windermere]

I intent to tackle the problem by simply referring to her in future as shitbag philips.

[Carlos The Badger]

Where does Max Rockatansky fit into all this?

[Daley Mayle]

I intent to tackle the problem by simply referring to her in future as shitbag philips.

Surely that is an insult to people who have a colostomy bag?

[Safe_Timber_Man]

[Daley Mayle]

Miffed Mel

[The Weeping Angel]

This is so ridiculous.

Yes your right this is.

[Big Rob]

Mailites consider their treatment to be 'ridiculous' when they are politcally incorrect.

You know when they are racist, xenophobic and sexist.

So what's the standard here? "It's offensive if it offends me otherwise it is not offensive"?

That fails logic.

[Safe_Timber_Man]

I can't even believe you're comparing it, to be honest. I need to keep reminding myself this 3 or 4 page discussion has been about the word "mad" and when it is or isn't acceptable, or if it's even acceptable at all, and whether it's a slight on mental illness or not. It's like parody. It belongs in a Monty Python sketch.

[crabcakes_windermere]

If any of us had called her ugly bitch Mel and said she should stop writing columns and to get back in the kitchen because she's just a stupid woman, or worse been offensive about Jews, that'd be one thing. But using a conveniently alliterative nickname for someone very angry who actually comes out with absolutely mad stuff as per the dictionary definition of the word? I really don't think that's crossing a line.

And to be honest, the very fact this conversation is happening at all and being taken seriously is what separates us from the mailites. But point taken, let's not have any wriggle room. We shouldn't call her mad Mel. She's not mad in the mentally ill sense. She's simply a horrible human being.

[Big Rob]

I would like to see the standard safe timber man rather than it being brushed aside.

The standard by which insults are deemed to be unfairly offensive.