I'm getting the strong impression that people are becoming decidedly negative about the use of 'banter' as an excuse for Marc's behaviour - and I sympathise completely.

However, I will say that there's something very familiar to me about Marc; in a very qualified manner. I have six brothers - Irish 'lads' who take the pish to the absolute limit every single conversation, every day. We never refer to it as banter, though; it's usually called 'rising' in our house. You're getting the 'rise' out of someone.

What marks you as someone who's good at taking the rise is quickness. Marc has this, to be fair to him. However, his language and turn of phrase would see him decimated in general company. It's far too coarse and misogynistic. I mean 'pee, hatch, aaa, tea' for fat. FFS,

He's definitely quick witted and smart; but his vocabulary and turn of phrase are embarrassingly common for someone who's apparently relatively book smart. I took the trouble to check the points on the degree he has and he did very well at secondary school to get a place on the course he's studying. He should have the capacity for a level of loquaciousness that's entirely absent from his attempts at rising.

Speaking entirely from personal experience, it is a kind of leg-lifting exercise (to be fair to Eileen - she hit on something there). I've seen women pant after my brothers after being subtly insulted for hours. But he's so crude about it. Then there's the tan, the eyebrows and the dreadful accent.

A poor attempt; but it seems to be working. He's a half-cooked character; but I suppose that's enough to gain serious ground in a house of genuine half-wits.

I think it's just the fact the dude Marc is in there now they are stuck with him for now , they haven't got to much choice really , but to go along with it all in the main.
You would kinda get used to it too , to an extent.

Thats whats happening imo.

He has a certain amount of charisma, which many people don't naturally have. So he is without doubt likeable and very watchable, however his comments about and towards women do let him down massively.

I recognize his "banter" as something usually shared between a group of friends where there's been a common acceptance of being comfortable with it.

For example, guys will consistently refer to each other as bitch or gay as a sort of playful messing around. I'm more familiar with it being "messing around" or goofing off than i am with "banter".

The problem with his banter is that it's not very good or clever banter and it's not something you generally do with people that you're not on a certain relationship level with. I can't imagine someone except the most obnoxious jerks going into a house where they don't know anyone that closely and acting like that with them for instance.

You generally develop banter with people over time through relationship in how i see it, what you don't do is simply say anything to someone and have a smile and laugh and call it banter.

Totally agree Patsy. I grew up with three brothers and if ever I act the princess that only myself and my father truly believe I was born to be and deserve the title of, there'll be one of them along soon to knock me down a peg or two.
I've generally got used to hanging around blokey blokes and I'm one of few wives that don't reach for the smelling salts or get offended down at my husband's rugby club....but I agree Marc's level of patter is quite low down in wit, intelligence and subtlety as rapier as it is.

I do think 'banter' is quite a regional thing. I recognise Marc's banter as very typically Irish - I think Danny's banter is very Southern/London. Whether it goes down well or not is if it is recognised and understood - not only by the viewer but the HM's too. If the HM's misinterpret what's going on it can come across as something negative to the viewer (especially if it's a popular HM).

A lot depends on the mix of characters in the house.

That ^^ makes sense to me but I don't think I explained it well.

It's late - it's banter

Craic and a degree of charisma is a pretty irresistible combination at the best of times, especially in such an enclosed, vanilla environment as the BB house.

I can't help but wonder if he's come from a background that wasn't particularly studious and/or academic and he's much more intelligent than the rest of his family... he now finds himself in situation where he has the intelligence to cope, but not the social skills... and that's why he behaves as he does.

Therapy would have been far more beneficial to his future than going on BB.

I have an absolutely foul tongue when I'm around people I know well. But I would never use it to single out one person in the way that Marc does. He has no boundaries and to see that in somebody who is supposedly intelligent is even more depressing than in some of the people we've had in the past who have revelled in their pathetic ignorance or lack of education.

He cant even hold his liquor. What a lad. What a failure.

He appears to be having a joke at his own expense too and is having a blast so that ramps it up a notch.

This is pretty simple stuff really , with banter you have to know your crowd. That rule works well in life.

Not quite the same in the BB house though , the housemates cant really get away from any on else or run away. You are pretty much stuck with who ever you're stuck with for a period of time , or the whole show.

After a while you will kinda get used to any banter whether you like it so much or not.

I think there's more to it, to be fair. If this was the case, they'd be 'getting along' with Showbiz; but they're not. Marc has a bit of something about him. I don't like it, or him; but he has it, nonetheless.


I agree completely. And that's the point I was trying to make. He seems like he could have the ability to be just as energetic, fiery and witty without being so bloody coarse and ignorant - towards women, especially.


I think he genuinely thought and thinks that he's in until he's up for eviction and then he's out. So he's just throwing the kitchen sink at it. Unfortunately, his particular kitchen sink is filthy. Were it a bit more refined, he'd be a candidate for winner for me. In other words, if he was doing exactly what he's doing but without the constant foul-mouthed misogyny, I'd think he was playing a BB blinder.

I noticed he made reference to his lack of height tonight, a degree of self depreciation tempers the arrogant arse persona nicely.

It's pretty much impossible to take offense to him imo.

Great post, patsy.

I don't like much of Marc's banter, it's so gross and disrespectful, and i loathed him on his first day but it's the other dimensions of his character that have drawn me in. Or rather, the whole paradoxical mess of it. He's incredibly sharp and (I reckon) quite deep but plays at being one dimensional. Hes vicious but also capable of kindness and loyalty. He's arrogant but also self-deprecating and self-aware. He's honest to a fault (literally) and horribly personal but somehow manages to charm his way out of it. He's fearless and shameless but for such an attention seeker, he doesn't seem to give a crap what anyone thinks of him (that lack of fragile ego alone makes him a rarity of a HM.)

I find him incorrigible but really watchable. He might even go down as one of BBs iconic HMs.

Showbiz is a different story way to much crying and he's seen as a back stabber Marc isn't. Housemates generally hate back stabbers more than any one else.

Yeah, i guess that makes some sense. Just going in there trying to show who you are and make an impression of yourself not expecting to be there for a long time and so not assimilating and developing slowly.

For me, if that's his approach it hasn't done him any favors from my viewing perspective but it's won some people over.

Bit in bold - ain't that the truth? I've had the legs swiped from under my many times by my brothers. No-one better to knock the tinsel off your christmas tree.


I think there's an element of it that's very Irish. When he tells people to 'shut the f**** up' or says in an affectionate manner that they're a 'b*****x' etc.; that's very Irish. A swear word can be a term of affection in Irish 'rising'; but he takes it way, way, way too far with the swearing and misogyny.


That's probably why he's doing so well - because he's surrounded by inept numpties. That was kind of my point in the OP. There's no-one capable of sparring with him; if there was, they'd make mince meat of his brand of 'banter'.

The crying is rather extraordinary though isn't it? I kind of look forward to it each night now

Yep, noticed that too about his height (his achilles heel in all likelihood) and agree that it's hard to take offence without coming across as a stuffy prude, especially when it seems like he's winking the entire time he saying stuff.

Marc is just one of the people who is generally liked in life a guy with balls out no holds barred confidence. But people some times are just laughing at them not with them.

He's a jester.

He could definitely get a part in a B movie with that crying of his

Now this is an EXTREMELY good point. I think you might be absolutely spot on with this. Given his accent, and his (apparently) genuine disdain for Jade changing her accent, he seems quite conflicted about his working class roots, his fairly illustrious education, his means of earning a living, etc. It's all very conflicted. He can't help but be quick-witted but he also feels that he has to be coarse, in a way.


I completely agree. But it does make him more interesting, by definition, than the constant 'isn't East Angular foreign?' 'How the f**k am I supposed to know how to spell canoe?' 'Who's Shakespeare' housemate template.


I've a vague sense that he exaggerates his level of intoxication.

Had to read that twice but yes, I agree

It is quite remarkable how he's both managed to bring them all out of their shells while at the same time put them back in to their boxes, upset them and offend them to a hilt and become admired and loved for his authenticity, practically repulsed a woman in to his bed.

He managed to dissect and analyse them all like a competent detached research scientist and still managed to fit in with them and be under the microscope. He's quite fascinating to watch.....I think Keiron tried to play a similar role to him but lacked the ooomph.