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August 16, 2023 - 7:00am
Five years ago, Andy Shaw and I set up a monthly comedy night in London called Comedy Unleashed. Our objective was to challenge what we perceived to be the groupthink that was developing within the industry. Promoters, television commissioners, critics, even comedians themselves, had begun to turn on acts who failed to convey the “correct” political opinions, and many fellow comics confessed to me that they had begun to self-censor for the sake of their careers.
And so we launched a night which would encourage innovative and free-thinking acts, where we might cultivate a comedy-literate audience who understood that the art form cannot exist without the potential to cause offence. Not that the acts we booked necessarily had to be offensive; rather, they would be free to tease the limitations of the audience’s tolerance should they wish. The only condition was that they should be funny.
This year we decided to make an appearance at the trade fair known as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We liaised with a local promoter and booked a venue in Leith, on the outskirts of the city. The bill was to include Bruce Devlin, Mary Bourke, Dominic Frisby, Alistair Williams and the co-creator of the classic sitcoms Father Ted and The IT Crowd, Graham Linehan.
Graham has been considered controversial for holding a range of beliefs. Most notably: that human beings cannot change sex, that women deserve the right to single-sex spaces and the chance to compete fairly in sports, that feminists such as J.K. Rowling should not have to put up with rape and death threats for stating biological facts, and that gay and autistic children ought not to be medicalised and put onto a pathway to sterilisation. What a monster.
Those who claim that “cancel culture does not exist” will struggle to explain how it is that one of the most successful sitcom writers of all time now cannot work in the comedy industry, and why his musical adaptation of Father Ted has been effectively held hostage by the rights holders, Hat Trick Productions.
Given that we knew our show would sell out, we did not advertise Graham in advance, preferring instead to tease the audience with the prospect of a “surprise cancelled comedian”. With the show just a few days away, we finally announced his appearance, and within 24 hours the venue, Leith Arches, had posted a statement on Instagram stating that they “DO NOT suppprt [sic] this comedian, or his views and he WILL NOT be allowed to perform at our venue and is CANCELLED from Thursdays [sic] comedy show with immediate effect”.
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SubscribeThe moral cowardice of the graduate class has become this country’s greatest millstone.
Don’t ever give in, Andrew.
Precisely. Universities became woke madrassas at the same time as Bliar sought to expand them.
Now we see a public sector, media, law etc. riddled with this idiocy as a result.
Guess you boys didn’t get the grades required for a post-secondary education, eh? Too bad!
(This is the part where they tell us how amazingly successful they have been and they didn’t need no stupid degree to do it!)
Where did you go to university, Shampoo Fashist? I’m guessing you studied sociology at a former poly, followed by an MA in what? Something ending in “Studies” anyway. Then you ended up in another former poly doing a PhD with a thesis title including the phrase “queering the meta-narrative”. Now in your early thirties and with your blue hair and your dungarees you look like a smurf. At weekends, you cosplay with some teenagers whose parents intensely dislike you. You work in a library.
Where did you go to university, Shampoo Fashist? I’m guessing you studied sociology at a former poly, followed by an MA in what? Something ending in “Studies” anyway. Then you ended up in another former poly doing a PhD with a thesis title including the phrase “queering the meta-narrative”. Now in your early thirties and with your blue hair and your dungarees you look like a smurf. At weekends, you cosplay with some teenagers whose parents intensely dislike you. You work in a library.
Guess you boys didn’t get the grades required for a post-secondary education, eh? Too bad!
(This is the part where they tell us how amazingly successful they have been and they didn’t need no stupid degree to do it!)
Precisely. Universities became woke madrassas at the same time as Bliar sought to expand them.
Now we see a public sector, media, law etc. riddled with this idiocy as a result.
The moral cowardice of the graduate class has become this country’s greatest millstone.
Don’t ever give in, Andrew.
The mocking description of “Inclusion” provided by New Discources:
“Silencing undesirable speech and removing members of undesirable groups so people feel welcome.”
When inclusion is identical to exclusion.
New speak, you see.
Newspeak – it’s one word
Newspeak – it’s one word
New speak, you see.
“Undesirable” to whom? And so that what people feel welcome? It wouldn’t be half so bad if the new cultural Taliban just proudly outed themselves as bigots.
They can never do that, that’s the point. To the Left everyone else is the bigot, it can never be themselves.
They’re like the mirror-opposite version of the Westboro Church. They hate pretty much everyone: white men, conservative moms, black rappers, rural singers, housewives, etc.
They’re like the mirror-opposite version of the Westboro Church. They hate pretty much everyone: white men, conservative moms, black rappers, rural singers, housewives, etc.
They can never do that, that’s the point. To the Left everyone else is the bigot, it can never be themselves.
The irony is conedy all by itself!
When inclusion is identical to exclusion.
“Undesirable” to whom? And so that what people feel welcome? It wouldn’t be half so bad if the new cultural Taliban just proudly outed themselves as bigots.
The irony is conedy all by itself!
The mocking description of “Inclusion” provided by New Discources:
“Silencing undesirable speech and removing members of undesirable groups so people feel welcome.”
“we launched a night which would encourage innovative and free-thinking acts, where we might cultivate a comedy-literate audience who understood that the art form cannot exist without the potential to cause offence”
Down with this sort of thing!
“Not that the acts we booked necessarily had to be offensive; rather, they would be free to tease the limitations of the audience’s tolerance should they wish”
Careful now.
“The only condition was that they should be funny”
I’m calling the police.
Great comment.
I bloody love this comment
Great comment.
I bloody love this comment
“we launched a night which would encourage innovative and free-thinking acts, where we might cultivate a comedy-literate audience who understood that the art form cannot exist without the potential to cause offence”
Down with this sort of thing!
“Not that the acts we booked necessarily had to be offensive; rather, they would be free to tease the limitations of the audience’s tolerance should they wish”
Careful now.
“The only condition was that they should be funny”
I’m calling the police.
Complete tosh. Cancel culture does not exist. A figment of the far right’s vile and progress-o-phobic imagination.*
*According to the Guardian
Only the Guardian could end up arguing that protecting freedom of speech is somehow regressive. The stupidity is quite spectacular.
Indeed it is, John.
Just not the way you think it is, sunshine…
For all its faults, the Guardian once used to be a serious newspaper. It has fallen so far below the pale that I can only imagine it will be a study for future generations into the madness of groupthink.
They changed their editorial code in July this year, and commenced a clean-out of contributors who weren’t ‘on message’. Topics which would have had 500 responses by midday, now have 56.
Articles on making strawberry shortbread are now set to ‘pre-moderated’ 😉
They changed their editorial code in July this year, and commenced a clean-out of contributors who weren’t ‘on message’. Topics which would have had 500 responses by midday, now have 56.
Articles on making strawberry shortbread are now set to ‘pre-moderated’ 😉
Indeed it is, John.
Just not the way you think it is, sunshine…
For all its faults, the Guardian once used to be a serious newspaper. It has fallen so far below the pale that I can only imagine it will be a study for future generations into the madness of groupthink.
You’ll be able to provide the quote from the Guardian I assume?
I can wait.
Here you go, my internet friend: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/23/cancel-culture-comedians
Here you go, my internet friend: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/23/cancel-culture-comedians
Hee, hee ‘Huge Arse’ (:)). Very clever. And f**k the comedy incluserati. When I entered the Aussie Raw Comedy comp in Sydney earlier this year the club owner – middle-aged white guy – warned all the competitors in threatening tones beforehand: ‘There will be zero tolerance of transphobia’. Then he added, after a significant pause, lest we confuse the order of criminal comedy wrong think, ‘or racism or homophobia’. Clearly that is the pecking order of crimes against comedy today. Sexism, ageism, ableism, don’t rate anymore. I was first on and had to quickly decide whether or not to remove my joke about being ‘married to a man — with balls. Because they don’t all have balls these days.’ I cut it. Their loss (and mine).
Hee, hee ‘Huge Arse’ (:)). Very clever. And eff the comedy incluserati. When I entered the Aussie Raw Comedy comp in Sydney earlier this year the club owner – middle-aged white guy – warned all the competitors in threatening tones beforehand: ‘There will be zero tolerance for transphobia’. Then he added, after a significant pause, lest we confuse the order of criminal comedy wrong think, ‘or racism or homophobia’. Clearly that is the pecking order of crimes against comedy today. Transphobia, which is not even a reality, we’ve all been more or less happily living with ‘trans’ people for some time. But the real discriminations of sexism, ageism, ableism, don’t rate anymore. I was first on and had to quickly decide whether or not to remove my joke about being ‘married to a man — with balls. Because they don’t all have balls these days.’ I cut it. Their loss.
Only the Guardian could end up arguing that protecting freedom of speech is somehow regressive. The stupidity is quite spectacular.
You’ll be able to provide the quote from the Guardian I assume?
I can wait.
Hee, hee ‘Huge Arse’ (:)). Very clever. And f**k the comedy incluserati. When I entered the Aussie Raw Comedy comp in Sydney earlier this year the club owner – middle-aged white guy – warned all the competitors in threatening tones beforehand: ‘There will be zero tolerance of transphobia’. Then he added, after a significant pause, lest we confuse the order of criminal comedy wrong think, ‘or racism or homophobia’. Clearly that is the pecking order of crimes against comedy today. Sexism, ageism, ableism, don’t rate anymore. I was first on and had to quickly decide whether or not to remove my joke about being ‘married to a man — with balls. Because they don’t all have balls these days.’ I cut it. Their loss (and mine).
Hee, hee ‘Huge Arse’ (:)). Very clever. And eff the comedy incluserati. When I entered the Aussie Raw Comedy comp in Sydney earlier this year the club owner – middle-aged white guy – warned all the competitors in threatening tones beforehand: ‘There will be zero tolerance for transphobia’. Then he added, after a significant pause, lest we confuse the order of criminal comedy wrong think, ‘or racism or homophobia’. Clearly that is the pecking order of crimes against comedy today. Transphobia, which is not even a reality, we’ve all been more or less happily living with ‘trans’ people for some time. But the real discriminations of sexism, ageism, ableism, don’t rate anymore. I was first on and had to quickly decide whether or not to remove my joke about being ‘married to a man — with balls. Because they don’t all have balls these days.’ I cut it. Their loss.
Complete tosh. Cancel culture does not exist. A figment of the far right’s vile and progress-o-phobic imagination.*
*According to the Guardian
One is left speechless by the bizarre combination of idiocy and nastiness shown by the management of the Leith Arches venue. It serves as a representative icon of the worst of intersectional progressivism and the hold it has upon society.
“One is left speechless…”
Which is of course the point.
“One is left speechless…”
Which is of course the point.
One is left speechless by the bizarre combination of idiocy and nastiness shown by the management of the Leith Arches venue. It serves as a representative icon of the worst of intersectional progressivism and the hold it has upon society.
I hesitate to write this as I am a fan of your work, Andrew, and that of Graham Linehan. I’ve written previously about the restrictive nature of comedy commissioning on TV and how the panel-show-orthodoxy killed satire for a decade … and so welcome anything like Comedy Unleashed as a much-needed antidote to that.
BUT – can Graham Linehan really feel too hard done by? Perhaps what I’m about to write is just a case of ‘whataboutery’, but I struggle to see how they are different.
In the not too distant past Mr Linehan was perfectly happy to pile-on and denounce a fellow comedian – who goes by the name Count Dankula – for making (what was obvious to anyone of the meanest intelligence) a joke. Namely teaching a pug to do a n@zi salute when given a specific (offensive) command.
Was the joke funny? Well, to each his own.
Was the joke in poor taste? Undoubtedly to some, yes, very.
But it was a joke. And Linehan knew it was a joke.
He is a comedy writer – he knows that not every joke will be found funny by an entire audience – so he presumably would agree with the principle that a comedian has the right to say anything in search of a laugh? … Actually, as it turns out, no, not so much.
As the twitter mob lit torches and sharpened pitchforks to lay siege to Dankula’s castle, there was Graham Linehan, feeding the mob and accusing the hapless Count of trying to ‘sneak fascism and hatred in under the guise of irony’.
Cancellation is a weak-minded and fascistic response to ‘Something I don’t like’, but there are plenty who’d publicly agree with that principle – right up to the point that they hear something THEY don’t like, at which point all bets are off and a Twitter Pile-On is suddenly a justifiable response.
You cannot lay claim to a principle and then apply that principle inconsistently. To do so is – by definition – hypocrisy.
I sincerely wish Comedy Unleashed, and all concerned with it, the best of success. The idiot activists did indeed prove your point and demonstrated why we need shows like it – but when Graham Linehan finds himself cancelled for “thoughtcrimes”, I wonder whether his predicament makes him feel any sympathy for those he’s denounced in the past?
Well said.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. So my sister told me when I was five.
Fair point but if you widen the context of that you will see that on a few occasions Linehan has expressed his regret for condeming Count Danukla and the pug. Linehan has also made some very public apologies for the act. The most prominant being the Roast of Count Dankula on you tube where at the end they had a special surprise treat for Dankula. It was a public apology video Linehan has made directly to Dankla expressly to be played publicly at the roast. Watch it here : https://youtu.be/HlPHZe0IoF0?t=6393
Linehan has changed his mind and apologised for his earlier actions. It takes a lot of bravery to do that, especially poblicly. Given his change of mind on what happened and change in principals I don’t think it’s fair to claim hypocrisy. Yes if he hadn’t changed, but he has changed. It’s important to acknowledge when someone changes their mind over something important.
Thanks so much for posting that link. That was a great apology in a perfect setting.
Fair enough. I must say I was unaware he’d ever apologised. As always seems to be the case, the accusation gets more publicity than the retraction.
I had a rather similar lack of sympathy with Suzanne Moore’s round of self-pitying articles after her excommunication from the Guardian, as she’d previously been happy to damn anyone who wasn’t in lock-step with metro-left orthodoxy. She never apologised for her disgustingly undisguised glee at Jordan Peterson’s near demise, and refused to recognise her part in calling for the ‘othering’ of any with whom she disagreed on any number of IdPol issues.
But if, as you say, Graham Linehan recognised his error and admitted it then fair enough.
Just followed the link you posted and watched his apology – very good and obviously sincere.
Linehan has talked about his regret over his actions towards Dankula a few times in different places. I think one was on Triggernometry here https://youtu.be/XOriXC2O4x0?t=1413
Agreed that’s he’s being sincere, also I think his willingness to talk about it freely in multiple places speaks to his honesty.
Considering how many people get caught up in the sunk-cost fallacy trap, and are unable to admit externally they were wrong even when they have internal doubts, I think it shows good character. If only more people could be this self aware.
Sorry folks, but the apology from a bully who is then horribly bullied themselves will be very genuine.
Linehan takes more heat in defence of his trans beliefs on Twitter than almost anyone else I follow. He doesn’t apologise, so you are wrong both conceptually and practically,
Singular human male=“themselves”?
Wtf? Why, please?
Ah, woke theyification.
Linehan takes more heat in defence of his trans beliefs on Twitter than almost anyone else I follow. He doesn’t apologise, so you are wrong both conceptually and practically,
Singular human male=“themselves”?
Wtf? Why, please?
Ah, woke theyification.
Sorry folks, but the apology from a bully who is then horribly bullied themselves will be very genuine.
I appreciate this exchange, good on you both Paddy and Hugh.
Linehan has talked about his regret over his actions towards Dankula a few times in different places. I think one was on Triggernometry here https://youtu.be/XOriXC2O4x0?t=1413
Agreed that’s he’s being sincere, also I think his willingness to talk about it freely in multiple places speaks to his honesty.
Considering how many people get caught up in the sunk-cost fallacy trap, and are unable to admit externally they were wrong even when they have internal doubts, I think it shows good character. If only more people could be this self aware.
I appreciate this exchange, good on you both Paddy and Hugh.
I feel similarly about J K Rowling. While I deprecate the vileness to which she is subjected in relation to her views on the trans issue, I recall she dished out some pretty awful vilification of people who voted for Brexit in 2016.
Those who live by the swords, etc.!
Please point me to any of her posts on Brexit where she threatened death or rape to Brexit supporters, or said that they deserved them. Her treatment of them, and the Trans supporters’ treatment of her, are not equivalent.
I never suggested or intimated that Rowlings treatment by trans supporters was equivalent to her intemperate online reaction against those who voted LEAVE in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Nor did I remotely suggest that she “threatened death or rape to Brexit supporters”. My point was simply that Ms Rowling is no saint when it comes to dishing out vitriol online.
If you’re so anxious to have documentary proof of her statements at that time, then do some research yourself instead of posting snarky responses that reveal more about you than adding to the discussion.
I never suggested or intimated that Rowlings treatment by trans supporters was equivalent to her intemperate online reaction against those who voted LEAVE in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Nor did I remotely suggest that she “threatened death or rape to Brexit supporters”. My point was simply that Ms Rowling is no saint when it comes to dishing out vitriol online.
If you’re so anxious to have documentary proof of her statements at that time, then do some research yourself instead of posting snarky responses that reveal more about you than adding to the discussion.
Please point me to any of her posts on Brexit where she threatened death or rape to Brexit supporters, or said that they deserved them. Her treatment of them, and the Trans supporters’ treatment of her, are not equivalent.
Just followed the link you posted and watched his apology – very good and obviously sincere.
I feel similarly about J K Rowling. While I deprecate the vileness to which she is subjected in relation to her views on the trans issue, I recall she dished out some pretty awful vilification of people who voted for Brexit in 2016.
Those who live by the swords, etc.!
Thanks so much for posting that link. That was a great apology in a perfect setting.
Fair enough. I must say I was unaware he’d ever apologised. As always seems to be the case, the accusation gets more publicity than the retraction.
I had a rather similar lack of sympathy with Suzanne Moore’s round of self-pitying articles after her excommunication from the Guardian, as she’d previously been happy to damn anyone who wasn’t in lock-step with metro-left orthodoxy. She never apologised for her disgustingly undisguised glee at Jordan Peterson’s near demise, and refused to recognise her part in calling for the ‘othering’ of any with whom she disagreed on any number of IdPol issues.
But if, as you say, Graham Linehan recognised his error and admitted it then fair enough.
Well said.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. So my sister told me when I was five.
Fair point but if you widen the context of that you will see that on a few occasions Linehan has expressed his regret for condeming Count Danukla and the pug. Linehan has also made some very public apologies for the act. The most prominant being the Roast of Count Dankula on you tube where at the end they had a special surprise treat for Dankula. It was a public apology video Linehan has made directly to Dankla expressly to be played publicly at the roast. Watch it here : https://youtu.be/HlPHZe0IoF0?t=6393
Linehan has changed his mind and apologised for his earlier actions. It takes a lot of bravery to do that, especially poblicly. Given his change of mind on what happened and change in principals I don’t think it’s fair to claim hypocrisy. Yes if he hadn’t changed, but he has changed. It’s important to acknowledge when someone changes their mind over something important.
I hesitate to write this as I am a fan of your work, Andrew, and that of Graham Linehan. I’ve written previously about the restrictive nature of comedy commissioning on TV and how the panel-show-orthodoxy killed satire for a decade … and so welcome anything like Comedy Unleashed as a much-needed antidote to that.
BUT – can Graham Linehan really feel too hard done by? Perhaps what I’m about to write is just a case of ‘whataboutery’, but I struggle to see how they are different.
In the not too distant past Mr Linehan was perfectly happy to pile-on and denounce a fellow comedian – who goes by the name Count Dankula – for making (what was obvious to anyone of the meanest intelligence) a joke. Namely teaching a pug to do a n@zi salute when given a specific (offensive) command.
Was the joke funny? Well, to each his own.
Was the joke in poor taste? Undoubtedly to some, yes, very.
But it was a joke. And Linehan knew it was a joke.
He is a comedy writer – he knows that not every joke will be found funny by an entire audience – so he presumably would agree with the principle that a comedian has the right to say anything in search of a laugh? … Actually, as it turns out, no, not so much.
As the twitter mob lit torches and sharpened pitchforks to lay siege to Dankula’s castle, there was Graham Linehan, feeding the mob and accusing the hapless Count of trying to ‘sneak fascism and hatred in under the guise of irony’.
Cancellation is a weak-minded and fascistic response to ‘Something I don’t like’, but there are plenty who’d publicly agree with that principle – right up to the point that they hear something THEY don’t like, at which point all bets are off and a Twitter Pile-On is suddenly a justifiable response.
You cannot lay claim to a principle and then apply that principle inconsistently. To do so is – by definition – hypocrisy.
I sincerely wish Comedy Unleashed, and all concerned with it, the best of success. The idiot activists did indeed prove your point and demonstrated why we need shows like it – but when Graham Linehan finds himself cancelled for “thoughtcrimes”, I wonder whether his predicament makes him feel any sympathy for those he’s denounced in the past?
The irony of being “inclusive” is priceless.
The irony of being “inclusive” is priceless.
War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength, and now Exclusivity is Inclusivity
War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength, and now Exclusivity is Inclusivity
I understand Joanna Cherry KC, who suffered a similar fate but took legal action that forced the (different) venue to change its position, has made her legal advice freely available to Linehan.
I understand Joanna Cherry KC, who suffered a similar fate but took legal action that forced the (different) venue to change its position, has made her legal advice freely available to Linehan.
The petulant, hysterical, craven bullies of the authoritarian left strike again. But they’ll still claim there’s no such thing as cancel culture. Shame on Leith Arches.
Surely there’s a great anagram to be concocted out of “Leith Arches” … I’d have even thought it was an anagram to start with.
Heil Arch Set!
Heil Arch Set!
Surely there’s a great anagram to be concocted out of “Leith Arches” … I’d have even thought it was an anagram to start with.
The petulant, hysterical, craven bullies of the authoritarian left strike again. But they’ll still claim there’s no such thing as cancel culture. Shame on Leith Arches.
..
..
Modern tolerance, in a nutshell.
Modern tolerance, in a nutshell.
The Leith police dismisseth us.
The Leith police dismisseth us.
Let Comedians Speak!
Ain’t no Sunshine on Leith Arches.
Ain’t no Sunshine on Leith Arches.
Let Comedians Speak!
“We are an inclusive venue,” the statement continued, “and will not allow such views to violate our space.”
This oxymoronic statement, or minus the “oxy”, leaped out at me before Doyle dotted the i’s. The intolerance of the culture warrior trans movement is beyond parody.
Fallacy is the new postmodern logic.
Fallacy is the new postmodern logic.
“We are an inclusive venue,” the statement continued, “and will not allow such views to violate our space.”
This oxymoronic statement, or minus the “oxy”, leaped out at me before Doyle dotted the i’s. The intolerance of the culture warrior trans movement is beyond parody.
The modern moral arbiters are more willing to accept hatred towards women and all sorts of misogyny than to accept the earth is not flat, there are two sexes and humans cannot change sex.
Yet, for stating biological facts and identifying predatory individuals causing harm to children, Graham is vilified.
I know where I stand.
The modern moral arbiters are more willing to accept hatred towards women and all sorts of misogyny than to accept the earth is not flat, there are two sexes and humans cannot change sex.
Yet, for stating biological facts and identifying predatory individuals causing harm to children, Graham is vilified.
I know where I stand.
Putin has claimed the West is In a death spiral of believing men can be women, women are no longer allowed privacy and only one opinion is permitted.
What shall we say to Mr Putin ?
Do today’s young righteous really believe that peoples of other faiths such a Muslims will embrace Pride Marches ? They are delusional.
Putin has claimed the West is In a death spiral of believing men can be women, women are no longer allowed privacy and only one opinion is permitted.
What shall we say to Mr Putin ?
Do today’s young righteous really believe that peoples of other faiths such a Muslims will embrace Pride Marches ? They are delusional.
We should all always actively seek to cause as much offence to the woke as possible, and this is why.
Let us know when you get started, gramps
Oh hello Champagne Fascist, how’s the trolling going?
Just waiting for you to start with the offending, old timer!
Let’s see what you got!
You’re a bit boring for a parody account. Say something funny and cutting!
Ignore attention-seekers. They hate that.
Ignore attention-seekers. They hate that.
You’re a bit boring for a parody account. Say something funny and cutting!
Just waiting for you to start with the offending, old timer!
Let’s see what you got!
Oh hello Champagne Fascist, how’s the trolling going?
Let us know when you get started, gramps
We should all always actively seek to cause as much offence to the woke as possible, and this is why.
Don’t agree with the cancellation and hope some form of proportionate backlash ensues.
Nonetheless does seem like Author knew what he was doing (hiding Linehan from the Bill until v late), what reaction it would generate and what ’cause celeb’ he’d create for himself. Hope he ensured Linehan bought into that in advance too or he’s been rather manipulative,
As regards how ‘new’ is ‘cancellation’ in comedy? Not entirely new of course. Bernard Manning got cancelled a number of times in his later years. The last I think in 2002 . Of course 20 years before that it wouldn’t have happened as values were different. I suspect nobody much cares for the form of casual racism Manning promulgated these days and would be surprised if wasn’t ‘cancelled’ but worth bearing in mind it was long defended.
However I personally don’t see Linehan’s views in any way comparable to what may have justified ‘cancellation’ in the past.
Don’t agree with the cancellation and hope some form of proportionate backlash ensues.
Nonetheless does seem like Author knew what he was doing (hiding Linehan from the Bill until v late), what reaction it would generate and what ’cause celeb’ he’d create for himself. Hope he ensured Linehan bought into that in advance too or he’s been rather manipulative,
As regards how ‘new’ is ‘cancellation’ in comedy? Not entirely new of course. Bernard Manning got cancelled a number of times in his later years. The last I think in 2002 . Of course 20 years before that it wouldn’t have happened as values were different. I suspect nobody much cares for the form of casual racism Manning promulgated these days and would be surprised if wasn’t ‘cancelled’ but worth bearing in mind it was long defended.
However I personally don’t see Linehan’s views in any way comparable to what may have justified ‘cancellation’ in the past.
Yes, please do set up a thoroughly wicked festival of good old-fashioned comedy where regular folk can laugh, be laughed at and laugh at themselves.
There are plenty of comedians I don’t find funny and strangely enough, I just do not book to watch them.
These days I love the frisson of comedy that dares to poke fun at those who have no ability to laugh at themselves. Such a shame it has come to this, comedy has seen us through the darkest of times and we must fight for it. A life without laughter is dark indeed.
Yes, please do set up a thoroughly wicked festival of good old-fashioned comedy where regular folk can laugh, be laughed at and laugh at themselves.
There are plenty of comedians I don’t find funny and strangely enough, I just do not book to watch them.
These days I love the frisson of comedy that dares to poke fun at those who have no ability to laugh at themselves. Such a shame it has come to this, comedy has seen us through the darkest of times and we must fight for it. A life without laughter is dark indeed.
So they’ll need to change the venue and move from Leith to somewhere nearer the centre of town. I don’t want to sound cynical….
but who the hell wants to appear at a venue in Leith?
Probably the same people who enjoy the Michelin starred restaurants and luxury hotels in Leith.
You should try it sometime.
Probably the same people who enjoy the Michelin starred restaurants and luxury hotels in Leith.
You should try it sometime.
So they’ll need to change the venue and move from Leith to somewhere nearer the centre of town. I don’t want to sound cynical….
but who the hell wants to appear at a venue in Leith?
Personally, I have no problem with reasonable censorship introduced by an elected government. The problem then arises: what is reasonable? That may be agreed democratically, but may change with time and experience.
What should not be allowed is censorship imposed by unelected minorities with loud voices and clenched fists.
Personally, I have no problem with reasonable censorship introduced by an elected government. The problem then arises: what is reasonable? That may be agreed democratically, but may change with time and experience.
What should not be allowed is censorship imposed by unelected minorities with loud voices and clenched fists.
I’ve just subscribed in order to post a comment and my comment entirely agreeing with the majority of the commentators here and adding some personal experience of being censored in a comedy setting, appears not to have been allowed. Could someone please explain?
I’ve just subscribed in order to post a comment and my comment entirely agreeing with the majority of the commentators here and adding some personal experience of being censored in a comedy setting, appears not to have been allowed. Could someone please explain?
Well said Andrew, I am a regular viewer of your Free Speech Nation show on GB News. It seems that inclusivity for the woke means being inclusive of everyone – except for those who have different views. Graham Linehan does not hold controversial views, in fact his views are those of the majority of the British public. Cancelling comedians is ludicrous, anyone who does not like what they are hearing – well, there is the door and you are free to use it.
Well said Andrew, I am a regular viewer of your Free Speech Nation show on GB News. It seems that inclusivity for the woke means being inclusive of everyone – except for those who have different views. Graham Linehan does not hold controversial views, in fact his views are those of the majority of the British public. Cancelling comedians is ludicrous, anyone who does not like what they are hearing – well, there is the door and you are free to use it.
All these appalling new puritans need to be invited into a giant cinema for a screening of Bob Fosse’s masterful biopic “Lenny”. It tells the story of the late, great Lenny Bruce and his indefatigable determination for free expression.
All these appalling new puritans need to be invited into a giant cinema for a screening of Bob Fosse’s masterful biopic “Lenny”. It tells the story of the late, great Lenny Bruce and his indefatigable determination for free expression.
Was British comedy that funny before it started getting cancelled, or was it the process of cancelling, that made it unfunny ?
Whatever, it’s pretty dire these days, at least the stuff that makes it to television.
It’s an interesting and pertinent question but I think that the answer is that British comedy became less funny before the cancellation of comedy on the grounds that it may cause offence became more common, although perhaps in the past the cancellation of comedy was done more subtly.
There was a time when Britain’s leading comedians were household names on a par with musicians and actors and sports stars and were watched by millions of people on TV. I’m thinking of the 1970s and the early 1980s when the biggest stars in comedy were Morecambe and Wise (who I never liked but I could see that Eric Morecambe had talent), The Two Ronnies (who I adored and who helped convince me that Ronnie Barker is the funniest man who ever lived and Ronnie Corbett was very underrated as a comedian) and Ken Dodd. Those comedians came up through a live comedy circuit centred on music halls, working men’s clubs and seaside theatre summer seasons but these were dead or dying out due to the growth of TV and foreign package holidays so their successors (such as Cannon and Ball, Les Dennis and Dustin Gee and Russ Abbot) never became as good and as famous as them.
The “alternative comedy” scene based around London comedy clubs, Oxbridge comedy societies and the Edinburgh Fringe created some stars but none of them were as popular and some of them quickly moved into other fields such as drama, literature or TV presenting. As TV comedy struggled in the early 1990s commissioning editors hit upon the idea of reviving the panel show (starting with Have I Got News For You) and that created a bubble of lazy comedy where comedians could go from a comedy club or university to a career in TV very quickly without being popular or funny. That bubble lasted decades but has deflated now but what it has left in its wake is a comedy scene which is much less popular and some of the comedians who toured arenas after TV made them famous have downsized their tours to theatres and arts centres.
The cancellation of comedy on the grounds that it may cause offence is a relatively recent trend, especially on the live comedy scene, and it has been fuelled by social media. The comedy scene was struggling long before that. The general public have largely given up on comedy.
It’s an interesting and pertinent question but I think that the answer is that British comedy became less funny before the cancellation of comedy on the grounds that it may cause offence became more common, although perhaps in the past the cancellation of comedy was done more subtly.
There was a time when Britain’s leading comedians were household names on a par with musicians and actors and sports stars and were watched by millions of people on TV. I’m thinking of the 1970s and the early 1980s when the biggest stars in comedy were Morecambe and Wise (who I never liked but I could see that Eric Morecambe had talent), The Two Ronnies (who I adored and who helped convince me that Ronnie Barker is the funniest man who ever lived and Ronnie Corbett was very underrated as a comedian) and Ken Dodd. Those comedians came up through a live comedy circuit centred on music halls, working men’s clubs and seaside theatre summer seasons but these were dead or dying out due to the growth of TV and foreign package holidays so their successors (such as Cannon and Ball, Les Dennis and Dustin Gee and Russ Abbot) never became as good and as famous as them.
The “alternative comedy” scene based around London comedy clubs, Oxbridge comedy societies and the Edinburgh Fringe created some stars but none of them were as popular and some of them quickly moved into other fields such as drama, literature or TV presenting. As TV comedy struggled in the early 1990s commissioning editors hit upon the idea of reviving the panel show (starting with Have I Got News For You) and that created a bubble of lazy comedy where comedians could go from a comedy club or university to a career in TV very quickly without being popular or funny. That bubble lasted decades but has deflated now but what it has left in its wake is a comedy scene which is much less popular and some of the comedians who toured arenas after TV made them famous have downsized their tours to theatres and arts centres.
The cancellation of comedy on the grounds that it may cause offence is a relatively recent trend, especially on the live comedy scene, and it has been fuelled by social media. The comedy scene was struggling long before that. The general public have largely given up on comedy.
Was British comedy that funny before it started getting cancelled, or was it the process of cancelling, that made it unfunny ?
Whatever, it’s pretty dire these days, at least the stuff that makes it to television.
..
Comedy used to be a forum. The principal of free speech needs a non-judgemental forum. I blame the mums and dads of our generation who stopped their kids playing outside in case they hurt themselves. Cycle helmets, soft surfaces in playgrounds – you know. Anyway I’m not sure it can be called comedy if it’s playing to a doctrine. I’m certainly not smiling.
Its all a bit of a moot point – everyone knows that conservatives aren’t funny.
No doubt Linehan, kind of like John Cleese, was funny when he was young and liberal but has gone a bit doolally and instead of now being funny they just rant on about foreigners and trans kids.
I imagine the good people of Leith have been spared a very tedious experience.
So Lineham’s a conservative eh, have you asked him? It could have been much worse though, they might have been subjected to Nish Kumar :-/
Aren’t blokes in dresses supposed to be funny
Kind of proving my point…
Hardly. You’re proving my point that fallacy has become the new postmodern logic. Believing something to be true doesn’t make it so. Sorry
Go on son, tell us another!
Go on son, tell us another!
Hardly. You’re proving my point that fallacy has become the new postmodern logic. Believing something to be true doesn’t make it so. Sorry
Kind of proving my point…
The only tedious experience here is you!
Simon Evans would count as a conservative comedian, and he’s very funny, a lot funnier than most of the feeble stuff served up by BBC Radio 4 for example. One reason why people, such as you, may think that conservatives can’t be funny is that they can’t get past the politically correct gatekeepers so you never hear or see them.
Assuming Linehan is conservative because he recognises women’s rights is simply bizarre.
Didn’t realize you had to be a conservative to believe that females have rights and kids should not be medicalized when most just need to grow up a little.
So Lineham’s a conservative eh, have you asked him? It could have been much worse though, they might have been subjected to Nish Kumar :-/
Aren’t blokes in dresses supposed to be funny
The only tedious experience here is you!
Simon Evans would count as a conservative comedian, and he’s very funny, a lot funnier than most of the feeble stuff served up by BBC Radio 4 for example. One reason why people, such as you, may think that conservatives can’t be funny is that they can’t get past the politically correct gatekeepers so you never hear or see them.
Assuming Linehan is conservative because he recognises women’s rights is simply bizarre.
Didn’t realize you had to be a conservative to believe that females have rights and kids should not be medicalized when most just need to grow up a little.
Its all a bit of a moot point – everyone knows that conservatives aren’t funny.
No doubt Linehan, kind of like John Cleese, was funny when he was young and liberal but has gone a bit doolally and instead of now being funny they just rant on about foreigners and trans kids.
I imagine the good people of Leith have been spared a very tedious experience.