Brian Cox on QT, Tony Robinson on TW afterwards…..who the blazes wants to hear the views of these pompous, overrated, superannuated lefty luvvies? Actors have to be, by default, self centred, vain, bitchy and ruthless to get on – they make bankers appear furry bunnies in comparison, particularly in the C list division inhabited by the likes of Cox and co.
Robinson speculating about swivel eyed Ed leading us into a new form of economics (Pippa Dreadberg and her Marmite Street Theatre?), Cox informing us with actorly gravitas that he is anti Iraq war, anti nuclear deterrent….I am certain their agents assured them that millions would be hanging on their words with bated breath…
Still I suppose we should be grateful that we weren’t exposed to something even worse – one of those “cutting edge”, “brilliantly gifted” self righteous boors who liked to be described as a “marxist” comedian.
I strongly disagree with the politics of Tony Robinson and Brian Cox but I wouldn’t attack them personally. Neither would I make sweeping generalisations about their profession on the basis I dont like their politics.
I guess one of the the most prominent Conservative entertainers is Jim Davidson. I’m not aware of him showing up much on BBC panels, if at all? The hatred of the left of Jim Davidson knows no bounds. I’m sorry to have to say that you’ve replicated it very well in the reverse DLR.
Davidson would be a prime taget for exclusion because he is a working class Tory, and not a middle class leftie like Alan Davis or Rory Bremner.
Anyone who has seen Davidson’s act in the last fifteen years would know that he is a gifted observational comic. He is very bright, funny, filthy, and absolutely non-PC. Racist? Not at all. Middle class leftists and pseudo intellectuals usually lack comprehension of the widespread use of insult in working class banter.
Davidson managed to stay on TV into the Noughties until the tedious “homophobic” incident on Hell’s Kitchen. Jim is not homophobic either by the way, just intolerant of arseholes.
If deliberate then I think that could be one of the best lines I have read this year – ‘Jim is not homophobic… just intolerant of arseholes.’
Good old Jimmy entertains the troops and has done for years, I saw him in the town hall in Stanley in 83 and it was great stuff, he is worth 100000 leftist unfunny asshole chair warmers laughingly called comedians.
The BBC love affair with the leftist comedian set started way back in the 80s and they pimped them with all the assets at their disposal, they would have never made it had it not been for the huge support they got at the start of their careers.
Yes, Cassie, most of them wouldn’t survive in the open market as the vast majority of Brits are not extreme left-wingers and would not pay to hear some lefty prat making fun of everything they hold dear.
If they put their heads above the parapet and shout their 6th Form-style debating points, then they are fair game for people to put opposing points of view against them. The fact that they all move in the same circles and have the same limited world view and even less reasoning power doesn’t make their opinions undebateable.
It’s a shame because Brian Cox is a fine actor and Tony Robinson a very funny man when he’s not spitting left-wing bilge.
Does it really matter? All you’re discussing is their personal views – somebody needs to be on the left, and while I or you may not agree with Cox or Robinson, somebody needs to be anti-Iraq war and anti-deterrent (as a vast amount of people agree with both)
All that matters, particularly for this site, is the balance – Starkey was certainly putting on a good show for the right, and on TW Rawnsley was the counter
But, Bob, the point is why should luvvies like Cox and Robinson be on in the first place . Their opinions carry no more weight than any ordinary member of the public ? Why haven’t I been asked on to QT ?
They’re articulate people on the subject of politics and in the public eye. As indicated above, the arts aren’t completely bereft of such people on the Right, but they dont seem to get much of a look in.
Grant, neither does a journalist’s – actors dominate left-wing campaigns and are good at public speaking (and TW are always using celebrities anyway) – we should be questioning Starkey’s appearance on this basis
I agree wholeheartedly the BBC (and all media organisations) have a select group of commentators that they turn to on every side, I would be perfectly happy to see regular folk on the panel, or more realistically a far more diverse group
Actors are good at speaking other people’s words. (Shakespeare’s for example.)
Why should we liken David Starkey to an actor? He’s a historian, as far as I know,. He writes his own books and speaks his own words.
Bob,
Fair enough, but why does the BBC lean to the left ? I don’t mind about media organisations having “select groups” , if I don’t have to pay for it.
I do resent paying for the BBC’s left-wing bias and the odd “right-winger” like Starkey does not balance it out.
You speak it like the truth – there are many who have differing views, though few are on this site – there is an equal amount of bile from the left surrounding Vorderman’s appearance for the Tories last year, for example
I never said Starkey was balancing the whole organisation – just the show, two media types – one left one right, as there is every week
Millie Tant, As for Starkey being a historian – he’s there because he’s on tv, not because he’s an academic, I welcome the day we get an academic the general public hasn’t heard of, he’s a well known figure exactly in the mould John Horne Tooke describes below and for what it’s worth I would trust and be influenced by a tv historian such as him rather more than some moody Scottish actor who’s joined Labour
You are quite right Bob – it does work for both ways. My point is that the BBC know this. Why would the BBC have these people on QT? ( although I maintain that they are mainly, like Cox from the left of the political spectrum).
It is also very rare for the panel of QT to be balanced. How can you get a balance with 5 panel members?
That’s assuming there is a bland two sides of ‘left’ and ‘right’ to everything in this world
Remember the fifth seat was added to accomodate the third national political party in British politics (and the rest) – as much as some see the LDs as ‘left’, they are a distinct group with different ideas to the lefties and socialists of labour
The idea of having 6 (or four) just so we can have an equalised left-right slanging match (which a lot of last night was between Abbott and Starkey) seems rather boring and pointless to me
So you don’t agree in balance – but in your eyes different shades of the left is OK. The whole programme is now and has been for some time pointless. It is mainly left leaning activists with a left leaning audience. It is past its sell by date and should be taken off. The idea was sound , but that was in the days when debate was civiilzed and people expressed their genuine views and not some sound bite picked up from some lefty comedian.
The whole programme like the BBC is a staged joke – there is no democracy in Britain to debate. Free speech is not tolerated on the programme and people are scared to open their mouths.
There are not 2 “bland sides” – the left are never bland. But the BBC know the postion of most politicians ( I can tell you myself how someone will answer the question before he opens his mouth) so it is quite possible to get a panel which is equal.
JHT,
The biggest bias in QT is having a left-wing Chairman in Dimblebore who consistently favours left-wing guests and discriminates against the right.
If the BBC was truly unbiased , they would alternate the Bore with a right-wing Chairman.
I say this despite having given up watching months ago as the programme had descended into low farce even by the BBC’s appalling standards. Maybe it has improved since then .
“Does it really matter?” – Yes it does because the BBC are using a well known propaganda technique to put forward a view. Its like Beckham advertising after shave.
Every “celebrity” that has been invited onto the QT panel has almost always been left wing. Politicians are not trusted by the public – but for this “celebrity” driven country people like Cox are a God send for any political party.
“If your words might lack credibility in some way, borrow the credibility of others by getting the testimony of trusted others.
Use celebrities and public personalities who have well established and trusted public brands. Use experts, clerics, police, scientists and others whose title is respected, even if the people themselves are unknown.
Get them to stand up and support your case with vigor. Actors, perhaps unsurprisingly, often do this particularly well. ”
http://changingminds.org/techniques/propaganda/testimonial.htm
The BBC are a media organisation and as such they must be aware of this technique, therefore It must be part of their agenda.
I think that sums up the indignation felt by the opening poster, and why comedy and drama are more effective tools than current affairs to get your warped views across, like Stalin, like Goebbels, like BBC.
Demon,
The BBC’s “edgy” comedians don’t seem to make many jokes about left-wing dictators. I wonder why ?
Demon1001 is absolutely right and perhaps one of the shortcomings of this site is that it tends to focus on the obvious examples of bias on news and current affairs, watched by very small audiences, rather than the culture of metropolitan liberal assumptions that is churned out day after day on drama and comedy shows for an uncritical mass audience. I have no doubt that this latter is far more important in forming the ‘values’ (actually the opposite of values) in our society.
Most important of all perhaps are the children’s and youngsters’ programmes of indoctrination from the Beeboid corporation.
JHT,
By the way great series of posts !
David Riddick,
Great post ! Most luvvies and most journalists are the pits. Who gives a damn about their personal opinions ?
You dont want to hear what Melanie Phillips, Anne Leslie, Barbara Amiel or Peter Hitchens have to say?
Actually I’m fed up hearing from the SAME people on the BBC. There is a small cabal of people that the BBC chooses from to populate all of its political programming.
It would be nice to see fresh blood from time to time.
As an example I’d like to see a bloggers Questiontime with the likes of David here, Guido and a couple of the lefty bloggers given a chance. Not just the usula paid up members of the BBC luvvie club.
Hippie,
I said “most” !
I think that having one ‘rightwinger’ on a panel of 6 (including the chairman) all who share the same liberal assumptions is rigging the debate in the way that Nick Cohen has written. Part of the process is to see these people as lonely and isolated from the mainstream, what they say is rarely clapped (although widely held among the general public) and is always vigorously opposed by everyone else on the panel (including the so-called Conservatives) usually to enthusiastic applause.
I have no problem with actors/musicians/comics and what ever having veiws! however they have a responsability to not to abuse the privaliged postion their fame puts them in to try to turn the public to one political party or another if they want to do that then stand for election ! but it is very surprising how few ever do must be the bad pay ? O:-) ?
Few of them have the mesmerizing talent of Glenda Jackson.
I don’t care for her politics, yet I admire her conviction to them.
It’s those clueless, humourless, dogmatic, self-righteous twats, Marcus Brigstock and Russell Howard, that really irritate me. They seem to get excessive BBC airtime.
Like all modern leftists their hatred isn’t aimed at the establishment but at the white working-class and then passed off as ‘comedy’.
Andrew,
They are white , wealthy, left-wing, middle-class, so it is ok for them to sneer at people who actually have to work hard to make a living. God forbid that the creepy Beeboid “comedians” would ever have to dirty their hands !
Speaking of Politics Shows, in the absence of Andrew Neil on “The Daily Politics” today, gorgeous, pouting Jo Coburn had free rein to push her leftie agenda and a magnificent sight it was.
Studio guests, left-wing journalist. Jackie Ashley, wife of left-wing Beeboid , Andrew Marr, and the BBC’s favourite, token “right-wing” journalist , Andrew Pierce. Is it because he is gay ?
First off, a childish discussion about the Ed/David soap opera. Who cares ?
Next, the NHS white paper , cuts, cuts, cuts.
Then, a piece about the Tory conference, but no mention of the lack of live coverage by the BBC, despite us having to pay the licence fee.
Then an interview with a govt. minister, Greg Clarke, Lib. Dem ,I guess. He was quite impressive, but Jo interrupted him 16 times.
( Craig, you may want to check that, don’t want to tread on your toes ! ).
I didn’t wait for the end as my mobile was already trying to hide from me to prevent another painful encounter with my TV.
BBC bias at its most predictably boring best.
Grant: You should have persevered. At the end jc (no, not him) interviewed Prof Dennis Kavanaghn about his book on the last GE. At the end of this interview, despite jc’s attempt to speak over him the Prof pointed out that the electorate’s view of nulab was that they had sided with “immigrants and shirkers”.
I was very amused but jc and (the cuckolded) mrs marr were grim faced.
Gordon,
Damn, I missed it !
I get really dismayed when otherwise talented people get on their soapboxes in this way. Theres too many actors musicians etc on television saying they’re anti-this or pro-that. When it comes to politics, they should just keep gobs shout. The majority are just not interested and it only detracts from their profession.
Any voices not from the far Left available? The only kind of “diversity” the BBC refuses to champion is the intellectual kind.
I always thought the use of lefty actors and other lefty celebs was to send a message to the ordinary folk out there. The mesaage being ‘here are people you like, people you admire and they love leftism. So should you’.
Beeboidal,
Great point !
B rian Cox is a campaigner for Labour. That’s why he was on. So we had Diane Abbott and Brian Cox, labourites, BBC favourite lefty Lib Dem Simon Hughes, one Government Minister Conservative, Grant Shapps and David Starkey on the opposing side, so to speak.
Has Michael Caine been on question time?
I feel sure he hasn’t, though whether I could swear to that in a court of law is another matter.
Don’t forget Dimbleby who can also be counted as on the left.
I forgot about Dimbleby for a moment there but I wasn’t impressed by the way he let Diane Abbott go on interrupting, shouting and finger-pointing last night. At times it was such chaos that you had three people speaking at once. What a rabble. It sounded like a street brawl.
Millie,
The lovely Diane is the right’s secret weapon. She is totally unaware of her own absurdity.
Usually when she is on This Week, she sits there beaming and chuckling, creating quite a benign, if smug, image but on Question Time last night, she came across as bad tempered, aggressive and utterly charmless.
Did she get asked if she’s a racist?
I hope she’s not or my chances with her are scuppered ! :'(
Careful, Buggy, I wouldn’t want us to become rivals for her undoubted charms !
Yes Harriet Harman knows if she wants Dimbleby to interrupt a Conservative politician on Question Time she only needs to whisper a sweet nothing in Dimbleby’s ear
prpw,
Yep, I remember that one.
Yes. In case any new readers didn’t see it – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sttc3FAPTkc&feature=player_embedded
David, well done. I did not think I could be still shocked at BBC’s blatant Labour bias, but this stunned me at least. I have not seen it before so am pleased that you put this one up here – it’s unbelievable. (Maybe not as we have known for at least 30 years where the Dimbleby brothers’ affiliations lie.)
Thanks but prpw reminded me of it. Spread it around. It’s shocking.
On the subject of BBC Dahlings. BBC Dahling and alround lefty Richard Curtis (Blackadder, Vicar of Dibley fame) has made a video promoting his eco -green campaign 10:10.
This is not a joke I swear. Richard Curtis is insane. This is what Richard Curtis will do to you, if you do not believe in Global Warming.
Caution Graphic Content – Viewer Discretion is Advised
I’m sure Richard Black will be the first to condemn such warmist intolerance.
Actually, when the topic cropped up on his latest blog, it got ‘closed for comments’.
Make of that what you will.
Dear god the man is totally befuddled/gone in the head ! mind you you can tell that by his er films [the last one went to dvd so fast they forgot the script or funny bits ] it’s the only nice way i can desqribe them the other way might involve way too many swear words !
Are we sure Richard Curtis is not taking the mickey and the Greens too thick to realise?
The violence comes from the Left.
That’s the plain simple truth.