Category Archives: Generic BBC Comedians

THE NEWS QUIZ

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Talk about groupthink. I tuned in to the repeat of The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4 this lunchtime. Presided over by Sandi Toksvig – who herself is quite leftist albeit with a lesbian twist – Jeremy Hardy and Andy Hamilton provided all the appropriate “jokes.” So, there was much praise for Rowan Williams, much castigation for George Papandreou and the predictable attacks on capitalism. (Do these comrades not get paid for their appearances?) This programme is an extended 30minute left wing whinge with very little remnants of humour. Pity, once upon a time I used to like this programme but it’s now part of the hive, better ignored. Next week, the NOW show returns..aaaargghh!

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THE HENRY FORD SCHOOL OF COMEDY

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The end of year “topical news quizzes” featuring the BBC cabal of rancid venomous left wing “comedians is also a major threat to festive good health. I caught a bit of the News Quiz I think it was, with Jeremy Hardy – that quintessential BBC personification of what is deemed “funny” – raging about the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems. The sheer hatred that spews forth from Hardy and his ilk seems to send the selected audiences into paroxysms of laughter which tells us all we need to know about them. But IF there was a comedian who mercilessly mocked Labour, who relentlessly attacked Obama, who verbally assaulted the EU, who patronised gays and who taunted Islam, I wonder how many invites would be received from the BBC?  BBC humour is from the Henry Ford school of comedy, you can have anyone you want so long as it is left.

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More on that Now Show Green thing

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As the John Hathorne character in the ongoing witch-hunt against the poor, voiceless, victimised comedians of The Now Show it would be remiss of me not to note (with ignorant sadistic crypto-fascist foam-flecked glee, naturally) that the Tory candidate for Brighton Pavilion is asking the BBC for a bit of clarification.

Update. Brigstocke: “we had to be very careful to ensure that The Green Party were not hosting or organising it”

Update 2. It’s getting weirder. In the comments to the original blog post Brighton-based musician Chris T-T (no, me neither) is demanding money for use of a photo freely available via Twitter. Happy to give him credit – but not money – for the photo. Mr T-T, who apparently played at the Green Party benefit gig on Saturday, is also a columnist for the Communist Party of Britain’s house rag The Morning Star.

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The Now Vote Green Show

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[Update Wed March 3. I see the photo has caused quite a bit of discussion. Chris T-T is of course pissing in the wind asking for money, but on reflection I can see his point about use of the image. I too would be pretty angry if, for example, the BBC used a photo of mine without permission. Therefore, in the interests of reserving my right to occupy the high moral ground and go apeshit in similar circumstances, I’ve replaced the picture with a link. It was only ever incidental to the point being made anyway (I could have just as easily linked to the Brighton Theatre Royal’s own website). No doubt this’ll piss some of you off, but there it is.]

Further to my earlier post pointing out that The Now Show will be on three nights a week during the election campaign, I see that two of the regular cast – Marcus Brigstocke and Mitch Benn (along with other members of the BBC’s left-wing comedy establishment) – are in Brighton tonight (via Twitter)

Interestingly, the poster fails to mention what the event is for:

Award winning comedian and broadcaster Marcus Brigstocke will join forces with TV and radio comedy friends Russell Howard (Mock the Week), Alastair McGowan (The Big Impression), Mark Steele (NewsQuiz) and Mitch Benn (Now Show), Robin Ince (Nerdstock) and others for a one-off night of political mayhem at the Theatre Royal…

Proceeds from the gig will be going towards funding Caroline Lucas’ historic bid to become the UK’s first Green MP.

I guess the chances of hearing a Brigstocke rant or Mitch Benn song taking the piss out of the Green Party on Radio 4 are pretty low, then.

Update Sunday Feb 28. Response from Mitch Benn in the comments. He doesn’t endorse Lucas or the Green Party, but he supports them because they’re not the BNP. And Marcus speaks truth to power. Something like that.

(Here’s someone who likes leftie comedians but is unimpressed by their support for the Greens. Update. Link now password protected. Cached version here.)

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Coming up on Radio 4

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I missed this in The Guardian last week:

The Now Show, the vehicle for comedians Punt and Dennis, will be renamed The Vote Now Show, for the duration of the election campaign and broadcast every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

FFS.

The article also says that Labour Party supporter Simon Schama will be presenting Radio 4’s A Point of View for three months.

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