New director general threatens to axe 'Left-wing' BBC comedy

[Wonderful Butternut]

He can tackle all the "left-wing bias" in comedy he likes if he tackles the blatant right wing bias in their news and political arms, starting with the immediate dismissal of Kuenssberg, so she can just go ahead and work directly for the Tories like she wants to.

He won't do that though.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

no, see, calling Muslim women letterboxes and making gorilla noises at black people is just cheeky good-natured ribbing that helps them assimilate

[NoSleep]

Bob Mills?

I'm sure his wiki page used to show that he supported the Tories, but no evidence remains of this now. Is there a way of looking at older versions to check?

[thenoise]

Do they just want more white men? Is that what 'left wing' comedy is these people? Shappi Korsandi and her posh RP voice, middle class opinions and safe comedy styling, but threateningly ethnic name and swarthy complexion? That's too much for them now?? Fucking hell.

[thenoise]

Is that vicar cunt who was in a band right wing? I'm not even sure if he's supposed to be a comedian.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Quote from: Autopsy Turvey
no, see, calling Muslim women letterboxes and making gorilla noises at black people is just cheeky good-natured ribbing that helps them assimilate

These are not examples of the point I was making, neither of them work as jokes, and the second one is a form of abuse that serves the exact opposite function. Again the clouded mind of the zealot goes straight to the ugliest extreme of wilful obtuseness to mischaracterise the opposing tribe. Speaking of which:

Do they just want more white men? Is that what 'left wing' comedy is these people?

Not sure what you mean, who is saying left wing comedy means more white men?

Shappi Korsandi and her posh RP voice, middle class opinions and safe comedy styling, but threateningly ethnic name and swarthy complexion? That's too much for them now?? Fucking hell.

Don't get too exasperated, nobody thinks this.

Sometimes I think left & right tribalism is a bit like two people looking at that silhouette optical illusion and coming to blows over whether it's a goblet or two faces in profile.

[tribalfusion]

A ridiculous premise from Davie however there are right-leaning comics (to various degrees) in the UK and around the world (value judgements about the quality of their acts aside for the moment):

UK:

Roy Chubby Brown
Dominic Frisby
Jim Davidson
Pat Condell
Lee Hurst
Geoff Norcott
Simon Evans
Leo Kearse
Andrew Lawrence
John Sessions
Henning Wehn
Liam Mullone
Fin Taylor 
Konstantin Kisin
Alistair Williams
Will Franken
Gary Delaney
Bob Mills

US:

Nick Di Paolo
Adam Corolla
Drew Carey
Jeremy McClellan
Chad Prather
Tim Dillon
Greg Gutfeld
Steven Crowder
Dennis Miller
Norm MacDonald
Jeff Foxworthy
Larry the Cable Guy
Tim Allen
Victoria Jackson
Joe Piscopo
Jackie Mason
Jim Norton
Dave Smith
Tim Hawkins
Jon Lovitz
Rob Scheider
Steve McGrew
Will Franken
Roseanne Barr
Rob Schneider

AUSTRALIA:

Barry Humphries
Shayne Hunter
Steve Hughes

FRANCE:

Jean Roucas
Dominique Farrugia
Laurent Gerra
Christian Clavier
Dieudonné
Jean-Marie Bigard
Gaspard Proust

[idunnosomename]

Is that vicar cunt who was in a band right wing? I'm not even sure if he's supposed to be a comedian.

the communards?

[SavageHedgehog]

I'm sure his wiki page used to show that he supported the Tories, but no evidence remains of this now. Is there a way of looking at older versions to check?

Here's the edit history for the page. I looked at a couple of random dates and didn't see anything though.

[Tony Yeboah]

talkRADIO have risen to the challenge. I think it's actually quite funny that they've put this line-up together https://twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1301209198013841410

[Ambient Sheep]

I too was under the impression that Bob Mills was a Tory, going back years.  Perhaps he recanted some time in the last decade.

Gary Delaney

Wait, what?

Has anyone told his wife about this?

Or has nobody told me about his wife?

Or does love conquer all?

[tribalfusion]

I too was under the impression that Bob Mills was a Tory, going back years.  Perhaps he recanted some time in the last decade.


Wait, what?

Has anyone told his wife about this?

Or has nobody told me about his wife?

Or does love conquer all?

At around 8:50 here you can hear Gary Delaney say he's a libertarian right-winger. And Geoff Norcott has written for Sarah Millican as well for whatever that is worth...

https://soundcloud.com/britishcomedyguide/no-pressure-to-be-funny-05-04

[RenegadeScrew]

Not sure what you mean, who is saying left wing comedy means more white men?

It's quite obvious what he meant.  By threatening to axe "left-wing" comedy someone is implying it exists and it constitutes something.

Now having seen some comedians on the BBC, I don't ever recall seeing anything that would be considered left-wing. 

So we can deduce that the left-wing comedians to be axed are either minorities of some sort, or they are anyone who is polite about certain subjects.  Or it is just another pile of shite in the Torygraph.

It's not paranoid to assume it's all about calling "a spade a spade".  If we look back through time we find more pakistani/gay/irish jokes interspersed with the fat white comedian calling himself a "fat cunt" (for balance).  I don't remember any jokes about Orgeave or pro-privatisation.

[evilcommiedictator]

There's also a difference in perception between the wings. Many on the right don't see jokes about 'protected characteristics' as 'punching' at all, but as a way of acknowledging differences, making light of them, teasing ultimately as a method of social assimilation. This may be why many of these 'less fortunate' minorities often aren't offended by jokes that a straight white zealous lefty might regard as unconscionable hate speech.

They why does all the alleged right wing "comedy" go on about ATTACK HELICOPTERS instead of actually trying for nuance? Because it is out there. Oh wait, it's actually those minorities taking time out to make those nuanced jokes, and we hate them, because of THEIR FOOD/SCARVES/RELIGION right? They're all weird terrorists right? Who's with me to join in on a hate march!
But no, please keep complaining about going around calling everyone a cunt whilst never working a day in your life

[Sebastian Cobb]

It would be odd to imagine that a socially conservative right wing comedian couldn't be a convincingly unhappy, powerless whingeing man whose hopes for the future died decades ago. Maybe Peter Hitchens should do a stand-up course.

Doug Stanhope was close to this in his libertarian stage (although not trad socially conservative I guess still pro-abortion and not bothered about the gays). It worked.

[ajsmith2]

Who are the 'less fortunate' in the comedy context? It's a telling obsession for the left, this 'punching down' business, but surely it makes little sense in the context of stand-up. As Stewart Lee points out, the stand-up is a lonely tragic clown, travelling hundreds of miles in the night to stand in a small dark room reciting a list of things they've noticed, seeking the approval of strangers for a meagre living. Unless they appear on TV and/or make good money from it like Stewart Lee, there is no position in society lower than the stand-up comic.

C'mon, that's just silly and I don't think you actually believe it. Someone with at the very least some form of occupation, a platform and (especially) the wherewithal to organise a tour (no matter how shabby all three may be) is at the very bottom of society? That's the kind of romanticised ideal some comics may have about themselves, but it's not got that much to do with reality. I'm not denying that it's a shite life; but there's way shiter out there.

[olliebean]

I too was under the impression that Bob Mills was a Tory, going back years.  Perhaps he recanted some time in the last decade.

He's certainly come across as one when I've heard him on The News Quiz.

[dissolute ocelot]

These right-wingers bemoaning the lack of right-wing comedy seem to have only two definitions of right-wing, neither of which is actually equivalent to being right-wing: being pro-Brexit and not mocking Boris Johnson. They seem to think mockery of Boris is equivalent to being a dangerous marxist, but it's the job of all satirists to mock the government, and plenty right-wingers do it (at least those who're vaguely intellectually honest and not making shit up about banning Christmas and going to jail for singing the national anthem).

The other irony is that the EU is in many ways a bit shit, but I don't see anyone doing legitimate satire of it; few enough do legitimate journalism. But actually knowing an institution well enough to satirise it is hard, and most comedians know fuck all about anything. Most satirists can't even mock Boris Johnson other than repeating the same tired lines you hear everywhere.

It's certainly possible to mock left-wing institutions, whether you're on the left or on the right, but it's hard to see exactly what's left to mock (Britain has a glorious tradition of satirical campus novels, less glorious tradition of buffoonish trade union figures, but both these institutions are changed beyond measure). The EU (despite being pretty fundamentally centre-right) is the nearest to a left-wing institution anyone can find.

[Autopsy Turvey]

It's quite obvious what he meant.

I don't think this is a very clear statement:

Do they just want more white men? Is that what 'left wing' comedy is these people?

having seen some comedians on the BBC, I don't ever recall seeing anything that would be considered left-wing.  So we can deduce that the left-wing comedians to be axed are either minorities of some sort

I don't doubt you've never seen anyone left wing *enough* on the BBC, but how and why on earth have you deduced this? You've never noticed any left wing BBC comedians, but if they do exist they must be minorities? And cutting down the number of doctrinaire lefties on a topical panel show is a secret way for the BBC to disregard its diversity commitments? When it could just scrap its weaselly voluntary quota system and go back to being a meritocratic organisation?

It's not paranoid to assume it's all about calling "a spade a spade".  If we look back through time we find more pakistani/gay/irish jokes

It is a bit paranoid, and certainly goes straight to the tribal assumption that your opponents have only the most malign motives, to assume that a right-leaning comedian on a BBC panel show in the 2020s is going to fall back on gay Pakistani Irish jokes. If we look back through time we'll see that these jokes were being enjoyed predominantly in working men's clubs in Labour heartlands by dockers, riveters, wheeltappers and shunters who would have turned in their graves when the red wall crumbled.

C'mon, that's just silly and I don't think you actually believe it.

It's a bit egged up, but there's a case can be made. It's hard to think of anyone with any kind of job being less important or useful than the average stand-up, and people without jobs may not have a platform, but at least they don't have to drive to Spalding to churn out mild observations about toaster settings to a dozen students, they've got some dignity.

They why does all the alleged right wing "comedy" go on about ATTACK HELICOPTERS instead of actually trying for nuance? Because it is out there. Oh wait, it's actually those minorities taking time out to make those nuanced jokes

Are you saying 'minorities' are the only ones making nuanced points about the trans lobby? Like who, Dave Chappelle? The 'attack helicopter' thing is certainly an unsubtle old cliche but I don't know how many stand ups are doing it, it's more an internet meme than a joke, the only comic I've seen get close to doing it in recent years has been Chappelle with his "Hey everybody I'm Chinese" routine.

and we hate them, because of THEIR FOOD/SCARVES/RELIGION right? They're all weird terrorists right? Who's with me to join in on a hate march!

What are you talking about? No one else is thinking this. Again, it's telling how much violent hatred the left extrapolate from nowhere. Also again, like Poirot, you've gone straight to the ugliest extreme of wilful hysterical misinterpretation to attack the imaginary malign motives of your opponents. Question your sources lad.

But no, please keep complaining about going around calling everyone a cunt whilst never working a day in your life

I wish! This is a whole new creepy level of inarticulately second-guessing the lives of people you disagree with to score a point, and it does the opposite of helping your argument.

[jobotic]

Before they sort out the comedy lefties they need to stop having Dr Who episodes with all black people (sorry "PoC") in them when they're visiting Victorian times. It's like Stalin's Russia.

[RenegadeScrew]

I don't doubt you've never seen anyone left wing *enough* on the BBC, but how and why on earth have you deduced this? You've never noticed any left wing BBC comedians, but if they do exist they must be minorities? And cutting down the number of doctrinaire lefties on a topical panel show is a secret way for the BBC to disregard its diversity commitments? When it could just scrap its weaselly voluntary quota system and go back to being a meritocratic organisation?

I didn't say that.  I gave two options.  Perhaps your problem with the clarity of other statements is due to something similar.  I suspect it is more the latter option I gave - that it is any comedian who is polite about certain subjects.

And as I go into below, it's not really got anything to do with left-wing *enough*.

When you say "meritocratic organisation" do you mean one that would choose the best comedians for the job, and not one that would look for right-wing comedians?  Or it it only certain quotas you hate?

It is a bit paranoid, and certainly goes straight to the tribal assumption that your opponents have only the most malign motives, to assume that a right-leaning comedian on a BBC panel show in the 2020s is going to fall back on gay Pakistani Irish jokes. If we look back through time we'll see that these jokes were being enjoyed predominantly in working men's clubs in Labour heartlands by dockers, riveters, wheeltappers and shunters who would have turned in their graves when the red wall crumbled.

It's not, it's common sense.  As I (and others) have intimated, a popular comedians political allegiance is about as relevant as the politics of popular music.  In the end, it's largely all "ooh I love you" and dick jokes.  This is the part you are missing so maybe read it twice.

It makes very little sense to have a purge on left-wing comics in order to have right-wing comics on who do the exact same material.  We're talking BBC panel shows and 10 mins at the Apollo, it's not the fringe.

I'm well aware who enjoyed the old "right-wing" comedians material and it kinda backs up my point.  I suppose maybe you are right and we'll see a brand new type of right-wing comedy emerge, in between Lee Mack showing his quick wit and Jo Brand telling us she's fat.

[idunnosomename]

Let us call women splitarses again

[Ambient Sheep]

At around 8:50 here you can hear Gary Delaney say he's a libertarian right-winger. And Geoff Norcott has written for Sarah Millican as well for whatever that is worth...

https://soundcloud.com/britishcomedyguide/no-pressure-to-be-funny-05-04

Blimey, ok, thanks for that.  Things I didn't know yesterday...

[steveh]

No mention of the whole comedy thing in Tim Davie's speech today to BBC staff. A lot about impartiality, how they could cut 20% of hours and spend the money saved on doing the rest better while not cutting channels, cutting BBC bureaucracy and building commercial income while not becoming a subscription service. All the things you'd expect from someone with his background really.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/speeches/2020/tim-davie-intro-speech

[jobotic]

BBC "personalities" should lay off expressing their opinions on twitter.

Hmm, does he mean Gary Lineker or Andrew Niel I wonder.

[Tony Yeboah]

Gary Delaney used to like and retweet the occasional right-of-centre post on Twitter. I guess he stopped doing it because it wasn't worth alienating some of his fans.

[evilcommiedictator]

I am a big crybaby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8OVGPgLReg

Just name one comedian who'd fill this spot, go on

[peanutbutter]

How far on the right would Gervais be these days? His support seems largely on the right

[frajer]

How far on the right would Gervais be these days? His support seems largely on the right

Centrist dad to the core, it seems, except his children are animals.

[beanheadmcginty]

Looking forward to a new series of Big Break.