O/T:- Defund the bbc.

[Elite_Pie]

I’d just like to see more comedians of the same ilk from the opposite/different perspective, to cater for all views and tastes, which a national broadcaster should do. Hopefully they are out there, and if they aren’t, then perhaps it’s precisely because there’s not enough opportunities for them to get a break.

This article suggests the reason is that right wing comedians just aren't particularly funny:

The BBC does not book rightwing comedians for its shows because they are not funny enough, according to an individual involved in making some of the corporation’s best-known comedy programmes. On Monday the Daily Telegraph claimed that the new BBC director general, Tim Davie, was preparing to axe left-leaning comedy shows, such as Radio 4’s The Now Show and Have I Got News For You because they are “unfairly biased against the Tories, Donald Trump and Brexit”, as part of a push to make the corporation’s output appeal to a broader audience. The BBC comedy insider disputed this story, telling the Guardian there had already been substantial pressure from BBC executives over the last 18 months to find pro-Tory, pro-Brexit comedians. Instead, the source said the real issue is that many of the Conservative-leaning performers considered by BBC producers “aren’t very good”. The insider added: “Internally we’ve been asked to make sure we have more balance across our shows – we are constantly on the look out but there aren’t many people who have those viewpoints on the comedy circuit. Tell me the names that we’re missing out on? Some people aren’t very good. The issue is a shortage of rightwing comics.”

I'm sure it will be dismissed because it's from The Guardian, but personally I don't thing right wing views and comedy go together well.

[jackal2]

This article suggests the reason is that right wing comedians just aren't particularly funny:

The BBC does not book rightwing comedians for its shows because they are not funny enough, according to an individual involved in making some of the corporation’s best-known comedy programmes. On Monday the Daily Telegraph claimed that the new BBC director general, Tim Davie, was preparing to axe left-leaning comedy shows, such as Radio 4’s The Now Show and Have I Got News For You because they are “unfairly biased against the Tories, Donald Trump and Brexit”, as part of a push to make the corporation’s output appeal to a broader audience. The BBC comedy insider disputed this story, telling the Guardian there had already been substantial pressure from BBC executives over the last 18 months to find pro-Tory, pro-Brexit comedians. Instead, the source said the real issue is that many of the Conservative-leaning performers considered by BBC producers “aren’t very good”. The insider added: “Internally we’ve been asked to make sure we have more balance across our shows – we are constantly on the look out but there aren’t many people who have those viewpoints on the comedy circuit. Tell me the names that we’re missing out on? Some people aren’t very good. The issue is a shortage of rightwing comics.”

I'm sure it will be dismissed because it's from The Guardian, but personally I don't thing right wing views and comedy go together well.

You could read that a number of ways, though. Are the BBC producers making the judgement on what is "good" or "funny" the same ones who consider certain left wing comedians to be funny? Comedy is so subjective that you perhaps just have to take the risk with a batch of apparently right-leaning comedians and let audiences decide for themselves. Some might work, some might not. The BBC have seemed more than willing to experiment with left-wing comedians in that way.

Incidentally, an early review of Fawlty Towers famously concluded "Long John (Cleese) Short on Jokes", but audiences worldwide subsequently decided that it was among the best sitcoms every written, and I agree (even if John Cleese is a Lib Dem!). Producers, critics and experts don't always recognise a winner when they see it.

Like I said above, if there is a lack of quality right-wing comedians, is it because there's very little incentive to start down that direction if you want to make it onto TV? I suspect there are a fair few secretly right-wing celebrities who pretend to be left-leaning for career progression purposes in a very 'luvvy' environment. If so, you can't blame them for protecting their interests. When I was a student I used to write a fair few left-wing essays, not because I believed the tosh I was writing, but because I thought it was worth a few extra marks from my lefty tutors, and I was generally proved right. Pride and principles are all very good but sometimes you have to play the game!

[drillerpie]

Since when have polls shown us anything? The media makes them blatantly bias in their favour, the BBC are no different

I don't think the polls are deliberately biased in anyone's favour, but there are a few things to remember here:

In the last few years there has been a rise in people who aren't willing to tell the truth when asked about voting intentions. This could either be because they feel uncomfortable saying they'll vote for a certain candidate, or because they want to 'troll' the polling company.

Percentage of total votes doesn't really matter in US elections. Last time out Trump lost the popular vote by a country mile, but still won via the electoral college. People in large cosmopolitan coastal cities are digusted by Trump, but that doesn't really matter as he was never going to win California anyway.

What the Democrats have to do is learn from the Labour party's recent troubles and cater to the middle of the road voters in swing states. I don't necessarily mean on economic grounds, because they would probably go for Sanders style "look after the working man" type policies, but on social issues.

The more the Democrats pander to the extremes and refuse to condemn the clearly insane elements of the the current protests, the more riots happen and the more autonomous zones spring up, the more Trump will seem like better the devil you know.

Remember, there's a chance Trump will go to prison for obstruction of justice if he gets voted out of office, so he's going to use a whole new level of dirty tricks. I personally wouldn't bet on Trump but also would keep my money in my pocket for Biden at evens.

[Mapperleypie]

I think the odds reflect the fact that Trump is dangerous and unhinged, he will not go quietly. If he loses he will say the vote is rigged.

He encouraged people in North Carolina to vote twice by using postal voting and to vote again on the day - he's simply laying the groundwork.

[BigFatPie]

I think the odds reflect the fact that Trump is dangerous and unhinged, he will not go quietly. If he loses he will say the vote is rigged.

He encouraged people in North Carolina to vote twice by using postal voting and to vote again on the day - he's simply laying the groundwork.

There was a time when encouraging people to break the law would have seen a president kicked out without the need for an election. Not anymore it seems.

Agreed, I think the betting odds are taking into account the incumbent’s refusal to go and use any way to stay in.

[BigFatPie]

I think the odds reflect the fact that Trump is dangerous and unhinged, he will not go quietly. If he loses he will say the vote is rigged.

He encouraged people in North Carolina to vote twice by using postal voting and to vote again on the day - he's simply laying the groundwork.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...e/?arc404=true

Article in the Washington Post ‘war gaming’ different scenarios for the US election.

To sum up; let’s hope Biden wins by a landslide.

[LaxtonLad]

I think the odds reflect the fact that Trump is dangerous and unhinged, he will not go quietly. If he loses he will say the vote is rigged.

He encouraged people in North Carolina to vote twice by using postal voting and to vote again on the day - he's simply laying the groundwork.

Encouraging people to vote twice is illegal and Trump knows it. He will, however, in the event of losing the election, fall back on the ready made excuse that people did vote twice and therefore the postal voting system is flawed, as he warned America.

System rigged, people voting twice, some votes not counted, some counted twice, useless postal service. He really is playing the criminal hard done by.

He's going out and getting what he wants and doing it his own *f*ck you" way. And the people love him for it. They deserve him.

[seriouspie]

Encouraging people to vote twice is illegal and Trump knows it. He will, however, in the event of losing the election, fall back on the ready made excuse that people did vote twice and therefore the postal voting system is flawed, as he warned America.

System rigged, people voting twice, some votes not counted, some counted twice, useless postal service. He really is playing the criminal hard done by.

He's going out and getting what he wants and doing it his own *f*ck you" way. And the people love him for it. They deserve him.

As he said in his Pennsylvania speech yesterday - he's got strength whilst Sleepy Joe has weakness and wokeness. The Yanks love this, as I've said many times the States wasn't built on weak men.

[LaxtonLad]

As he said in his Pennsylvania speech yesterday - he's got strength whilst Sleepy Joe has weakness and wokeness. The Yanks love this, as I've said many times the States wasn't built on weak men.

Few are, sp, but many are built by bullies and criminals.

[seriouspie]

Few are, sp, but many are built by bullies and criminals.

Correct, as are many businesses. The drug trade being perhaps the worst.

On football matters as an example lets take Cloughie. Perhaps one of the best football managers who his club's supporters loved but one driven by his own determination but rumours often linked to 'crookedness'. Big Judas Sam another one. Our own Jimmy and Neil were both men with a leaders inner strength and tunnel vision. Alternatively gentleman Jack Wheeler was just that, a man who quietly served our club all those years without fuss. Les Bradd another gentleman without baggage and in the media business ... Uncle Colin.

If I had to choose outside of football who is perhaps the most successful person to drive other sports from the basement to the top, I would choose Barry Hearn and his lad Eddie. Possibly a bit of bullying and brashness along the way but very dynamic people. Ala the Donald!!