Saturday, 11 June 2011

Graham Linehan v the Today programme

Graham Linehan's media profile has been steadily increasing recently.
I was surprised but delighted to see him on BBC 1's Have I Got News For You.
This week just gone, the Father Ted and IT Crowd creator has complained about his treatment by Radio 4's Today programme.
He believed that they wanted him to discuss the difficulties of transferring Ealing comedy film classic The Ladykillers to stage. (And also allow him to plug said West End production).
Instead it became what he feels to have been an ambush. Here's his version of events and here's the audio.
He has claimed it happens all too often on Today.
Sure for the politicians, bankers and other bogeymen, yes.
Though I haven't heard it happen too often to civilians.
Listening to the debate, yes, Justin Webb, the presenter is a tiny bit confrontational. And he does get it back on track once Linehan expresses his displeasure.
And Michael Billington (the Guardian critic) does have a point that there's an awful lot of West End shows based on movies. (Also, it's an interesting theory that The Ladykillers' gang of crooks are an analogy for the Labour post-war government)

As for the political debates on Today, well they sometimes talk over each other. But Today hasn't reached the aggressive heights of news parody The Day Today
Nor is the show a home to the rigid partisan shouting matches of say Crossfire, the show memorably demolished by Jon Stewart whilst on it.  Within a few months, Crossfire was dead (though last time I checked in on American news TV, Crossfire's spirit could still be felt).
But, this. Well what happened to Linehan must have been awkward and upsetting but it ain't a Crossfire moment.
Maybe Michael Billington just needed to go lighter on Linehan and his play. Maybe it was just that.
But I don't think this should change Today.

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