Aww, he's done it for the kids.
Newswipe With Charlie Brooker - Series 2 Page 7
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 13 2010, 7:10 AM GMTNewswipe work by creating a group-think mentality which is reflected here. For a long time the role of comedy has been to reinforce conformity and to ridicule dissenters, much like under Maoist China when teachers were marched through the streets in dunces hats and schoolkids encouraged to laugh at them.
Does that apply to all comedy? In which case why are on earth are you watching comedy? You may well be the only person to agree with me that Terry and June was sinister.
It's also crass. Comedies role has generally been to undermine the status quo and to destabilise governments. Both the Nazis and the Soviets banned and executed comics out of genuine fear.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 12 2010, 9:40 AM GMTHe is never critical of BBC/Guardian,
He is frequently critical of the BBC are you really missing that? And he only mentions papers when they make broadcast news, which the tabloids do but the Gurdian doesn't. Again I'm puzzled you don't see this.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 13 2010, 7:10 AM GMTFor example Richard Madeley may be a bit of a plonker but he was singled out by Charlton Brooker simply because he disagreed with the Liberal orthodoxy over Iraq.
Richard Madeley is a hilarious idiot a world in which he wasn't mocked would be a sad one.
And what liberal orthodoxy? That the war in Iraq was poorly planned and has left the country in a terrible state? The environment is being damaged to some extent by pollution and warming?
Flip these around. The Iraq war was well planned and Iraq is now functioning better than it was before. Pollution will have no appreciable efect on the environment?
Ultimately Charlie Brooker is entertainment, but so is the BBC News, Fox News et al. They all sell entertainment to make some money or jsutify what they already recieve.
And the news is utterly venal. The Congolese/Rwandan war, civil war, giant bunfight. Has killed millions, lead to millions being disposessed, mass rape and probable even more massive starvation.
But it's not news. News reporting is stupidity.
Until it affects an element found mainly in the Congo for making mobile phones, then the world will take notice.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 13 2010, 7:10 AM GMTIt is odd that in the week that the trial of Geert Wilders has received absolutely no mention whatsoever on the BBC news site (.
It ain't the biggest story now is it? Come on Nick Griffin being forced to take mix raced members got huge coverage. All around the world people who don't like foreigns are on trial.
This sounds more like a sulk about editorial decisions.
A good end to the series. Nothing particularly new here, but Brooker was funny as ever. Pity he couldn't have given N-Dubz another kicking, though.
Particularly liked the John Terry segment and that knobhead going on about blokes rules; "Yeh out of order, pint of tits, down the pub."
The only problem with these kind of programmes is that it makes people think 'Yeah, I'm rebelling' whilst still being spoon-fed.
There is a woman in my office who bases all her socio/political opinions on Newswipe. I'll see her at the water cooler rabbiting on about current events, making her seem all 'intellectual'. But I've pulled her up a couple of times, saying 'Charlie Brooker said the exact same thing on Newswipe last night.'
There should be more shows like this, with even more diverse topics, far reaching voices that resonant with a wider demographic. Oh, and more Doug Stanhope, please, LOVE HIM!
Quote: AngieBaby @ February 19 2010, 12:31 AM GMTThere is a woman in my office who bases all her socio/political opinions on Newswipe.
I'm struggling. How is this possible? What opinions?
Was funny last night; and I enjoy Tim Key's little poems, too.
Quote: AngieBaby @ February 19 2010, 12:31 AM GMTThe only problem with these kind of programmes is that it makes people think 'Yeah, I'm rebelling' whilst still being spoon-fed.
There is a woman in my office who bases all her socio/political opinions on Newswipe. I'll see her at the water cooler rabbiting on about current events, making her seem all 'intellectual'. But I've pulled her up a couple of times, saying 'Charlie Brooker said the exact same thing on Newswipe last night.'
That probably happens with Michael McIntyre fans as well its just that you bother to listen to some cock talking about cars that only go right and traffic lights turning red all the time.
Quote: sootyj @ February 17 2010, 6:53 AM GMTIt's also crass. Comedies role has generally been to undermine the status quo and to destabilise governments. Both the Nazis and the Soviets banned and executed comics out of genuine fear.
The Nazis and Commies all had state approved comedians whose job was to uphold the state and ridicule dissenters. The imposition of orthodoxy in the West is more subtle since our rulers still cling (for the time being) to the notions of Liberalism which have existed for the last two centuries.
It's hard to see what role comedy has had in de-stablising the government over the last 13 years. Here we have the most authoritarian, militaristic and corrupt government of modern times, yet most BBC sanctioned comedians seem to think the really edgy stuff is Sarah Palin and Thatcher.
This sums up much BBC comedy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1IL2F3jlU
He is frequently critical of the BBC are you really missing that? And he only mentions papers when they make broadcast news, which the tabloids do but the Gurdian doesn't. Again I'm puzzled you don't see this.
I've watched the first 4 episodes (and that's it for me) and have not seen any critique of the BBC. The odd BBC broadcaster is ridiculed, but only for being off-message.
And what liberal orthodoxy? That the war in Iraq was poorly planned and has left the country in a terrible state? The environment is being damaged to some extent by pollution and warming?
Flip these around. The Iraq war was well planned and Iraq is now functioning better than it was before. Pollution will have no appreciable efect on the environment?
I do not disagree that Iraq was a bad war, but I know some do disagree. It would be good to hear from them occasionally on what is supposedly an unbiased news provider. This also applies to unfashionable opinions of all sorts:
However the relation between pollution and warming is quite a different thing.
Ultimately Charlie Brooker is entertainment, but so is the BBC News, Fox News et al. They all sell entertainment to make some money or justify what they already recieve.
And the news is utterly venal. The Congolese/Rwandan war, civil war, giant bunfight. Has killed millions, lead to millions being disposessed, mass rape and probable even more massive starvation.
But it's not news. News reporting is stupidity.
My problem was Charlie Brooker is, what Angiebaby has mentioned, so many people merely regurgitate his stuff over water coolers thinking that it makes them knowledgeable about a subject. In fact I think the term Guardian-reader will soon become Newswipe-viewer. Like Michael Moore, he's viewed as someone more than just an entertainer, more like an avenging everyman.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this series 
Don't know if this has already been posted but here's a message from Charlie for the Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser. http://www.vimeo.com/9648157
Just watched the compilation episode, and I'm genuinely bemused as to how anybody could find anything in it even broadly political, never mind evidence of some kind of liberal conspiracy.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 23 2010, 2:50 PM GMTThe Nazis and Commies all had state approved comedians whose job was to uphold the state and ridicule dissenters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1IL2F3jlU
There weren't many and certainly the Nazi one (it really was only one chap) was famously crap.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 23 2010, 2:50 PM GMTHere we have the most authoritarian, militaristic and corrupt government of modern times,
Really? More militarisitc than Suez, Kenya, the dirty wars in Ireland, Borneo?
That's just historical ignorance.
As for authoratarian? Labor's problem is they pass laws on spying, Thatcher et al just went ahead and did it. (bugging CND, agent provocateurs at miners strikes, torturing people in Ireland etc etc).
As for corrupt. Oh c'mon we're persecuting people for fiddling the minutaie of mortgage claims, kit kats and ride on mowers. Is the tough legislation that now exists on massive bungs and dodgy directorships that were common place in the previous government.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 23 2010, 2:50 PM GMTMy problem was Charlie Brooker is, what Angiebaby has mentioned, so many people merely regurgitate his stuff over water coolers thinking that it makes them knowledgeable about a subject. In fact I think the term Guardian-reader will soon become Newswipe-viewer. Like Michael Moore, he's viewed as someone more than just an entertainer, more like an avenging everyman.
Yup and some of my friends/relatives will cheerfully regurjitate what ever Jeremy Kyle, Mathew Wright or Nick Ferrari splurge out. It's hard to be %100 neutral and maybe there is a slight leftist leaning. No broadcaster can be a %100 neutral.
But it's also the BBC who asked Brown if he was going blind and was on happy pills. Pilloried the government over expenses and the Iraq war.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ February 24 2010, 1:46 AM GMTJust watched the compilation episode, and I'm genuinely bemused as to how anybody could find anything in it even broadly political, never mind evidence of some kind of liberal conspiracy.
That's why it such a brilliant conspiracy, it's as if.... it doesn't even exist.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ February 24 2010, 1:46 AM GMTJust watched the compilation episode, and I'm genuinely bemused as to how anybody could find anything in it even broadly political, never mind evidence of some kind of liberal conspiracy.
I haven't seen the compilation episode yet, and so have had nothing to talk about with my elitist, liberal friends at the watercooler today.
Quote: sootyj @ February 24 2010, 7:36 AM GMTReally? More militarisitc than Suez, Kenya, the dirty wars in Ireland, Borneo?
That's just historical ignorance.
I'm pretty sure he was referring to the UK. Our comedians can't really have any influence in destabalising whatever passes for a Government in Kenya.
Quote: sootyj @ February 24 2010, 7:36 AM GMTBut it's also the BBC who asked Brown if he was going blind and was on happy pills.
Probably planted questions though.
Quote: Aaron @ February 24 2010, 2:08 PM GMTI'm pretty sure he was referring to the UK. Our comedians can't really have any influence in destabalising whatever passes for a Government in Kenya.
They were all wars where the UK was either the agressor or maintaining imperial presence. The Kenyan "Mau Mau" uuprising lead to about 300,000 deaths at least, concentration camps and torture that made Guantanomo look like Playschool
Quote: Aaron @ February 24 2010, 2:08 PM GMTProbably planted questions though.
Undoubtably but planted by a BBC journalist or editor looking to get some ratings. Hence my point that the BBC isn't that left wing.