Friday 22 August 2008

Some Things You Just Can't Joke About Anymore...

Have you heard the one about the Islamic comedy sketch that ITV ordered its latest star to remove? Katy Brand was the victim of humourless lawyers who instructed her to delete a harmless-sounding spoof called The Iman of Dibley.
And she agreed? What happened to fearless comedians happy to poke fun at everyone equally? Oh, right...
“It was not intended to be offensive,” says the comedian, whose Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show returns on ITV2. “A new iman arrives in a sleepy parish and the comedy arrives from the misunderstandings that causes. But the lawyers said it might be culturally insensitive.”

It’s no laughing matter, argues Brand, 29, an Oxford theology graduate. “The vast majority of Muslims are able to have a laugh at themselves just like everyone else.

Why should they be excluded from comedy? It’s funny that ITV had no problem with a new sketch about a pregnant Jesus’s girlfriend who has to deal with dating the Son of God.”
Isn't it, Katy...?

That might be because the worst thing that might have generated would be a strongly-worded letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whereas we all know what happens when a Muslim mob gets upset...

4 comments:

Letters From A Tory said...

Bloody political correctness. I made a similar point on my blog yesterday - political correctness is at its most damaging when it makes people think someone is insulted or offended BEFORE anyone claims to have been insulted or offended.

Anonymous said...

Exactly. And what sort of comedianne gets a team of lawyers to vet he skit first anyway..?

Ross said...

She should do a sketch about the ludicrous diversity commissars, with their combination of humourlessness, cowardice and desire to be trendy they are a target rich environment.

Anonymous said...

“The vast majority of Muslims are able to have a laugh at themselves just like everyone else."

I think she is being a little optimistic here...