Should RTE stop airing Father Ted?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011590#Comment_121011590

Wouldn't that be more them hating him, rather than him inciting others to hate transgender people?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011595#Comment_121011595

Perhaps you are viewing his opinions through a specific lens that wouldn't have you at your most objective?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011645#Comment_121011645

Did he say they were all, as a group "paedophiles, nonces, evil, etc, etc"?

In the quote from ancapailldorcha it would seem that he is of the opinion that a number of the leaders or most vocal spokespersons of the movement are, but not that being trans inherently meant one was a pedophile, nonce or evil.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011702#Comment_121011702

He's impersonating transgender people and taking the piss out of them on dating sites while fear mongering. So it's not them hating him, it's him obsessively haranguing the community.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/23/graham-linehan-joins-queer-womens-dating-app-her-stunt-14130662/

‘I’m a lesbian now! It’s a good thing no-one would ever identify as a woman for nefarious purposes. It just never happens! I’ll let you know if I meet any fellow lesbians, like this cutie! Is he, like me, taking the p***? Who knows! That’s the joy of self-ID!’

briany

Any weight to what Linehan is claiming about these individuals in terms of the paedophilia claims, etc.?

Tony EH

Linehan would have been better off sticking to his comedy writing rather than taking on a silly cause to harass people he doesn't even know. What a bizarre self destruction he engaged in...and for what?

Are any of his former colleagues even talking to him these days? The Mrs. did a runner after his obsession became absolutely farcical, but I wonder if the likes of Dylan Moran and Arthur Mathews have distanced themselves too.

The guy just turned into a massive plonker.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011721#Comment_121011721

Maybe read the thread in full

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011707#Comment_121011707

This isn't about me. Linehans behaviour no matter how much you try to downplay it isn't just mere disagreement. It's harassment, abuse and hatemongering. There is plenty of evidence throughout the thread of this.

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011792#Comment_121011792

If any of his former comedy pals are still in contact, it's on a very down-low type of basis. Bill Bailey was briefly hounded off of Twitter after saying it was a shame the route Linehan had gone down. Linehan had mentioned Bailey in a number of tweets pressuring him to sign a petition of some sort.

It may be hard for Linehan to understand, but not everyone is as obsessed with the issue as he is. It brings up an old question of if you're a celebrity of any kind, is there an immediate obligation to use your platform in battling the evils of the world? Is it cowardly not to take sides and just do the thing you got famous for in the first place? I don't think it is cowardly, myself.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002069#Comment_121002069

You can definitely see some homophobia creeping in when you see him nowadays defending Section 28 and bizzare ranting against marriage equality

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120994810#Comment_120994810

You started this thread with the simplistic suggestion that the proposed law to regulate free speech would prevent people from watching Father Ted. A page straight out of the right wing playbook in the US and to some extent in the UK. Now I don't know whether you believe it or it is just a tactic on your part, but it won't fly in Ireland because you are dealing with a far more sophisticated electorate.

I expect you thinking that the Irish electorate is dumb, would not understand the implications and all the other excuses that the defeated usually roll out to explain their failure.... But that is very far from the reality. Next to the Swiss, the Irish are a very though lot when it comes to trying to sell simplistic political arguments. I have been involved in political campaigns in both countries and when you knock on doors, discussion constitutional issues with the general public in both countries it is remarkable how similar their approach is. They understand the difference between strategic decisions about how they want the country governed and tactical decision on who they want to do it. For at the heart of both democracies is the concept of a sovereign people - the idea that the average voter is capable of and entitled to determine the destination of the nation. And that breeds a very different type of voter than you have in the US or the UK. So while you are trying to tell them that they'll miss out on Father Ted, they are think: Burning Korans, frivolous cartoons insulting religion and committing treason to overturn an election... ya I think I can do without Father Ted.

It's over 40 decades ago since I studied Constitutional Law and back then the professor used to say: Never underestimate the ability of the Irish people to figure out what is in their best interests, they may not do it in the way you or I would, but it is remarkable in how often they get it right. And in looking back over the past 40 years I tend to agree with him - they are pretty good a figuring out what is in their best interests. Now I have looked at this legislation and beyond your flight of fancy in interpreting it, there is nothing wrong with this legislation. So you are going to have to come up with a far better argument than Father Ted, if you want to influence anyone outside you cohort on the internet.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011744#Comment_121011744

You could say the same about any organisation and have the same weight ie most people are grand and there’s a minority of bad ones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011792#Comment_121011792

The saddest thing was the wife co-wrote “motherland “ a decent Netflix , he was credited as a consultant, 2nd series his name is gone and her name changed to maiden name

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012096#Comment_121012096

That's not really the issue, though. The issue is more how the organisation responds. That's what the big furore was really about when it came to the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, that the organisation didn't move to help the law prosecute the individuals involved, but rather moved to protect them.

Is there weight to Linehan's allegations that certain individuals are getting away with crimes of a sexual nature due to their trans identity, be it these stories being omitted in the media or being treated with kid gloves in the courts. If it is him just having a distorted view of reality, then that's grand, but if there are instances of people getting away with sexual crimes because they're trans, then obviously that's an issue that needs correcting.

TagoMago

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011792#Comment_121011792

This is well worth noting and also shows why Glinner should be a cautionary tale of how low people can fall from getting swept up in internet wormholes and obsessing about culture war stuff.

Comparing him to some of his contemporary C4 comedy writers , and what they went on to achieve; Charlie Booker created Black Mirror, Jesse Armstrong created Succession, and Glinner.... spends his days trying to dox random trans people on the internet. It's baffling really, especially considering the high regard Father Ted is still held in, here and in the UK. He should have his pick of work, now no one would touch him with a ten foot pole.

Saying that, I definitely do not think RTE should stop airing Father Ted.

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012243#Comment_121012243

Even before the internet was invented, you could feud with your neighbours.

"Keep out of foolish quarrels. You know that they start fights." - 2 Timothy 2:23-25 - Worldwide English (New Testament)

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012243#Comment_121012243

Well, to paraphrase someone else on the thread, its such peculiar hill to die on. To go about destroying one's career, family life and friendships just because he feels the need to draw battle lines with a tiny, tiny, fraction of humanity who, by and large, just want to be left alone to try and deal with the hand they've been dealt in life, is truly a spectacular withering of one's self. Blowing all of that simply to be a knob on social media to people you've never even met face to face.

It screams of some serious mental issues that need to be addressed.

And, of course, 'Father Ted' shouldn't be taken off the air. Nor should 'The IT Crowd'. The very idea is ludicrous.

lumphammer2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121008589#Comment_121008589

First of all ... you do not have the right to tell anyone to stop posting ... secondly it does not matter what he wrote or didn't ... looked it up briefly and saw the other fella that wrote Ted wrote Val Falvey ... I am not very interested in these people outside of what they originally were famous for and do not put them up on a pedestal ... indeed my very point is these guys are not that important and should stick to writing their comedies ... I watch Father Ted on occasion and it is quite good but I do not want to hear the writers' political and social opinions ... simple as ...

lumphammer2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011792#Comment_121011792

Exactly ...

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012711#Comment_121012711

I don't mind authors and creators sharing their political views. I used to love the band Muse and I was happy to go to their shows even though Matt Bellamy is big into his conspiracy theories. I'm watching Frasier at the moment even though Kelsey Grammer is a full on Trumpster.

Linehan isn't airing his views, he's actively forcing them on people and terrorising them when they don't agree.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121008712#Comment_121008712

Should I just take your word on that or are you gonna post examples? While I think he's beyond saving in terms of arguing with morons online I do for the most part agree with him.

But go on.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012656#Comment_121012656

That’s it , I’m sure at the start he thought he was protecting the women in his life, but it all looks foolish when they have enough and leave

AyeGer

No

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011869#Comment_121011869

Nobody watches Fr Ted because of any like / love of Graham Linehan…. Nobody will even think of the man from the first scene till last of an episode..

They watch it because they find it funny and enjoy it….nobody even thinks of Linehan sitting down to watch it, nobody thinks about his views on trans people. Nobody really cares about him…he said some stuff….. you can agree with him, disagree with him, be non plussed, be angry, be offended or not give two shîts and not care at all….

it’s not harassment…. Harassment is something in the eyes of the law that is targeted and repeated…. Abuse ? Hate mongering ? You can’t harass a whole cohort of people. I can’t harass Liverpool fans, civil servants, Primark employees, gay people by virtue of a comment or two I’d make… cohorts of the above people may be disappointed, angry, offended by the comments but harassment it ain’t.

Look at Steptoe and Son…. A harmless old bawdy sit-com… replayed on Gold, BBC….well written, brilliantly acted and obviously very funny..

yet…

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/352946/BBC-s-Steptoe-star-Wilfrid-Brambell-abused-boys

in the 37 years since the series ended, it was never cancelled, I don’t recall ever a petition claiming it should be..

yet, a whole sitcom Fr Ted is being advocated to get cancelled as one of the writers said controversial stuff.

another sitcom and it’s main star was a pedophile, but nobody bats an eyelid…. 👀 still on Gold, they have a huge section on their website bigging it up….guess what, so does the BBC… no outrage or mass distain….

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012854#Comment_121012854

You've been told this multiple times, nobody is calling for Fr Ted to be taken off the air. So basically you latched onto a click bait title where a poster is attempting to manufacture a scandal.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012821#Comment_121012821

Read the thread for lots of examples 🖕

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012863#Comment_121012863

My contribution to the thread is based not simply on what just the OP said… there are many other contributors and posts. I doubt a post on boards can manufacture a scandal, it can certainly manufacture debate, I’ve no issues with that :)

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012987#Comment_121012987

A quick Google indicates that there's no campaign to remove Fr Ted from TV....

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121013012#Comment_121013012

Yep I have not come across one single person on this thread or anywhere else advocating that in earnest.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012854#Comment_121012854

What on earth on you about? Who said harassment can only have a legal definition. There are plenty of examples of his behaviour of harassment, abuse and hatemongering. He has harassed many individuals. He has made many many hateful transphobic comments. Your suggestion about only or two comments is frankly absurd.