[Andy McDandy]

Clarkson, for all his faults, has two saving graces. One, he can be genuinely funny. Two, he will admit when he's cocked up, or is just wrong on something. He also puts effort into what he does.

Compare to, say, James Whale, whose TV show made Littlejohn look professional. No idea or interest in what's going on, no control over anything*, no fucks given.

*Loathe or hate them, presenters who rely on "we're live!" and apparent spontaneity (Tarrant, Edmonds, Evans etc) tend to have forensic control of their shows and ensure things run to the exact second.

[Boiler]

James Whale on a Friday night on Central.

Until now, I'd erased that from my brane.

[Crabcakes]

I remember catching the James Whale show once and having literally no clue what the hell was going on outside of it all seemed to be utterly awful, all of the time.

I think the interesting thing is where all these people would be if they weren't already famous. Fox would probably be on a roof in an ill-fitting Spiderman costume unfurling a Fathers 4 Justice banner. Linehan would be probably largely oblivious to all trans issues and just known as the funny guy in the office who comes out with something a bit dodgy/clueless whenever anyone mentioned anything he thought was 'woke'. Oliver would just be wandering home with a microwave meal to a bedsit, ready to spend another evening hammering out endless lengthy monologues to any number of more questionable subreddits. Or Fox could have been subbed in for Paul Bettany and be enjoying his fame as part of the MCU, happy and occupied enough to simply not care about politics. Linehan could have decided he didn't know enough about Trans issues to wade in and be enjoying plaudits for that long-gestating Father Ted musical, and Oliver could have been lined up as the BBC's preferred Attenborough-in-waiting and simply not have the time or availability to give conspiracies the time of day.

A tiny nudge either way.

[Youngian]

Those immigrants are ok its imaginary ones I don’t like. It’s a pity the BBC weren’t doing vox pops like this a decade ago.

[Watchman]

and you'll never guess where the BTL comments take us

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... ester.html

[Spoonman]

and you'll never guess where the BTL comments take us

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... ester.html

Whoever did that survey has never visited Strabane...

[Spoonman]

...meanwhile in Sri Lanka, if I was fleeing Russian conscription by "visiting" the country and staying on an extended tourist visa, I would have been trying to keep my head low and would have been almighty pissed off at my compatriots indulging in "whites only" business practices, offending their hosts. Seems like the authorities there have had enough, and a not insignificant number of Ukrainians have been told to get moving as well.

Sri Lanka ends visas for hundreds of thousands of Russians staying there to avoid war
Investigation launched into order asking Russians to leave country amid blacklash over ‘whites only policy’

...However, concerns have been raised over thousands of Russians and a smaller number of Ukrainians staying in the country for an extended period of time and even setting up their own restaurants and nightclubs.

Tourism minister Harin Fernando told Daily Mirror that the ministry has been receiving complaints of some Russian tourists running unregistered and illegal businesses in the southern part of the country.

Raids were conducted by the authorities following discussions with the Immigration Department, he said.

It comes amid a furious social media backlash over Russian-run businesses with a “whites only” policy that strictly bars locals. These businesses include bars, restaurants, water sports and vehicle hiring services...

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/sout ... 04466.html

[soulboy]

and you'll never guess where the BTL comments take us

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... ester.html

The BTL argument is slightly undermined by Leeds and Birmingham being the slowest speakers.