UK & World News
- 1 January 2013, 18:51
Anger Over TV Show's Crude Royal Joke
The broadcasting watchdog has received complaints after a Channel 4 show featured a lewd joke about the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year 2012, presented by comedian Jimmy Carr, went out just after the 9pm watershed on Sunday and lasted for two hours.
The show, which had been pre-recorded, also included sexual gags about US President Barack Obama, sprinter Usain Bolt and singer Susan Boyle.
A spokesman for the watchdog Ofcom confirmed complaints had been made about the show, but was unable to say how many.
Most of the controversial material came from Gavin & Stacey star James Corden, 34, and award-winning comic Jack Whitehall, assisted by Jonathan Ross.
Whitehall, 24, made a joke about the bladder infection suffered by the Duke of Edinburgh last summer and also said Olympic gold medallist Bolt could "rake it in" by going to stud like the retired racehorse Frankel.
He and Corden reportedly each drank a bottle of wine during the recording of the show, and Whitehall later told his Twitter followers he had been drunk.
Fresh Meat star Whitehall was named King Of Comedy in a viewer vote for the UK Comedy Awards in December.
Ross was suspended from the BBC in 2008 after he and Russell Brand left lewd messages on the answerphone of veteran Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.
He later quit the BBC and said one reason was to avoid the "sheer volume of negative press" he was attracting to the corporation.
Carr himself was the butt of other comedians' jokes in the summer when a row blew up over his tax affairs.
Channel 4 was later reported as saying the programme was a well-known satirical review of the year that had been broadcast after the watershed with appropriate warnings.
what do you think?
Tracey Simmonds
Get Johnathon Ross off the telly, I cant stand seeing him. Wherever he goes he's trouble, about time he was gone!
Mike Anon
You are so right Tracey, the guy is a talentless idiot.
Louisa Gieldon
I love him. He's a real favourite of mine and always makes me laugh, so we all laugh at different things.
krafty81
If people are going to watch this rubbish and there are warnings about the content then that's their problem. I can't stand those so called comedians so I don't watch it. I prefer John bishop but we all like different things. The world would became very boring place if we all liked the same thing!
shirley sutton
If people don't like the content of a program just turn off - cant see the point of watching them complaining
Louisa Gieldon
Agree S.
shaun spencer
Dont like the show, dont like the smutty so called comedians. So i dont watch it.so i dont want to complain cos i dont care.
Louisa Gieldon
Quite right. I watched it and found it funny and witty but why complain because something just isn't to your taste
Lorgar Aurelian
These complainers are worse than the comedians. Get a life, stop looking for any reason to moan and watch something else. Nobody really cares what you think. Take note, Daily Mail...
d and d Phillips
I care what they think and I agree
Lorgar Aurelian
Thing is, i can't stand soaps, Eastenders to the point it offends me. I don't waste time phoning to complain, i just watch Homeland. Why can't they?
Louisa Gieldon
Hi Lorgar. Happy new year to my favourite nemesis! Agree about the soaps and the way people take them so seriously. They make me want to retch, with the amateurish scripts and bad acting, but i don't write letters to the Mail about my dislike of them. I saw the show being moaned about and really enjoyed it. Each to their own. Have heard good things about Homeland
jimmyjedi1979
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LucienSolo1
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Adrian Wagstaff
I don't think I've watched the television since last Christmas. Perhaps, you might care to recommend a television program worth watching? I switch it on, scroll down the list, delete most of the radio programs, delete most of the television programs, then find nothing worth watching. I could use them as ornaments, save them for a future museum, make oscilloscopes out of them or buy a 1970s digital table tennis, make-it-yourself kit? What d'you expect me to watch? My mum's video films? They are all absolute junk. I might end up using them for a games console but that would be another waste of time, like watching the television. Well, they all seem to think they're comedians, with their "Laugh now!" signs and their electronic switch-on-the-audience-laughing-sound buttons
shaun spencer
Last christmas was only last week adrian.
wickhampatrick
The only people who think these berks are funny are themselves. They should be taken off TV and their production staff sacked for allowing such total rubbish!
john
James Corden a comedian? I thought that the definition of a comedian is that they make you laugh. I watched 1 minute of a heavily hyped TV programme of this talentless goon which consisted of him jumping up and down exhibiting his rather large belly then switched off.
Daniel smith
you people need to get a life! you know what sort of humour this show will contain,if you like it then great watch it!If you dont like it, then dont watch it simple as that. Apparently there were only 5 official complaints lodged on the night, that tells you exactly how offensive this show actually was.
Louisa Gieldon
I saw the show. It was really funny. Comedy always offends someone. Sometimes i've laughed at jokes that have offended others. Sometimes the whole room has been laughing and i'm indignantly tutting away, muttering "that's not funny".
geofffrank
2:39pm on 1/1/2013
Jack Whitehall and James Corden are two of the least funny people out there.
geofffrank
2:41pm on 1/1/2013
See the video of James Corden and Patrick stewart, getting owned by the captain of the enterprise must have been embaressing
Name witheld
4:27pm on 1/1/2013
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Lorgar Aurelian
4:44pm on 1/1/2013
I haven't seen that Geoff, where might i find that? As Patrick Stewart is one of my favourite actors and i find Corden unfunny (Lesbian Vampire Killers anyone?) i have to see it!
geofffrank
8:10pm on 1/1/2013
just youtube search james corden and patrick stewart. Corden tries to rebuttle but ends up just looking like a thug
Louisa Gieldon
2:41am on 2/1/2013
I liked the show but don't find these two funny either. LVK was awful, awful, awful! Patrick Stewart i love however. No i mean i really love him and have had a childish crush on him for years. he's also really smart and a brilliant sctor, so i'll check out that clip too!