"Literally unthinkable, isn't it?"

Spitting image (of Kevin Bishop pulling a face)

Well, I gave Nigel Farage Gets His Life Back a go. 

I'd have preferred to be watching a BBC mockumentary called Ed Miliband: The Bacon Sandwich-Eating Years or a 'sharp satire' called Libdemania! but, this being the BBC, neither of those were ever likely to have been thought of let alone commissioned (unlike this!)

I don't want to bash the main actor (Kevin Bishop) but I nearly gave up after 30 seconds when it struck me that he seemed to be (badly) impersonating Harry Enfield impersonating a politician (on Harry and Paul), but I persisted and gave it another 20 minutes before finally - and very decisively - striking the 'off' button. 

Had I thought about it (and not had company at the time) I might have cheered myself up by shouting "SHUT UP!!!" at the TV whilst so doing, in the manner of St.Major Williams from It Ain't Half Hot Mum - Nigel's preferred viewing, well at least according to the writers of this show. 

Nigel also orders pints of Crusader, Goose Green, White Cliffs and Agincourt beer. And his voters are racist. Etc. 

It wasn't the political bias that made me switch off though. It was because it really wasn't funny. I did laugh once though, to be fair. (I know. I was shocked too. It came right out of the blue. And, weirdly, it was at the word 'cancer'). But once really isn't anywhere near enough. 

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The rushed nature of the show is noted by David over at The Conservative Woman:

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John Humphrys interviewing a UKIP politician

In that TCW post (also posted at News-watch) David also includes a transcript of a 1999 interview with Nigel Farage by John Humphrys. 

I really would urge you to read it in full. It shows Nigel being wholly consistent over time, and John H being just as consistent (in his manner of questioning towards UKIP). 

Among Humph's questions are the following:

• Does it worry you that you have been singled out for praise - you particularly, incidentally - by the British National Party in their newsletter, Spearhead?
• But of course it can’t happen can it [leaving the EU]? I mean the fact is that we are tied by innumerable treaties and it is literally unthinkable, isn’t it?
• (interrupts) well I think in legal terms you know the turmoil that would be created [if we left the EU] is just, well it’s just extraordinary... (voice tails off) turmoil...

The first was the template for countless similar questions from John H and other Today/BBC interviewers for the next 17 years (and counting). The second and third show just how ingrained and open pro-EU thinking was at the BBC at the time. (It became less open for a while, but is now back in full cry again). 

"Literally unthinkable, isn't it?" Now that is funny!!