Frankie Boyle: Independence wont happen Saturday 23 August 2014 Controversial comic Frankie Boyle has said Scottish independence wont happen as he launched a stinging attack on the media. he stand-up said he was firmly for a Yes vote in next months referendum but argued there were too many cross-currents in Scottish culture for it to happen. In a wide-ranging conversation during the closing session of the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, Boyle said he did not regret his most controversial jokes. During the State of the TV Nation event, he also attacked television channels for failing to take risks with their programming. On Scottish independence, the comedian said: Im all for it. It wont happen. One of the reasons it wont happen is the media is just completely against it. Theres a huge level of media bias. One of the reasons the BBC is biased against it that never gets mentioned is the BBC raises a licence fee of £300-odd million in Scotland - they wont release the actual figures but its probably £320 million - and they spend, they say, £160 million, £60 million of which is very probably finessed. So its probably a £200 million a year subsidy to the BBC. He added: Theres just too many cross-currents in Scottish culture. One of the great things about being pro-independence is I get maybe half a dozen tweets a day telling me that I dont understand economics from Rangers fans. Asked about the aftermath of a No vote, he said: I think half the country will have had their dreams and hopes destroyed, so it will be pretty much business as usual for everybody. He said he did not regret making controversial jokes about Katie Prices disabled son and the appearance of Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington. Think of all the other things that we could get offended about rather than a joke that was told five years ago, he said. In an attack on programming, he said that current TV guides look like the entertainment programme on a f****** cruise ship. He said: Theres a layer of people whose job it is to kind of reject things that are interesting. And the trouble is, that layer is at the top. If you have someone whos called a comedy commissioner, they should be allowed to commission comedy. He added: They [television channels] dont take any risks and they are taking less risks and they dont want to take risks. One of their priorities is not to take risks. They would rather not take risks than have falling ratings and they would rather not take risks than lose money. If they took some more risks they might hang on to some of their audience. Boyle singled out the programming on Channel 4, which won the channel of the year prize at the festival. He said: They have a duty they have completely abandoned. They have tried to appeal to the absolute worst. Its the opposite of what their remit is. I dont think I would ever get anything on there because they dont want to do that kind of thing. Anything with any interest or excitement or edge to it. Of the BBC he said: I would cull a lot of their senior management and their pensions. I would get rid of a lot of hopeless people in there who are stopping good people from doing their job. The comic also voiced his support for quotas to drive up the number of female comedians appearing on television panel shows. He said: Its just the wrong quota, make it 50/50. I like quotas because quotas put the responsibility on to broadcasters who have a lot of money, instead of on to comedians who are really struggling.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 17:40:14 +0000
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