The Last Leg

[Destinysdaughter]

Ok so I do think it's great that there are 2 disabled pp on this who are genuinely funny...but, why are there no disabled women or BAME pp on it? It would have made it a genuinely diverse program if they had done that. It still feels a bit 'laddish', and it's still white blokes dominating and enforcing the dominant narrative.

Bit of a missed opportunity or would that still be a step too far..?

[powershowerforanhour]

I thought that watching it tonight too. I suppose Adam Hills is the go-to funny guy for this since being missing a leg is part of his comedy "thing".
I don't really know what Josh Widdicombe brings to the party. I guess he's supposed be the more straight, slightly naive guy. Like Neil Delamere, only, um, not as funny (watchable enough, not awful but not superb). Was he in it in 2012? Maybe he was an instigator in getting it made at all or something in which case fair enough, but I think his comedy is a bit weak. I bet they could have found a sharp, strong female disabled comedian and it would be good viewing to see her and Adam Hills work off each other. Suspect AH might want to be the main man with all the best lines though? I like him just get that slight impression off him. Could be way off though.

[Destinysdaughter]

Was watching it tonight and thought how 'blokey' it was, especially re how the head of the BBC decided that all comedy shows had to have one woman ( which is a good idea IMO), and how noticeable it was that there wasn't even though this is a show that ostensibly promotes minorities.

[Destinysdaughter]

Why can't BAME people or women with disabilities be funny??

[MrsJayy]

I love last leg but it is very blokey sometimes they do have women on but a programme about diversity isn't very diverse is it? Maybe you should send in an isitok to not have any women presenters although ch4 go to funny woman is Katherine Ryan who really isn't that funny

[Destinysdaughter]

Mrs I like that idea, doubt if they'd read it out tho! 😀😱😈

[powershowerforanhour]

Do you think it's deliberate ie they were at pains not to appear too PC..."look, people with disabilities can be lads too! Top blokes! Bantz!"
And too scared to let a completely unknown woman have a major role during what is still fairly prime commercial time?

[MrsJayy]

Gwan do it Destiny but if they have Katherine Ryan next series I will know who to blame. No I don't think it's for the banter to be laddish not sure why it's just men though

[Destinysdaughter]

Well I guess it started during the last paraolympics as an experiment and was genuinely funny and successful so they just continued with a winning format?

But now that has worked surely they could afford to broaden it out a bit..?

[Destinysdaughter]

I don't mind Katherine Ryan, think she's a bit too ubiquitous tho. Love the female Muslim comic, ( can't remember her bloody name, will have to google ), think she's genuinely radical. And bloody funny!

[MrsJayy]

It has a series away from the Paralympics too I do like it it isn't blokey all the time I do think as a disabled person they try to hard to be hilarious about disability not that I'm offended it just isn't that funny Alex especially is bad for it
Anyway that's another thread

[Destinysdaughter]

/Shazia_Mirza

[ChoccyJules]

They've got Katherine Ryan on as guest tomorrow.
Wonder how they originally put the three presenters together, I do think they try hard to be laddish. Maybe there wasn't a female comic who wanted to aim that low (not that they aren't sometimes funny)?!

[EnquiringMingeWantsToKnow]

Yes it's always been Josh Widdicombe as the third member of the trio. No idea why, but it seems to work.

I think it's a bit harsh to demand that a programme which is there specifically to represent disabled people, not all-purpose "diversity", should also be appropriately diverse in all other respects. After all, how many of the other comedy programmes which have one token woman and one token POC on each show ever have anyone with disabilities apart from Adam Hills? (OK, and Stephen Fry and John Richardson I guess).

However if you wanted to have a female comedian with a disability on then Francesca Martinez would be the obvious choice, but they've not been prepared to book her which I do think is a bit feeble - I'd be really interested to see how they coped with someone who couldn't talk quite as fast and hence really challenged their ability to make "reasonable adjustments".

[JinkxMonsoon]

When The Last Leg originally started for the London Paralympics, Josh was the token able bodied guy on the panel. Alex Brooker got the job via some sort of Channel 4 "disabled talent" drive to find presenters for the Games. He's a former sports journalist and that's why he got the job. I don't think anyone realised how funny he was until the show actually started airing.

I agree it can be laddish, but I like the rapport between the three - and Adam Hills has been on some entertaining pro-feminist rants over the years.

[Destinysdaughter]

I think just watching it tonight made me reflect on how genuinely diverse it really was? It seemed like it was just another variation on the theme of white blokes owning the comedic narrative and actually there are so many different viewpoints that could be just as funny?

Not really 'demanding' anything just pondering. And curious as to what others thought?

[JinkxMonsoon]

This is more pro-woman than feminist per se, but here you go.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Htf-jPoBB9w

[Destinysdaughter]

I don't dislike any of the 3 guys, think they are all genuinely funny but since they've shown a different viewpoint can be funny and successful, maybe it can be broadened out some more...?

[JinkxMonsoon]

I think just watching it tonight made me reflect on how genuinely diverse it really was?

I think maybe you're forgetting how groundbreaking it's been? I can't think of a show on terrestrial telly that not only made people with disabilities visible, but spoke about disabilities openly and jokingly (instead of from a slightly taboo, don't say that or you might offend, softly-softly approach).

I do think it's a bit churlish to criticise The Last Leg for not doing enough for women and BME people. Channel Four aren't going to change a successful presenting team when they have such good chemistry.

[deepdarkwood]

Hummm, I'm conflicted on this! Overall I agree with EnquiringMinge that if I was looking at shows to criticise for a lack of diversity, Last Leg wouldn't be at the top of the list...

I normally think the dynamic works in a nice-ly friends together way, without becoming TOO laddish, but I was watching today and thinking that it's interesting that this week with with Jonny Vegas & Jonny Peacock becoming part of the 'gang' that it felt especially bloke-y.

I do think AH is usually pretty good on his feminist credentials, but it would be good to see more female guests holding their own (or Carrie Fisher every week - she's brilliant on it).

[PlectrumElectrum]

Alex Brooker is too 'laddish' for my liking - when he's talking about disability issues or making jokes about disability he can be really 'on point' or cuttingly funny but he's stuck in some sort of laddish 90s Zoo/Nuts time warp when it comes to anything else. Really cringey at times. Adam Hills has definitely got more awareness of more feminist issues but they all laugh along at times even when it's a comment Brooker makes.

I generally like it but Brooker's crass laddish humour grates on me. So I do agree OP, it could be more aware or diverse but given the lack of any other programmes like it, it probably gets more of a pass on this.

[Destinysdaughter]

Ok can you imagine a tv show with 3 disabled Black and minority ethnic women on if? And it being so successful? And if not... Why not?

[Destinysdaughter]

Why is the bar set so fucking low??

[Destinysdaughter]

And I'm not disabled or BAME but I'm fed up to the back teeth with just being presented with just one point of view being considered 'acceptable'.

[strawberrypenguin]

You're overthinking it. Not every program needs to have a woman on it. The three of them work well together and are funny.
They often have a pro female slant to what they talk about (for want of a better way of putting it) for example see if you can find Adams rant against Ched Evans or that hideous Robin Thicke song. They often have female guests too.

[itsbetterthanabox]

It should have a woman on it.
Until the panel shows start equally representing women instead of having one token woman that usually isn't even a comedian then they should at the very least have that.
Personally I find it unwatchable as I don't like Adam hills but having someone with a disability on it doesn't mean it's now ok to stick the status quo of excusing female comedians.