A review of Graham Linehan’s book, Tough Crowd.
I warned readers quite some time ago that I would review Graham Linehan’s 2023 book “Tough Crowd: How I Made and Lost a Career in Comedy” [Eye Books: ISBN1785633066] Apologies for the many delays!
People in the British Isles are familiar with Graham’s work on sitcoms like Father Ted (1995–1998); Black Books (2000–2004); and The IT Crowd (2006–2013).
He won five BAFTA awards — including Best Writer (Comedy) for The IT Crowd, 2014.
TOUGH BOOK!
For over 5 years, Linehan has championed the thorny issues of underage transitioning —“the greatest safeguarding scandal since Rotherham” — and of “women losing their words, spaces and sports” to Trans-activists.
For leading the charge, he was accused of being a transphobe and “a bigot.” He has lost almost everything — wife; friends; family; career; his health (testicular cancer); reputation and the future project he was depending on — the Father Ted musical. He was financially destitute. All that he has left is his pride…and the knowledge that he is fighting for a just cause.
Linehan provides way too much information in the book. He evidently lacks an internal filter …and perhaps some discretion! (which may be why he is so good at comedy.) For instance, he describes having sex on the floor of a Dublin comic shop…did we really need to know that??
“TOUGH CROWD”
The book is a partial autobiography.
The first half is dedicated to his Irish origins and the narrative of his writing / producing / directing career. Linehan was bullied in school and his reaction to trans-Bullies might hearken back to his formative years.
His book could be named, “I met the Devil on the crossroads & he gave me a typewriter!” which is the phrase he used when telling us how he lost all belief in God — which was about the time he got his first typewriter! He claims that looking up ‘masturbation’ in some Parent’s Guide which caused him to reject all religion…I haven’t quite got that connection!
ABORTION
Linehan is a self-confessed FEMINIST: this is the basis of his crusade.
He appears to be a “Second-Wave” feminist, fitting in the era of Roe v. Wade and “reproductive freedom” — a.k.a. abortion on demand (predominant 1963 - 1980s.) He and his wife Helen, campaigned for the repeal of the Eighth Amendment in Ireland.
I lost much of my sympathy for his predicament with the Trans movement after reading how they aborted their first child suffering from a fatal congenital condition. I hate to dump on a man when he is already down, but even with religion and morality aside, I am perplexed about his lack of awareness as to the pain a mid-trimester abortion causes the unborn child.
UNDERAGE TRANS ISSUES & FEMALE ONLY SPACES
Linehan first got into this trouble with a 2008 episode of the IT Crowd which had a story-line involving a transgender character. It has snowballed from there because he has the praiseworthy trait of speaking out about such issues — no matter the consequence. He continues to advocate against underage transition and for women’s spaces to be reserved for adult female human beings.
(Curiously, his position on trans-rights is in opposition to Third-Wave feminists who seek “to be more inclusive when it came to race and gender.” Kimberlé Crenshaw introduced “intersectionality” & the ideas of oppression based on race, class, gender, etc.. Third wave feminists support Intersectional Feminism.)
KUDOS
To his credit many of Linehan’s views and beliefs are now being vindicated.
There are a few additional voices such as author J. K. Rowling and journalist / political satirist Andrew Doyle, but even Rowling took a drubbing.
The review of the “Tavistock” (a.k.a. England’s Gender Identity Development Service [GIDS]) was damning and it has since been closed. Other countries are also seeing evidence that many teens with gender dysphoria are gay or lesbian and that, in the majority, the dysphoria will dissipate with time. Transitioning has become the worst form of gay conversion therapy, ever.
Many of the new voices are simply too late to help Graham — I wish him well for the future.
Kevin Hay
You can follow Kevin on 𝕏 ( Twitter / Twi𝕏 ) @ kevinhay77