Question Time watch
Friday, June 22, 2007 at 01:03AM 
Many's the occasion that the BBC's "Question Time" has come in for a kicking round these parts, and rightly so. Usually you'd do better to pull up a chair in front of a newly-painted wall as watch the programme, if entertainment is your goal, as tiresome politicians trot out their respective party lines, and the audience do their best to prove Churchill's caustic maxim on the best argument against democracy (being "a five minute conversation with the average voter"), the stench of liberal consensus becomes quite suffocating. But not this week.
With both Hitchens brothers, it was never going to be tame. Right from the off, when Christopher tears Shirley Williams to shreds over Salman Rushdie's knighthood, you have the curious sensation of entertainment where usually there is none, and of serious issues being discussed seriously, and not in the platitudes of the professional politician. There's even Boris Johnson as well. So, if you're ever going to watch the programme, this is the one to watch.
(It can be watched via this link, for the next week. This may not work outside the UK.)
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Reader Comments (18)
The Hitchens brothers and Boris Johnson on the same panel was quite an impressive line up. Shirley Williams deserved everything she got for saying that the Rushdie knighthood shouldn't have been awarded because of the offence it would cause.
Ross,
as she said it I had the feeling of someone absently wandering into a cave wherein lurks a grizly bear, and didn't she have to back-pedal? I've often thought it would be good to have the two brothers together, two great polemicists and with such contrary views.
Thanks Richard. Very impressed with C Hitchens on Blair and EU. His brother was a bit of a berk all round. Surprised noone brought up Reids views on the Rushdie knighthood but glad to see that woman Shirley mauled on that issue. Boris, apart from being hilarious, was so right about the muslim reaction to Rushdie being so encouraging here. Glad he pointed that out. Terrific programme this week!
Sorry to be OT, but I have a few questions. Ya'll do get other news broadcasting than BBC right? Is this the only network available for political news in the UK? Sorry to ask, but it seems to be the only outlet you guys talk about, other than newspapers. You've got cable and dishes with other local/national news broadcasts, right? The BBC doesn't have a monopoly on your news, right?
Richard -
A QT producer must be surveying the wreckage of his career after managing to get two decent guests on the show at once. The Hitchens brothers are always interesting and thought-provoking. Great stuff. Crikey, we had a debate for once.
Christopher H taking taking apart then being rude to Shirley Williams was wonderful. It says something that one of my favourite writers is a Godless Lefty. What he did as show up a liberal and liberalism. Beyond cheap, unthinking platitudes she had nothing. And has anyone on tv ever defined islamic filth as strongly and openly as he did? They must have have been spluttering when he got going. Magnificent.
Boris Johnson - a well-educated, attention-seeking ball of fluff yet again. His schtick was boring 10 years ago.
What the two Hitchens really demonstrated was the contrast between three base, unthinking, cowardly politicans and those who think clearly and talk honestly.
Daphne -
We also have Sky News and ITV (Independent TV, a national network of, well, independent tv companies) but the BBC utterly dominates broadcast news and current affairs. As well as ITV on terrestrial we have Channel 4 news (bunch of commies led by a self-confessed pinko.)
The comptetition among Her Majesty's gutter press is much stronger, although a herd mentality exists in Fleet St and most manage to unthinkingly parrot the big-government line.
I watch Sky News for the headlines and get the detail of what I want to know online now, although increasingly I'm not bothering with broadcast news. Most people still get their news from an evening news bulleting though, and that means the BBC.
First time I've watched QT for ages. Thanks for the link.
I could listen to Christopher Hitchens all day, and I admire his assuredness. His facial expressions were a delight, obviously dismissive of the audience, Dimbleby and Williams.
Damn, there's something sexy about that man ;)
Isn't it great that two brothers can hold such different views? I'd love to be round their table for Sunday roast.
Oh, and Boris is just crackers, but I love him anyway.
Christopher did mention 'comrade dr reid'.
Orlando -
That was Peter.
I think Christopher referred to "Comrade Johnson".
A very good show. I like C Hitchens although thought he could have possibly been a little less rude.....
I guess that would have taken away from the show a bit.
Shirley Williams was out of her depth, or at least debating style. Without sounding too pc there was a lot of testosterone flying around which I don't think she coped with well. As well as that her position on rushdie was pretty much indefensible morally/ intellectually/politically anyway.
Christopher looked a bit red (in the face). Wonder why.
Just watched it - (Those of us living in NI got to watch out "local" version - Let's Talk - which was vomit inducing)
CH very good on most - esp the Rushdie issue. I love those panellists prepared to take on the audience, I wonder why? ;-)
My only point was that Hamas were given a very soft ride in the discussions and I felt that the assertion made by Brian McNultey that "small steps" of progress were being made bordered on the insane yet no-one picked him up, plus there was the usual sprinkling of Jew-haters in the audience.
Much better than normal, and I loved the sight of pious Shirley being savaged.
Yeah id agree with that David re Hamas.
Christopher Hitchens was in proper red blooded sexy savaging mode. Shirley was so indignant by the end of it. Looove him. One thing made me laugh - the audience. Clapped at everything, seemed a bit confused? ;)
Daphne -
Theres heaps to choose from but ATW 'attacks' the BBC so you could be forgiven for thinking thats the only broadcaster in the country. Channel 4 News can be pretty good. For example they run a series of investigative news programming called Dispatches - it was C4 who aired the Great Global Warming Swindle and UnderCover Mosque amongst others.
Sky increasingly dominate news coverage and all print media. They are Europe's first 24-hour news channel and have gained a solid reputation and won a bunch of awards. They are the inspiration for Fox News, its U.S. sister channel with which it sometimes exchanges material. Its coverage of the war in Kosovo eclipsed both its rivals - CNN and the BBC. On Iraq US networks CBS and Fox News carry much of its coverage. And a 2004 report listed Sky as second only to the BBC in terms of public trust in British news outlets (which is interesting when you consider it is accused of right wing bias).
So no the BBC doesnt have a monopoly on news coverage but when it comes to the internet it coasts above all other international broadcasters.
David
Do as I do whenever Let's Talk is scheduled, go via. Sky to one of the other regions and watch QT.
I don't even check now to see who is on LT.
As for last night's show, it was excellent. I nearly fell off my seat with disbelief when I tuned in, the bias for the first time ever was to the right of centre. The Hitchens brothers were very good - especially Chris - and Boris, when he stops playing the clown, made some good points. Thoroughly enjoyable show.
Could the selection of guests have anything to do with the recent BBC internal report that showed institutionalised left-wing and liberal bias in the organisation? I hope so for that might mean more effort towards finding balance in the future.
Just watched it - Marvellous stuff! I'm sure I saw Christopher Hitchens fumbling under the desk for the trap-door button while Shirley Williams was speaking.
Actually worth watching for a change instead of the usual sad tired politicians trotting out their predictable rhetoric.
The Penguin,
That's a good idea, thx!
Don't bother to watch the NEXT edition of QT; the beeb has decided this Aldershot one was too entertaining, and the usual left wing lot are to be re-installed as a counter balance.
Now if they had taken Ms Williams to task over the utter failure of comprehensive education, for which she played a major part, - that might have been really exciting...and very appropriate if today's headlines re illiterate white boys, are anything to go by!