Kate Forbes backs Graham Linehan after comedian’s open air present outdoors Holyrood
F
ormer SNP management hopeful Kate Forbes has backed Father Ted author Graham Linehan after he needed to placed on an open air present outdoors the Scottish Parliament.
The author and comedian carried out his comedy routine outdoors Holyrood after two venues within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe refused to host his present.
Leith Arches mentioned it had taken the choice to cancel the Irishman’s reserving as a result of his views didn’t “align” with their total values.
Linehan, who additionally wrote TV sitcoms The IT Crowd and Black Books, is a vocal critic of the trans rights motion.
But Ms Forbes mentioned it was “remarkable” that he had had “such a difficult time”.Speaking as she appeared on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with comic Matt Forde, the MSP mentioned: “I think that people pick a target and go after that target and they’re not content until they are destroyed.
“But I think it is a really, really scary time to be a comedian because your shows, your art relies in part on causing offence. And some of it I find quite offensive.”
She informed Forde she had come on stage with him “with an element of trepidation”, saying of his jokes: “They are hilarious, but not when you’re the butt of them.”
Ms Forbes mentioned whereas comics could cause offence, she added: “Offence needs to be caused and he is a comedian and he’s not inciting violence as far as I can see. He is a comedian making jokes with the currency of offence and that needs to be protected.”