Sam and Natalia jump into the deep end of the controversy pool to discuss Graham Linehan and his autobiography, TOUGH CROWD.
TOUGH CROWD (or HOW I MADE AND LOST A CAREER IN COMEDY) is the 2023 autobiography by Graham Linehan, an Irish writer who wrote several acclaimed British sitcoms such as FATHER TED, THE IT CROWD, and BLACK BOOKS. From the mid-2010s to the present, Linehan has engaged in what most outside observers describe as ‘anti-trans activism’.
Sam sits down with Natalia to discuss whether Graham Linehan’s arguments hold up under scrutiny.
Topics of conversation include Douglas Reynholm, steelmanning Graham Linehan, gender-critical feminism, ego, infamous trans episodes, Trans Panic! At the Disco, IF BOOKS COULD KILL, the definition of a trans activist, bullying, Apu and Hari Kondabolu, Shakespeare, Hilary Cass and the Cass Review, the Grievance Studies Hoax and the Sokal affair, sesame seeds, liberal bias in the humanities, dunking on The Washington Post, women’s voices, Nathan Fielder, super morbid obesity, the ship of Theseus, Gen Z being upset about snowmen, and Sam’s patented new game.
(You can check the sources Sam references in this episode on his Substack.)
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Learning British is a weekly show hosted by Sam Brown, a born-and-bred Brit, and Natalia Brammen, a Polish immigrant living in the UK. In each episode, Sam introduces Natalia to a new piece of British culture, media, or history, from badly aged sitcoms to cancelled celebrities.
You can keep up with the podcast on Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit.
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