Helen Lewis

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Jon Stewart mocks the Jubilee pomp

Would a British comedian have been allowed to do this?

By Helen Lewis Published 05 June 2012 12:18

Jon Stewart mocks the Jubilee pageant. And here he is, mocking American political rallies, too. Photo: Getty Images

Regular readers will know that my love of Jon Stewart knows no bounds, but it just increased a little more this morning with his take on the Jubilee pageant, and particularly CNN's Piers Morgan working himself into a lather of deference about it. (Never has a man been more impressed with the sight of a boat turning round.)

But what struck me immediately after watching the clip that is currently doing the rounds on twitter is how this sort of gentle fun-poking has been conspiciously absent from our television screens over the last few days. A strange feeling washed over me when Stewart joked about the Queen spending 60 years "on the throne": you can't say that! I swear I heard the delicate tinkle of a taboo being broken, and I didn't think we had any of those left. Had a British comedian tried the same gag over the weekend, on one of the many interminable live broadcasts over the Bank Holiday, I'm sure that huge sections of the press would have descended on them like vultures. Perhaps that's why none of them were booked to chat on the sofa with Eamonn Holmes and Sophie Raworth and the rest.

Most of the British comedians who could sell out an arena were in attendance at the Queen's Jubilee concert last night, and there was a real sense that anything edgy would have gone down with a lead balloon. Perhaps that's a measure of changing public taste: Britain overwhelming supports the monarchy, and we love Her Majesty in particular (what a change from the times when you couldn't move for tasteless Princess Diana jokes).

Still, there clearly was an appetite for some relief from Forelockapalooza. Frankie Boyle's typically scabrous musings on Twitter had the shit retweeted out of them, while other comics live-tweeting the pageant and concert -- mostly in a gently non-deferential way -- got a lot of attention, too.

Personally, I don't bedruge royalists a bit of pomp and circumstance. But I do find it odd that in an age where we regularly talk about the idea of nothing being off-limits to comedy, not a whisper of cheek made it on to our TV screens this weekend.

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Tags: comedy Monarchy

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16 comments

Wed, 2012-07-25 21:14 — Pavlova

There is no shortage of British humour knocking the royals, some of it grossly offensive. But there's a time and a place and during a big celebration probably isn't it. People were enjoying themselves, why would a comedian want to put a downer on that?

Tue, 2012-06-12 17:10 — Sam2012 (not verified)

I saw Polly Toynbee on TV being melodramtically rude about the monarchy. Granted she's not funny, but still.

Tue, 2012-06-12 06:49 — harryhart (not verified)

I felt embarrassed watching the Ruritanian nonsense from my escape bolt-hole in Arizona.

Tue, 2012-06-12 06:49 — harryhart (not verified)

I felt embarrassed watching the Ruritanian nonsense from my escape bolt-hole in Arizona.

Tue, 2012-06-12 06:49 — harryhart (not verified)

I felt embarrassed watching the Ruritanian nonsense from my escape bolt-hole in Arizona.

Tue, 2012-06-12 06:49 — harryhart (not verified)

I felt embarrassed watching the Ruritanian nonsense from my escape bolt-hole in Arizona.

Fri, 2012-06-08 00:05 — Comedy Police (not verified)

Maybe nobody else made that joke because it wasn't that funny. Luckily he had a studio audience to provide the laugh. In a real conversation it would have gone down like a lead balloon not because it was it was offensive but because it was weak.

Wed, 2012-06-06 13:08 — Flashdance (not verified)

I think most of the media are missing the point. Authority was clearly stunned by the genuine affection many people showed to the Queen. It was personal. People like the woman and it was not particularly an endorsement of the monarchy. The Queen herself realised this and the family that she presented on the balcony was stripped of the hangers on and not unlike many other families in the UK. A counterpoint perhaps to the revulsion many people feel towards today's cohort of politicians.( I remember it was the Queen who maintained a personal friendship with the Wilson's long after he retired as PM, was not afraid of being critical to Thatcher when everyone else was fawning at her feet, and counts Mandela and the Obamas as personal friends.. For that alone she gets my respect.)

Wed, 2012-06-06 00:33 — mbrecker (not verified)

The top reason he did it? Because he knew that NS and the rest of the UK media would eat it up with endless "coverage and in-depth analysis". Which gives him endless coverage, higer ratings and a bigger salary to ask for at contract renewal time. Maybe he's making more than Morgan?

Rather clever those Americans, wouldn't you say?

Tue, 2012-06-05 22:25 — Tesco Shelf Stacker (not verified)

"But what struck me immediately after watching the clip is how this sort of gentle fun-poking has been conspiciously absent from our television screens over the last few days".

"Perhaps that's a measure of changing public taste: Britain overwhelming supports the monarchy..."

Although many support the monarchy in Britain I don't think its a case of changing public taste that that is driving this - its just simply fear of causing offense.

“We apologize to anyone who was offended.”

I wish I had a pound for every time I heard this or read this - sadly we hear this apology far too much these days.

The fear of causing offense is probably the real reason - even gentle fun-poking at the Royal Family could land in you in hot water - no one wants the bad publicity. So we play it safe and remain quiet for the sake of not offending anyone. Funnily enough, I don't think the Royal Family would have minded some gentle fun-poking - only the easily offended and quick-to-censor brigade would not see the funny side. The lunatics have taken over the asylum I'm afraid. lol

Its good to know that freedom to mock, poke fun and maybe even cause some offense is still alive and well in the USA - cos its dead in Britain.

Oh well - God save the Queen - and god save us all from the tyrannical middle-class white liberal politicians and their freedom-destroying legislation.

No offense like.

Tue, 2012-06-05 23:17 — Spondulicks (not verified)

Offence.

Tue, 2012-06-05 16:03 — Greg Mc (not verified)

I recall 10 O'Clock Live, the Channel 4 program, taking simialr shots around the royal wedding. You are correct that satire is now better in the US though there is a lot more to satirise now...

Tue, 2012-06-05 15:15 — Kulturtrager (not verified)

It would help the cause if you ceased referring to Elizabeth Windsor as 'Her Majesty'.

Do you realise how absurd it is that a human being carries that title? How can you write an article about monarchy mockery and miss that point?

She's a very boring conservative woman of England. There are millions of them. She is not majestic or royal.
The sooner the lot of them fuck off the better.

Tue, 2012-06-12 17:49 — Legion (not verified)

It would help the cause if you got her name right - you didn't. But the rest of your post shows how little you know, anyway, so I'm not surprised.

Wed, 2012-06-06 00:48 — mark english (not verified)

Who really cares that she wears a title! Its just out of respect anyway! Like saying Sir.http://www.prenuptialsite.com

Tue, 2012-06-05 21:31 — george bell (not verified)

Having met the Queen when receiving MBE Ido not share the same views on her but do for the rest of them .All this has been a sow of pomp but we are nothing for them.