The Scotsman - August 2023
Father Ted writer Graham Linehan appeared at a stand-up comedy gig outside the Scottish Parliament after it was cancelled twice by Edinburgh venues over his views on gender issues.
The Comedy Unleashed event was staged in the open air on Thursday evening with ticketholders given the location shortly before it took place.
Original venue Leith Arches took the decision to cancel their booking of Linehan earlier this week, saying the Irishman’s views did not “align” with their overall values, before a second venue followed yesterday.
The Telegraph - August 2023
Graham Linehan performs outside Scottish Parliament after Edinburgh Fringe show cancelled.
Father Ted creator takes his show to Holyrood as two Edinburgh Fringe venues drop him over his views on trans people.
Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted and Black Books, performed outside the Scottish Parliament after two Edinburgh Fringe venues cancelled his show….
BBC - August 2023
Graham Linehan said it was “extremely important” for him to “make a stand” and perform at the Edinburgh Fringe after his show was cancelled twice.
The Father Ted writer gave an impromptu performance outside the Scottish Parliament on Thursday after two venues refused to host the performance.
The original venue, Leith Arches, had pulled out amid concern about Mr Linehan’s views on transgender issues.
The show’s organiser said they “refuse to be cancelled”.
The Guardian - August 2023
A comedy event featuring Father Ted creator Graham Linehan was staged in the open air outside the Scottish parliament on Thursday evening, after a second Edinburgh venue refused to stage it.
The organisers, Comedy Unleashed, booked the plaza outside Holyrood’s main entrance, and erected a small makeshift stage for an audience of roughly 120 people, after failing to find another indoor venue.
BBC - August 2023
A comedy show featuring Father Ted writer Graham Linehan in Edinburgh has been cancelled due to complaints.
Leith Arches said it had pulled the gig because it did not support the comedian, and his views do “not align with our overall values”.
Daily Mail - August 2023
Father Ted creator Graham Linehan blasts arts venue for ‘discrimination’ after axing his Edinburgh Fringe show ‘over his stance on gender issues’ – as MP Joanna Cherry tells the comedian he has a ‘pretty clear case’
Mr Linehan told MailOnline: ‘There’s been an ideological coup within the theatre, TV, publishing – a view of the world based on a complete non-belief in biological fact.
Unherd - August 2023
Those who claim that “cancel culture does not exist” will struggle to explain how it is that one of the most successful sitcom writers of all time now cannot work in the comedy industry, and why his musical adaptation of Father Ted has been effectively held hostage by the rights holders, Hat Trick Productions.
The Telegraph - August 2023
The cancellation of Graham Linehan is the most offensive Edinburgh Fringe joke of all.
The festival used to break taboos. But its censorship – sight unseen – of the ‘gender critical’ comic’s show is an affront to comedy.
Daily Record - August 2023
A stand-up comedy show featuring Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has been cancelled after complaints were made to the venue.
An Edinburgh venue has axed the Comedy Unleashed event featuring Linehan, a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, which was due to take place on Thursday.
Leith Arches posted the “cancellation announcement” on Instagram on Tuesday.
The Herald Scotland - August 2023
A stand-up comedy show featuring Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has been cancelled after complaints were made to the venue.
An Edinburgh venue has axed the Comedy Unleashed event featuring Linehan, a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, which was due to take place on Thursday.
Leith Arches posted the “cancellation announcement” on Instagram on Tuesday.
STV News - August 2023
Leith Arches said it would not allow the Comedy Unleashed show to take place on Thursday evening due to the writer’s outspoken views on gender issues.
Bosses at the event space said they were previously uninformed about who would feature in the showcase – which describes itself as a “home for free-thinking comedy” and promises a return to “edgy” material.
Irish Examiner - August 2023
A stand-up comedy show featuring Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has been cancelled after complaints were made to the venue.
An Edinburgh venue has axed the Comedy Unleashed event featuring Linehan, a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, which was due to take place on Thursday.
LBC - August 2023
A Comedy Unleashed event featuring Linehan, a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, was due to take place on Thursday at the Leith Arches venue at the Edinburgh Fringe.
But the venue posted a “cancellation announcement” on Instagram on Tuesday, saying: “We would like to thank members of the public and our community for bringing to our attention a comedy act billed to perform at our venue this Thursday.
Scottish Daily Express - August 2023
London-based Comedy Unleashed, the show that planned to feature Linehan, has said its been forced to find another venue. Andrew Doyle, a cofounder of Comedy Unleashed condemned the backlash from “activists”, telling the Scottish Daily Express it’s a “threat to free expression”.
The Guardian - May 2023
Graham Linehan and Dapper Laughs walk into a club … It sounds like the setup to a bad joke, yet platforming comics who may cause offence is a winning formula. But can a night run by a GB News host claim to be anti-establishment?
The Daily Star - Sept 2022
Andrew Doyle shares his thoughts on the current phenomenon of ‘progressive’ comedy, and the cancel culture it perpetuates.
(Click on the image to read).
Artefact Magazine - 2022
There appears to be a growing awareness among the general public of a heavy prevalence of left-leaning liberal ideals on our television screens and a shortage of more right-leaning and/or conservative thoughts, especially when it comes to comedy and entertainment.
The Telegraph - 7th March 2020
Times have changed. On the one hand, society is far more relaxed and liberal, but on the other, public figures are careful about saying the wrong thing, writes comedy club co-founder Andy Shaw.
Spectator USA - 10th June 2019
Titania McGrath AKA Andrew Doyle responds to an article in Vice regarding Comedy Unleashed’s ‘problematic clientele’.
L-Incorrect - 1st January 2019
From across the English Channel: Will Franken: Le politiquement correct a institué son obsession pathologique de n’offenser personne.
Chortle - 19th December 2018
Chortle article by Comedy Unleashed co-founder, Andy Shaw: ‘Why we need unsafe comedy’.
Sky News - 12th December 2018
Sky News reports on Konstantin Kisin’s spoof on safe space ‘behavioural agreements’ at Comedy Unleashed.
Spiked - 23rd November 2018
How new comedians are dealing with PC culture.
The Sunday Times - 5th August 2018
Comedy Unleashed is “at the heart of the movement” where comics poke fun at liberal sanctimony and hypocrisy.
Spiked - 6th June 2018
Meet the drag queen who started her comeback at Comedy Unleashed after being banned for defending free speech, 6th June 2018
On Tuesday 12th June, Vanity von Glow started her comeback at Comedy Unleashed. Here Andrew Doyle, co-founder of the club, provides some background.
Will Franken Interview - 13th March 2018
The controversial Will Franken was headlining at Comedy Unleashed. Co-founder Andy Shaw caught up with Will, to find out what we can expect and to discuss why many comedians have become lazy and predictable.
Chortle - 14th February 2018
Chortle reports on the opening night of Comedy Unleashed:
‘The New Free Speech Night’.
The Daily Telegraph - 1st February 2018
“Just when you thought comedy was too PC”, Rupert Hawksley, Daily Telegraph, reports on “Comedy Unleashed, the new show where comedy is rescued from the PC brigade and anything goes”.
Sunday Telegraph - 21st January 2018
Zoe Strimpel, Sunday Telegraph says: “But hark! Through the gloom of political correctness, Comedy Unleashed shows that some blue shoots are emerging”.
The Times - 17th January 2018
The Times reports that Comedy Unleashed “encourages comedians that make jokes about targets that escape the mainstream satirists”.
