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Tough Crowd

How I Made and Lost a Career in Comedy

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Tough Crowd

By: Graham Linehan
Narrated by: Graham Linehan
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About this listen

Having cut his teeth in music journalism, Graham Linehan became the finest sitcom writer of his generation. He captured the comedy zeitgeist not just as the co-creator of Father Ted but also with The IT Crowd and Black Books, winning five BAFTAs and a lifetime achievement award.

Then his life took an unexpected turn. When he championed an unfashionable cause, TV commissioners no longer returned his emails, showbiz pals lost his number, and his marriage collapsed.

In an emotionally charged memoir that is by turns hilarious and harrowing, he lets us into the secrets of the writing room and colorfully describes the high-octane atmosphere of a sitcom set. But he also berates an industry where there was no one to stand by his side when he needed help.

Bruised but not beaten, he explains why he chose the hill of women and girls' rights to die on—and why, despite the hardship of cancellation, he's not coming down from it any time soon.

©2023 Graham Linehan (P)2023 Graham Linehan Activists Politics & Activism Comedy Funny Witty Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Emotionally Gripping

Critic Reviews

"A must-read. Funny and utterly compelling." (Jonathan Ross)
All stars
Most relevant
Graham Linehan is a funny funny man. You can't deny. Father Ted and IT Crowd. But the harrassment and bullying he and so many other people who just want to protect women and children is sad Mark on this point in history. It's disgusting. Keep writing Graham, fuck em, we love you xxxx

Emotional and so relevant for these dark times

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Amazing. Great story and well told. And important collection of stories at this time. Highly recommended

Fantastic

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I have loved all of Graham’s shows over the years and was appalled at the cowards who discarded this genius for not accepting the new extremist religious ideology referred to commonly as gender ideology.

That appalling chapter of his life aside, if you’ve ever loved his shows this book is for you.

Thank you, Graham

Fantastic, thank you Graham

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Perhaps gender ideology hasn’t touched your life? Not yet? It will. Want to understand what’s been happening? Read this book. Graham Linehan is a brave truth teller who has paid a heavy price. If justice and sanity prevail then we will see the unravelling of the monstrous gender madness that has taken hold of our society and preyed on our vulnerable youth and erased the hard won rights of women.

A must read

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Loved this book. Not only did it give me an insight into the world of comedy writing but it shone the spotlight on the nastiness and cruelty of transactivists. It also highlighted how hurtful it is to remain silent while others carry the banners for YOUR freedoms and rights.

Step up! Speak out!!

Transactivists are the MOST unkind.

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A well written account of a funny and successful Scotsman brought down by the least of people acting in a rabid mob. Parts made my blood boil and I had to stop for a day or two. But well worth the listen. So great hearing the author’s voice.

Fantastic, funny and sad

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It's in two parts - before and after Graham Lineham started being attacked, cancelled and abandoned by people he thought were his friends.

I'm a big fan of Father Ted and the IT crowd so I was fascinated by the "before" part where Lineham gives a lot of details about how created them and some nice juicy behind the scenes details. I'm sure that Father Ted the Musical would have been a brilliant classic. I still hold hope that one day it might be.
The "after" part is a tragedy. I listened to the audiobook with Linehan narrating and hearing the emotion in his words was heartbreaking. You can kind of tell that his intense stubbornness and uncompromising stance hasn't made things any better for him and he makes it obvious that his mental health has suffered. No judgement though. The world needs people who are willing to call a spade a spade. He's yet another casualty.

I think everyone should read this book. Even those who don't agree with him. Finding out how someone you shun thinks and came to their views can only help stop this crazy crazy world becoming even more polarised.

When good men are NOT silent

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Enthralling account of a writer, his comedy and his apparently dangerous questioning of cultural assumptions. Faced with cancellation and exile - that shameful piece of human cruelty usually witnessed in the teenage playground - Linehan picks through an unrecognisable world.
If comedians and actors and writers must speak with one official voice, then art just becomes propaganda. Linehan is willing to be the outspoken voice who bravely attempts to raise concerns in the face of ignorant judgement, moral posturing and self-righteousness. Thank you Graham Linehan for capturing all this. It is a marvellous book.

Comedic and confronting

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Thank you Graham! Great book, amazing journey. I truly hope you're right that we've turned the corner. If you are right, it will be because of you and the other few brave souls that have fought against this madness.

Thank you Graham!

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Literally two halves. A fascinating insight into (a) comedy writing by a true master, and (b) the experience of being canceled for gender critical views. Anyone remotely interested in either should read/listen to it.

Striking

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