‘No subject is off-limits’: BBC refuses to apologise after Graham Norton called Ukraine ‘southwest Russia’ on BBC One sparking complaints from viewers

32 comments

  1. Have these morons getting offended by everything ever heard the idea that jokes help us deal with things out of our control? Its a well known phenomenon.

    Anyone who’s worked an unpleasant job knows the humour gets dark as you deal with darker stuff.

    In 10 years we wont have comedy or acting as you can only act the thing you are and people believe they should go through life without ever being presented with an offensive idea… the arrogance of that…

  3. Either Graham Norton is an agent of Russia trying to sow misinformation to legitimise Russia’s claim on Ukraine, or it was a joke. I see no glaring reason he couldn’t be a high ranking Russian official so it’s probably the former.

  4. I knew it all along Norton’s a Russian Spy, we’ve been watching him dispose of his enemies for years with that big red chair !

  5. I mean Ukraine has a rich history of being owned by many different countries over the centuries.

    You could technically call North Ukraine where Lviv is, South Poland.

  7. I think there is a concept of ‘too soon’. Imagine making a joke about 9/11 days after the event. It would be seen in very poor taste.
    Similarly, if you’re Ukrainian living in the UK or you have family there, making this joke, whilst they’re wondering what will happen to there loved ones? Doesn’t seem particularly smart.

  8. They should apologise for the Graham Norton show entirely. He used to be funny but now his show is so scripted and planned that even his risque little comments feel awkward and stale.

    Eurovision he is good at and when he ad libs he is good – but his own show is terrible.

  9. How many complaints? They dont mention that. I bet there was like 80 in total. DM loves sensationalizing dumb stuff so that their viewers can get outraged and talk about how we are now a communist country.

    There’s 800 comments on that article, which is probably more than the complaints lol

  10. While it is a joke and perfectly acceptable the problem is that a person who wasn’t famous saying the same joke would be having a different outcome.

    It’s one law for the rich/famous/political-class, and another for everyone else.

  12. Always gotta wonder how many people actually complained about this.

    I suspect it wasn’t that many, but I’m shocked the Mail seems to have omitted the actual details. B)

  15. I’m surprised how many Daily Mail articles reach the front page these days. Time was, these were treated like the outrage click-bait they are and were downvoted accordingly.

  17. No subject off limits.

    Just Gary Lineker and Jeremy Vine’s ludicrous wages, and the fact we’re still forced to pay the licence fee.

  19. So the PM can make up spurious lies about Starmer and a known Sex Offender yet not have to apologise but Graham Norton is expected to grovel over a throw away gag?
    This Country.

  20. No subject is off limits but they black listed little britain and come fly with me so obviously not. Pretty sure a joke remotely racist or anti lgbtq they would absolutely be apologising, why lie and pretend you are sticking up for comedians and free speech. Tell the truth and say you don’t care about the people from Ukraine or people angry on their behalf. how many times did the bbc apologies for Frankie Boyle jokes, yet “No subject is off-limits”

  21. No subject is off limits? Not even factual information about Brexit impact in run up to the referendum?

    What a shite lie

  23. This has got to be the first example in years of the BBC defending free speech and not just self censoring lol

    Good for them nonetheless, pretty hilarious joke on Graham’s part

  25. This daily mail story is pretty vague. Doesn’t mention how many complaints so we could be talking one complaint. The daily mail is a hate rag. Don’t buy it or read it

  26. I saw that skit…I thought about it, it wasn’t funny, but I decided that it’s too insignificant to be insulting and worthy of a complaint.

  28. A joke albeit a poor one.
    Probably not an appropriate to time to tell it though.
    The BBC should apologise for Graham Norton, as he’s one of the most insufferable people on television.
    And I help pay his wages.

  29. Honestly how many times are we gonna hear about some joke offending people. Everything can be offensive to certain people why is it all of a sudden some big news story. Who tf cares nothing will or ever come of it

  30. Seriously that some people went through the process to complain about this….as if putin was watching Graham Norton and took it as a sign to invade…pish….

  31. When one had a grievance in the past one wrote to the editor of the Times.
    Of you had a good point he might publish it. Very often though, he would use his editor’s prerogative and bin it.
    These days every nutjob gets to be published and then retweeted until it turns up on Reddit.

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