This morning Andrew Bolt revealed that the entire point of the ABC inviting him on to Insiders is to troll lefties:
I should thank [Greg] Jericho. He proves a theory the ABC has explained to me: that the sanctimonious critics of the Left who send Insiders outraged missives demanding the purging of conservatives like me from the show are among the first to switch on when we’re on.
Ooh! Ooh! Right. Right, well, I’m not watching next time! I’m not! I’m… oh. Bolt’s leaving Insiders, possibly to have his own show on another network? Really?
Well, I’m disappointed that I can’t actually prove my ability to resist his trolling by boycotting his next appearance on Insiders, but… well, Bolt with his own show? That should be comedy gold.
Twitter certainly thinks so, with the #BoltsNewShow tag going completely insane this afternoon. Here are a few of the suggestions:
- The Inciters
- Packed to the Ranters
- Andrew Bolt’s War On Everything
- Thank God I’m Here
- Top Git Australia
- Meet the pricks
- Border Insecurity
- Snide and Prejudice
- Are You Being Sued?
And many, many more. Your suggestions welcome in the comments, particularly if you’re not on Twitter and are sick of missing out.
ELSEWHERE: Richard Ackland last week on Bolt’s trial:
But, is my right to free speech indelibly tied to Bolt’s right to free speech? Not if he makes grievous errors, it isn’t. Is it acceptable to whip up vilification on a newspaper’s website? What is the responsibility of journalists and publishers in this situation? Where is the ground for honest argument?
The difficulty is we do not have a right to free speech, beyond the vagaries of the common law. If we had a charter of rights, Justice Mordecai Bromberg would be required in this case to balance Bolt’s right of free speech with the rights of the applicants not to be racially picked upon and we’d have a better idea of where the line lies. But of course, Bolt campaigned furiously against a charter of rights.
Quite.
Moved On 
“Masterbolt”…
“Shut Up I’m Talking”
“Pride and Prejudices”
My faves from Twitter:
Are You Smarter Than a Herald Sun Reader?
Agro’s Carbon Connection
Bolt’s leaving would to further line his pockets. There is some history there.
As for his new show perhaps “Inflamers”
I revisited Insiders when they began the repeats on Sunday evenings. But the Bolt and Ackerman ad hominem attacks and general gormlessness made me want to retch. If Ackerman follows suit perhaps I’ll give it another go.
Reckon Splatter would be the ideal replacement for Bolt on Insiders. He could follow in the footsteps of one of the people he’s expressed some admiration for here. I speak of the well informed and moderate right winger Glenn Beck. 🙄
If Bolt goes, I would like to see some attempt to retain or improve the balance on the show. The ABC already has the market for those wanting to hear a bunch of dumb leftists pissing in each others pockets well and truly cornered.
“If Bolt goes, I would like to see some attempt to retain or improve the balance on the show.”
Whatever Bolt’s new show is, it is more than likely to be a right-wing freak-out, further inflaming (thanks autonomy1) the political landscape rather than informing it. It is then only fair that ABC’s counter is a left-wing version, no? You’ll then have your balance – two shows competing for the eyeballs of a (hopefully) better-informed public.
Or does “balance” in your world mean “right-wingers have privileged access to the airwaves to spread their create-our-own-reality-gospel, while left-wingers are only allowed to be on the show as examples of the hated other?”. In other words, the “House Liberals” on Fox News in the US who exist solely as punching bags to give lefties a bad name.
Not that I watch Insiders, mind you. Every time I turn on ABC news shows these days, I want to throw a brick through the screen at the calm acceptance of right-wing memes as the starting point for discussion. ABC24 Breakfast yesterday was beating up the new Greens member for Balmain trying to corner him on Israel, side-tracking discussion of actual Greens issues. Way to play into Murdoch’s hands, you twits!
So you see, SB, ABC already has a kind of “balance”. The “ha-ha-gotcha!” kind. It would be refreshing if they actually did embrace the Left and turfed the right-wing liars and misinformation peddlers out the door.
“I speak of the well informed and moderate right winger Glenn Beck. :roll:”
I think you’ll find that Glen Beck, like SB, is a centrist. 🙂
Funny how inflamed the pious left become when an occasional dissenting opinion is allowed to add a fleck of colour to the otherwise desolate monochrome landscape of the lefty la-la-land that is the ABC .
The thought that their publicly-funded temple has been defiled by blasphemous outsiders pushes them from idiocy to insanity as their tiny minds melt down, leaking the radioactive sewage of their garbled thoughts into the twitterverse.
It is high time the shady game of diverting public resources to this plaything of the toss-pot left is exposed for what it is – theft.
He couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m a media junkie and used to watch Insiders religiously. Bolt and Akerman turned me off it completely. I haven’t watched it for over a year now and doubt I’ll ever go back to it while Cassidy is in the chair.
In Akerman’s defence, he at least lets others speak.
As for balance, I go with what the BBC say.. Trying to achieve balance is stupid, it would require stopwatches, all are entitled to their opinions but not all opinions are equal. (some are just plain wrong) The BBC strives for impartiality, the ABC should too.
From my perspective I see most of the insiders guests to be rather centrist, whether they are right or left doesn’t really matter, they’re all near the centre. Bolt and Akerman on the other hand are nowhere near the centre, Bolt leaving actually provides more balance. His utter nonsense about the deaths at Chernobyl and the 800 attending a climate change action rally are just two examples of his extreme views. Like I say, Akerman isn’t in the same league as Bolt when it comes to out and out rudeness.
Given the audience numbers pulled in by right-wing tv in the States Ten would be mad not to at least give it a try here. It’ll be interesting to see Bolt trying to pioneer Fox-style bias in the Australian market.
I’d call the show “The Dog Whistler”.
I like it mondo, though Pride and Prejudices is my current fave.
“I am Right and right – if you disagree you are Left and wrong”
“It’ll be interesting to see Bolt trying to pioneer Fox-style bias in the Australian market.”
I really can’t see Bolt holding down his own show; to me he always looks like he’s about to burst into tears. Still it will be interesting to see what happens.
Funny how inflamed the pious left become when an occasional dissenting opinion is allowed to add a fleck of colour to the otherwise desolate monochrome landscape of the lefty la-la-land that is the ABC .
What is it with the right and their cry-baby victim complexes?
And are there any complaints about other conservatives appearing on Insiders, or the ABC generally for that matter? I’ve only come across complaints about Bolt himself being allowed on. That might suggest you’re beating up a strawman.
Personally, I’m more than happy to hear from conservatives on the ABC, so long as they’re not racist jerks who constantly shout everyone down and are capable of behaving with a modicum of decorum. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
The Inciters
Oh bugger… should’ve read the first item on Jeremy’s list, shouldn’t I?
Gone with the Spin.
Meet the Fuckers.
The Ocker Horror Picture Show.
I see 10 has given Bolt his own show. I’ll give it 6 months.
As of a.m today, Bolt hadn’t bothered to tell Barrie Cassidy that he would no longer be available to appear on The Insiders.
The ABC gave him 10 years to mouth his extreme right ad hominem drivel but he couldn’t find the time to let them know his narcissism was to now feature on the low brow Channel 10. What a considerate, honourable person he is!
How about “No, I’m Not The Fucking Sandman, For Fuck’s Sake!”
“How about “No, I’m Not The Fucking Sandman, For Fuck’s Sake!””
+++++++ I like it.
“ThunderBolt”
“The Groupthink Stops Here”
SAGGING ratings, a string of damaging remarks and an exodus of advertisers have combined to end Glenn Beck’s controversial tenure on US cable network Fox News.
Wow! Don’t tell us that just as the US is waking-up to the blathering of the red neck right, we’re heading in the opposite direction with our Aussie Beck-like show on 10.
Let’s spare a thought for Splatter as the news of Beck’s demise must have hit him hard. 😉
http://www.theage.com.au/world/fox-news-gives-becks-show-the-boot-20110407-1d659.html