Linehan question Page 2

He rather overplayed a couple of criticisms about an episode of the IT Crowd. A few people expressed dissappointment with it and pointed out a plot similarity to Seinfield. He banned comments, deleted posts and posted a picture of Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons as his retaliation.

The Comic Book Guy thing was crossing the line slightly, since he'd effectively dismissed anyone who wasn't overwhelmingly positive as embittered nerds. And it was a case of him deleting anything that wasn't overwhelmingly positive, he singled out a comment I wrote during all the furore as 'a rare example of constructive negative criticism' when I didn't consider what I wrote to be negative at all. In-fact I enjoyed the episode with few reservations and was trying my upmost to be supportive as I empathised with the guy. It was negative because I didn't fawn like everyone else on the site, I merely enjoyed it without thinking 'ROFL MATT BERRY IS AWESOMES!!!'.

Acting on criticism and being thin skinned can exist in tandem; I'm very senstitive and will be petulant after criticism but it becomes apparant I've took in what they've said later when I'm tackling a similar project. But at the time it feels like the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I think if you listen to the Father Ted commentaries it's clear Linehan in critical of what he does, which is why at the time people who criticised him were astonished he responded in that way, they assumed he was thick skinned. It must take him a bit of time and distance to be able to analyse was worked and what didn't.

Possibly, when he says he takes crit, he means from, you know, people in the industry, not people posting on his website. Being his website, he probably wasn't all that happy to have posts from strangers telling him where he was going wrong!

Oh certainly. I believe he said at the time (before things escalated) that his process generally was to wait for a while after the show aired and he'd relaxed after the stress of completing the project then go to a few trusted friends and ask how it went. Sensible method I'd say.

But unfortunately if you want the posts telling you how brilliant you are you're going to have to accept a certain amount of posts disagreeing. And these weren't trolls either, these were people with incisive, rational thoughts who appreciate comedy. He handled it badly, but obviously from his perspective he didn't need that at that moment. Because,like most people, he dosen't want to see something he worked hard on be ripped apart immediately afterwards.

EDIT: Just to note the only reason I brought up this Linehan incident was because it's the only evidence I've heard of him being thin-skinned. Also I don't actually think Linehan is more thin-skinned that most comedians, he just had one regrettable outburst on his website over something he should have probably ignored.

Well, whatever anyone else says I reckon the man's a god. He's never put a foot wrong and...oh, wait - he's chosen the writers for next season?

The man's a fool!

Just kidding of course, I think he's consistently funny in a way most Brit (or Irish) writers would kill to be, whatever the reason for his response to the online critics (or imagined critics). Boils down immediacy of the Internet being a double-edged sword again. One reason I don't get involved in Twitter.

Reading people's tweets it seems that no one is giving him any ideas. This could mean that no one has any ideas, or no one wants to be the first.

On the subject of Graham Lineham, as a writer of surreal humour it does seem difficult to get an outlet-Newsjack could hardly be described as surreal, nor could Never Write Off the Germans.

Which Tweets are these Tim?

Sorry to come off like a complete luddite, but like I said I don't quite get twitter. Are there ideas or potential ideas for episodes flying around the the twitosphere (as I believe the kids call it)?

Quote: Frantically @ July 1 2010, 7:47 PM BST

Which Tweets are these Tim?

Sorry to come off like a complete luddite, but like I said I don't quite get twitter. Are there ideas or potential ideas for episodes flying around the the twitosphere (as I believe the kids call it)?

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If you search for @glinner on Twitter you see all the people who have contacted him-but if you look on the @glinner page itself, you can see his replies-no ideas for episodes are flying around the twitosphere.

Since he is not the only writer for the IT Crowd (as this thread has mentioned) and he is a well established writer, he can't be that short of ideas...?

Sorry...

No need to apologise. I think I heard the interview and made way too much of it. In fact I just watched latest 'IT Crowd' episode (every scene with Moss was gold, Jen and Roy not quite so much, but always watchable) and during the credits the announcer said 'The IT Crowd Needs your help!'

I honestly thought for a second he was going to follow up with 'Please send us you scripts!'

I've clearly gone over the edge.

Does the criticism that bugged Linehan relate to this series or an earlier one?

Quote: Frantically @ July 1 2010, 7:47 PM BST

Which Tweets are these Tim?

Sorry to come off like a complete luddite, but like I said I don't quite get twitter. Are there ideas or potential ideas for episodes flying around the the twitosphere (as I believe the kids call it)?

View original

HI there, coming to this conversation slightly late. But what I took from Linehan's comments was basically:

Twitter is a public forum, where you can write quick pithy jokes/comments/responses and interact with more established comedy writers. So this is a way for funny people to showcase what they do without having to go through more traditional, difficult routes. It's a way of directly proving yourself - if people think you're funny they'll retweet what you say and you can build a reputation that way.

So I took it as a general comment that it might be possible to find writers over twitter, rather than a specific job offer/request for ideas. Sadly. Would be happy if I've misunderstood however!

Recommend writers get on to twitter - you can follow interesting people even if you don't want to post yourself.

I guess that's reasonable, though like I say I don't particularly like Twitter.

Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but I picture a bunch of lonely wannabes typing away in their bedrooms. All squeezing their brains 24-hours a day, desperately trying to think of a funny line they can pass off as wit in a bid to impress industry bigwigs.

I wouldn't stoop that low.

Quote: Frantically @ July 6 2010, 8:56 AM BST

Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but I picture a bunch of lonely wannabes typing away in their bedrooms. All squeezing their brains 24-hours a day, desperately trying to think of a funny line they can pass off as wit in a bid to impress industry bigwigs.

I wouldn't stoop that low.

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That pretty much sums my experience up. I'm here @antonsays

Quote: chipolata @ July 2 2010, 11:21 PM BST

Does the criticism that bugged Linehan relate to this series or an earlier one?

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Earlier one.

I'm quoting from memory but I'm pretty sure he said "Good luck getting your own sitcoms commissioned" to nobody in particular, as if any criticism was entirely born out of bitterness at not being as successful as him!

Ironic really, because I bet if he had sent the latest edition of the IT Crowd ('Countdown') to C4 under an assumed name with a note saying "Please give this to Mr Linehan as I think it's good enough for his show", they'd have returned it with a short letter saying it was too much of a parody to bother him with.

In the interests of balance I should state that I really liked Father Ted.

Quote: Jinky @ July 7 2010, 2:50 PM BST

Ironic really, because I bet if he had sent the latest edition of the IT Crowd ('Countdown') to C4 under an assumed name with a note saying "Please give this to Mr Linehan as I think it's good enough for his show", they'd have returned it with a short letter saying it was too much of a parody to bother him with.
.

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Ah yes, hello again to you, the old 'if they didn't know who he was they wouldn't make it!!!' argument.

Old arguments are sometimes correct!!

Having said that, you'd have thought that Linehan would have changed his name and had plastic surgery after "Paris" was broadcast.