Mark Steels Out To Lunch
07.08.23
Last night I was recommended the new Triggernometry Podcast to watch by Youtube’s bizarre algorithm, which seems to be trying to convince me to become alt-right. If you don’t know, Triggernometry is hosted by two below average London comics who rejected the comedy scene to become reactionary, transphobic grifters. They frequently (almost exclusively) platform the worst offenders of vile, blatant transphobia & also, they’re unfunny and ugly and probably smell like wet milk, also.
What caught my eye about this episode though, was their guest. It was the comedian Mark Steel, who is known for being a big old cheery lefty lad. I really enjoy his radio show ‘Mark Steel’s In Town’. But seeing him on Triggernometry wasn’t something I’d have expected to be on my 2023 bingo card. Out of morbid curiosity, I watched. He appeared to have a friendly rapport with the hosts, probably old pals, and was espousing the philosophy of ‘we need to talk to each other’. But do we? The art of conversation and debate might be all very well when you’re looking at something as an outsider, and when the effects of those debates don’t put you at risk. But absolutely fuck off with appearing on Triggernometry. If you can’t see their blatant agenda to spread hatred and misinformation towards trans people, and on top of that you don’t even call it out on their sordid show, then how can I trust you? For all of Mark Steel’s calls for the importance of calm reasoning and conversation, I wonder what he could have spent those two hours on Triggernometry doing instead? Maybe listening to someone marginalized? I think even picking up litter on the beach would have had a greater net-good. Ultimately, what it comes down to is - white men of a certain generation absolutely love the sound of their own voice, and hearing it bounce around in an echo chamber is the only way they can cum.
I see a lot of people in the comedy world who are seemingly otherwise perfectly nice, well-meaning folks, but somehow have a huge, cavernous blind-spot when it comes to transphobia. They support us in theory, and do lip-service to the cause, but they still platform and ultimately end up endorsing characters who have been absolutely ghoulish when it comes to transgender people. Recently, I saw that an Edinburgh Fringe panel show/podcast that features comedians I know in real life, also has Jess Phillips as a guest. First off, I didn’t know she was a comedian now, and secondly - this just goes to show that most seemingly nice, well meaning people in comedy are either completely oblivious to the actual issues trans people face, or they don’t actually give a toss. I’m not sure which one is worse, really..
Comedians like Cressida Wetton, who I used to be friendly with on the scene, are now actual figureheads for GB News, spreading vile trash about the trans community regularly. I don’t recall her ever voicing those opinions on or off stage when a trans person was in the room (me). Only now, when it affects her income.
Someone I knew back when I started stand up in Brighton named Sophie Spital is now an editor for the Triggernometry podcast. She recently appeared on the show, in which she dedicated almost all of her appearance to spreading ridiculous misinformation about ‘gender ideology’, dysphoria & autism. It’s really something, actually. Brazen in its thoughtlessness. Interestingly, again, it’s strange that these opinions never seemed to come up in person when I was in the room with her. They also failed to come up when I had an hour long private video call with her during the lockdown, at her request, to discuss some of these issues. Very weird.
A lot of the time, it seems that people’s desire for progression in the industry is what keeps them friendly with the worst of the worst. Comedians platform fascists on their podcasts and lineups and TV shows because they all just want to ‘get along’. They turn a blind eye because they want to be everyone’s friend and take advantage of every potential opportunity that might present itself to them. I gave up on that kind of thing years ago.
I’m happy to call people out online, because I don’t feel like I have anything to gain if I don’t. Mark Steel can appear on Triggernometry and feel really good about himself because he’s under the impression that he just had a ‘meaningful’ connection with two hosts who he might have just convinced that lefties aren’t so bad. But he looks stupid, because the next 10 guests they’re going to have on are going to be mouthpieces for alt-right ideas and trans-exclusion. Steel’s appearance was an act of tokenism to appease Triggernometry’s own warped perception of itself as a ‘free speech’ soapbox. Mark Steel just fulfilled their ‘balance’ quota for the year, and now they can get back to doing what they do best - calling trans women groomers. Cheers for that Mark!
They’re everywhere, these wilfully ignorant lemons. They defend JK Rowling’s right to her opinion, despite clearly not actually knowing what it is. Most of them really have fallen for it, hook-line-and-sinker and it’s devastating to see.
In other news though, I’m really looking forward to Amanda Abbington’s appearance on Strictly this season!
Thanks for reading my stuff. If you’d like to support me, you can subscribe to this Substack. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber for access to exclusive articlesa and a regular, secret diary.
I also have a Patreon.