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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 Funny Comedy Witty Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"A must-read. Funny and utterly compelling." (Jonathan Ross)
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What a time to be alive. The first half of the book is an interesting insight into how comedy production and writing works, filled with lots of humour. The second half is a lesson in how authoritarian people can be, how intolerant people are and proof that cancel culture is real.

An incredible story

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Well worth a listen, it serves as a warning as to what happens to people who say anything relating to support previously established facts and knowledge that contradicts the current narrative

Excellent

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This is a very well written book that is in parts funny and infuriating. The first half is interesting and amusing and the second half is perplexing and tragic, but Graham delivers his experiences free of sentimentality. I'm glad he took the time to name check the amazing feminists who have led the fight against gender ideology for years and I'm glad he's getting support from a variety of new friends. If I have one criticism, it is the numerous mentions of Seinfeld who, imo, is massively overrated (and a creep), but other than that, great book!

Compelling, funny and inspiring

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I enjoyed Tough Crowd so much I've listened to it twice already. No matter what the predictable detractors have to say about Graham, this book is a truly brilliant read for fans of his work and those who feel inspired by his bravery in advocating for women's rights and, dare I say it, basic common sense.

It's instantly evident that he wrote this book with the same comedic skill that won him awards and admiration for his screen work. The stories of his younger days and the writing of his iconic shows were brilliant and had me instantly inspired to rewatch Father Ted and The IT Crowd. Lots of wonderful anecdotes and insight into his work.

In the latter part of the book, Graham focuses on more recent times and the frankly shameful treatment he's received as a result of his perfectly reasonable beliefs. He writes eloquently and somehow conveys without bitterness the struggle to stay afloat against the tidal wave of publicly shaming (while his 'friends' spectate). He discusses topics that most others are simply too terrified to touch for fear of cancellation. He's created a 'Glinner' of hope for those of us who question the attempt to indoctrinate the masses into the critically flawed ideology of gender theory and I am so grateful for his work.

Hilarious, heartbreaking and beautifully narrated

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Thank you Graham for such a great book and for your commitment to standing against this abhorrent ideology. As a mum and a GC feminist I salute you.
The first half of this book had me giggling and smiling as he talks about Father Ted and his comedy writing. The second half, showed me just how much he’s been through, I’ve watching this madness and I know how dangerous and deranged the TRA mob is.
We’re winning and I think he’s coming out the other side…… on the right side of history and in epic company. An excellent listen.

Bloody brilliant

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A hell of a book. Funny, poignant and terrifying in equal measures. Graham’s bravery in the face of everything he’s been put through is remarkable and his ability to still tell his story with such humour is so admirable. I sincerely hope the book is a springboard to getting this very funny man back to where he belongs.

The story of the cat and piano is bloody hilarious! Buy the book, you won’t regret it.

Fantastic, funny and eye opening book

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Wow, what a fantastic memoir. Graham knocks it out of the park with his brilliant narration. Buy it and listen asap!

A Tragicomedy in Two Parts

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This man is a modern hero. God willing these times will soon be behind us.

Tragic and awful story but entertainingly told

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Educational. Enlightening. Terribly worrying. I am going to read it again. And then again. Welcome back.

An education.

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Loved Father Ted and the IT Crowd so was keen and not disappointed to listen to those bits. But also found the parts about Graham’s early journalism interesting too. As for the second part of the book, it feels like comedy has lost out on people not being able to joke about some of this stuff. Never trust people who can’t laugh at themselves I reckon.

Heartfelt and Interesting

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