Scrutable

bob sterman wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:07 pm I know of some very wholesome, right-on comedians who are really unpleasant off-stage.

Speaking of which did you see that Robin Ince has left the Infinite Monkey Cage?

Split from David Walliams thread as requested

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:41 pm

bob sterman wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:07 pm I know of some very wholesome, right-on comedians who are really unpleasant off-stage.

Speaking of which did you see that Robin Ince has left the Infinite Monkey Cage?

Is he problematic? I've met him quite a few times.

Tessa K wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:57 pm

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:41 pm

bob sterman wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:07 pm I know of some very wholesome, right-on comedians who are really unpleasant off-stage.

Speaking of which did you see that Robin Ince has left the Infinite Monkey Cage?

Is he problematic? I've met him quite a few times.

He is by accounts a bully towards coworkers and a (communal) narcissist. As well as from people who know him the former comes across in his book and the latter in his social media presence.

Tessa K wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:57 pm

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:41 pm

bob sterman wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:07 pm I know of some very wholesome, right-on comedians who are really unpleasant off-stage.

Speaking of which did you see that Robin Ince has left the Infinite Monkey Cage?

Is he problematic? I've met him quite a few times.

He left because the BBC were unhappy with his vocal support of trans rights. Here's his statement on Bluesky and here's a short piece by him in The Big Issue.

I explain to the audience that I felt I had to resign as a freelance BBC presenter as the executives frequently found issue with my beliefs outside the BBC, and I know they got a lot of bother if I ever said anything remotely supportive of the trans community or trans allies. I could not balance remaining and agreeing to the restrictions.

Fishnut wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:27 pm

Tessa K wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:57 pm

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:41 pm

Speaking of which did you see that Robin Ince has left the Infinite Monkey Cage?

Is he problematic? I've met him quite a few times.

He left because the BBC were unhappy with his vocal support of trans rights. Here's his statement on Bluesky and here's a short piece by him in The Big Issue.

I explain to the audience that I felt I had to resign as a freelance BBC presenter as the executives frequently found issue with my beliefs outside the BBC, and I know they got a lot of bother if I ever said anything remotely supportive of the trans community or trans allies. I could not balance remaining and agreeing to the restrictions.

That's what I heard too

Yes, that is why he SAYS he resigned.

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:02 pm He is by accounts a bully towards coworkers and a (communal) narcissist. As well as from people who know him the former comes across in his book and the latter in his social media presence.

That's what YOU say.

There are many people who seem to support and advocate for trans rights at the bbc without needing to resign over it. The difference is they manage to do that without being a..eholes about it to people online (or “pugnacious” in his words).

It’s not his support of trans rights that did for him. It’s his behaviour associated with that that did.

The BBC’s statements on this were clear that they didn’t recognise his version of events and also clarified that he isn’t bound by impartiality rules like news and current affairs contributors are. Their statement noted that all BBC staff and freelancers are required to respect civility in public discourse and not to bring the BBC into disrepute, while also making clear that as a freelancer, he was not subject to the same impartiality requirements as presenters of flagship news programmes.

Gfamily wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 10:04 pm

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:02 pm He is by accounts a bully towards coworkers ...

That's what YOU say.

Ah, it seems that it's what the gender critical wife of Brian Cox says. I wonder if his trans positive views triggered this claim

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 10:54 am

Gfamily wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 10:04 pm

Tristan wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:02 pm He is by accounts a bully towards coworkers ...

That's what YOU say.

Ah, it seems that it's what the gender critical wife of Brian Cox says. I wonder if his trans positive views triggered this claim

Potentially related and not so cryptic tweet here. Gervais had Ince as support for some of his shows years ago - and gave him a role in the The Office...

But Gervais is a c.nt

noggins wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 12:35 pm But Gervais is a c.nt

He really is. And a terrible live performer.

bob sterman wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 11:26 am

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 10:54 am

Gfamily wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 10:04 pm
That's what YOU say.

Ah, it seems that it's what the gender critical wife of Brian Cox says. I wonder if his trans positive views triggered this claim

Potentially related and not so cryptic tweet here. Gervais had Ince as support for some of his shows years ago - and gave him a role in the The Office...


tweet.jpg

She’s not wrong though. As I said, he’s a mix of communal narcissist and a..eh.le/bully. Her tweet isn’t far off how he actually behaves, which will have been part of his undoing.

Tristan wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:50 pm

bob sterman wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 11:26 am

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 10:54 am
Ah, it seems that it's what the gender critical wife of Brian Cox says. I wonder if his trans positive views triggered this claim

Potentially related and not so cryptic tweet here. Gervais had Ince as support for some of his shows years ago - and gave him a role in the The Office...


tweet.jpg

She’s not wrong though. As I said, he’s a mix of communal narcissist and a..eh.le/bully. Her tweet isn’t far off how he actually behaves, which will have been part of his undoing.

I rest my case - make up sh.t and the dumb will think it's true

I follow him on Bluesky and Instagram. It’s a bit of a caricature but isn’t far off.

I'm surprised this is the thread to introduce it though, since it's sexual harassment/assault accusations against Walliams, and as far as I can tell, those aren't the accusations against Ince?

Stephanie wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 10:37 am I'm surprised this is the thread to introduce it though, since it's sexual harassment/assault accusations against Walliams, and as far as I can tell, those aren't the accusations against Ince?

Feel free to split the thread if you want

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:57 pm

Tristan wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:50 pm

bob sterman wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 11:26 am

Potentially related and not so cryptic tweet here. Gervais had Ince as support for some of his shows years ago - and gave him a role in the The Office...


tweet.jpg

She’s not wrong though. As I said, he’s a mix of communal narcissist and a..eh.le/bully. Her tweet isn’t far off how he actually behaves, which will have been part of his undoing.

I rest my case - make up sh.t and the dumb will think it's true

Ok, here’s an example. This post by Ince was in response to an article by O’Malley that disagreed with an article Ince had written about Just Stop Oil.

In O’Malley’s article he goes out of his way to pay tribute to his Ince influenced him as a critical thinker and sceptic. But he disagrees with him on JSO which is enough for Ince to post to his followers that he’s a hack, far right and worthy of a place in the DSM, before deleting it.

There’s just no need for that. But as ever Ince cannot take any disagreement whatsoever without his nasty side coming out.

Oh, and O’Malley’s article is here: https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/just ... t-stop-oil

Screenshot removed at poster's request

Tristan wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 10:58 pm

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:57 pm

Tristan wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:50 pm

She’s not wrong though. As I said, he’s a mix of communal narcissist and a..eh.le/bully. Her tweet isn’t far off how he actually behaves, which will have been part of his undoing.

I rest my case - make up sh.t and the dumb will think it's true

Ok, here’s an example. This post by Ince was in response to an article by O’Malley that disagreed with an article Ince had written about Just Stop Oil.

In O’Malley’s article he goes out of his way to pay tribute to his Ince influenced him as a critical thinker and sceptic. But he disagrees with him on JSO which is enough for Ince to post to his followers that he’s a hack, far right and worthy of a place in the DSM, before deleting it.

There’s just no need for that. But as ever Ince cannot take any disagreement whatsoever without his nasty side coming out.

IMG_6580.jpeg

Oh, and O’Malley’s article is here: https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/just ... t-stop-oil

Oh bl..dy hell. I used to know O'Malley well through Skeptics. Unless he's had a total personality change, this is a nasty attsck

Tessa K wrote: Sat Jan 03, 2026 8:50 am

Tristan wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 10:58 pm

Gfamily wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 1:57 pm
I rest my case - make up sh.t and the dumb will think it's true

Ok, here’s an example. This post by Ince was in response to an article by O’Malley that disagreed with an article Ince had written about Just Stop Oil.

In O’Malley’s article he goes out of his way to pay tribute to his Ince influenced him as a critical thinker and sceptic. But he disagrees with him on JSO which is enough for Ince to post to his followers that he’s a hack, far right and worthy of a place in the DSM, before deleting it.

There’s just no need for that. But as ever Ince cannot take any disagreement whatsoever without his nasty side coming out.

IMG_6580.jpeg

Oh, and O’Malley’s article is here: https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/just ... t-stop-oil

Oh bl..dy hell. I used to know O'Malley well through Skeptics. Unless he's had a total personality change, this is a nasty attsck

His personality hasn’t changed at all. He’s a really lovely guy. And as you can see in his article he plays the ball, not the man. If anything he goes out of his way to say how bad he feel about it given how Ince influenced him as a skeptic.

Tristan wrote: Sat Jan 03, 2026 9:58 am His personality hasn’t changed at all. He’s a really lovely guy. And as you can see in his article he plays the ball, not the man. If anything he goes out of his way to say how bad he feel about it given how Ince influenced him as a skeptic.

What's particularly unpleasant is that Ince is using mental health disorders (the DSM dig) as an insult.

Odd that he should choose this as an insult - because I would imagine he is very well aware of the sensitivities around views on what should and shouldn't be in the DSM (e.g. gender dysphoria).

It's both ironic and hypocritical that Ince has attacked like that when he has partly built his career on the importance of rational debate not ad hominem lashing out.

For the record, Robin deleted the post shortly after posting it.

Gfamily wrote: Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:50 am For the record, Robin deleted the post shortly after posting it.

Yes, as is shown in Gia’s caricature of his behaviour.

Tristan wrote: Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:57 am

Gfamily wrote: Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:50 am For the record, Robin deleted the post shortly after posting it.

Yes, as is shown in Gia’s caricature of his behaviour.

You just forgot to mention it at the time. Funny that!