Politicians lie because honesty does not serve them well; they are either saying what they think their constituency wants to hear, or trying to be all things to all people. US presidential hopeful- and multimillionaire- Mitt Romney recently said he "isn't concerned about the very poor"; I'm not surprised he feels that way, I'm only surprised that he said so.
@moonlily1 Ironically, you're dishonestly quoting Romney out of context to suit your purposes and as such should dispise yourself as much as you do dishonest politicians.
@Johngc390 I'm not quoting him out of context; I didn't supply his full quote; he doesn't care about the plight of the poor "because they have a safety net", which is bullshit, BTW, and I would know; and he also said he wasn't concerned about the rich because they're fine and his main concern is making sure that the middle class doesn't become poor. It's still dumb to ever say that you aren't concerned about the very poor; and I didn't say I despised him or anyone else.
I always click one of these hoping I've not seen it and when I realise that, yes of course I have I still watch it again and about another ten afterwards! God damn you David you're so compelling.
yeah leave our rulers alone! they get too hard a time from scary microphone men. I totally agree with mitchell - our rulers should be left to their own devices, free from pesky public scrutiny
@oldoddjobs Maybe scrutiny should be fair. For example, it's okay to criticize Sarah Palin, but not accuse her of inspiring a person who hates Israel (unlike her) and hates Bush (unlike her) and hates Jews (unlike her) when he shoots a republican judge and a centrist democrat congresswoman. It's okay to criticize Palin, but not mock her when she rightfully accuses the media of blood libel against her.
@Tomer1776 The only appropriate response to people who have the effrontery to presume to steal your money "for your own good" and to declare themselves your legitimate sovereign is ruthless mockery. If you can give a rational answer to Auberon Herbert's question "By what right do men exercise power over one another?" I'd love to hear it. Until then, I couldn't care less what slanders are thrown at our rulers. The more the better.
@oldoddjobs You completely digress from what I wrote, and weren't really reacting to anything I said, until the very last line. So you're saying that because you feel a certain group of people has wronged you (and me) in your view, it's okay to attack them not on the actual thing they did wrong, but on whatever. How would there ever be serious discourse on what politicians do wrong if we make up stuff? You might as well accuse them all of killing Nicole Brown Simpson and never raise true issues
@Tomer1776 I was reacting to what you said. Let's just contradict each other and then reprove one another for not doing it right. I don't care what politcians are accused of, you're right. That's because I don't believe that 'slander' or 'defamation' are crimes, they are merely sounds. That goes for everyone, not just our rulers. P.S You will one day see all politicians for what they are - destructive parasites who represent nobody
@oldoddjobs right, so if I printed 4000 fliers with a picture of you saying that you were a paedophile and a nazi sympathiser and left them all over your home town.. you'd have no problem with that?
@Franticalmagic Now you're getting it! I have no authority to stop you distributing fliers.(first let's presume you're not littering someone's property by doing so). Do you believe every flier you come across? Do you believe everything you read in the rags that actually do circulate? The Sun newspaper, for example? Of course not. How about I print 4000 fliers accusing you of all the same things? What criteria would an outsider have for determining the truth of either flier?
@oldoddjobs People are stupid, my fliers can lead to your house being fire-bombed. Back when the paedophile craze was rampant the Daily Mail got a mix up by listing the names of a couple of paediatric doctors as paedophiles... what happened? Here's a clue referencing the first sentance... "Whhhooooshhh.... ....BOOM!"
@Franticalmagic If "people" are going to do that whether or not it is legal, then what does it matter? Your paedophile/paediatrician story never actually happened, you are repeating a tall tale. You're missing the key point - by what right can I stop you handing out pieces of paper with symbols on them? By what right can I stop you making certain forbidden noises? Have you heard of freedom of speech? I believe in it, and I don't make exceptions when the content doesn't agree with me.
Speaking as an American, Mr. Mitchell, the BBC's attitude that politicians should actually fucking be questioned is quite refreshing. Our 'journalists' pretty much just write down whatever Romney or Boehner says, without bothering to note the immense lies they spout.
@IrritationCharles Good comeback. I usually quite like David Mitchell (which is why I watched this) but I found this boring. But then again, I'm unintelligent so what do I know?
@MultiMelpomene an easy way to find it if you like me see the most popular comments are targeted at a certain person, well if so easy to do go to see call comments and and control F and type the name of the person you will end up finding it quicker than search through what could be thousands of responces
i would of thought it was much more simple that that, why is this lying liar lying to me now seems simple, if he is a liar then it is his characteristic to lie and so therefore explaining why he is now lying
I can't agree with him for the very reason that politicians ALWAYS put a spin on anything they say - they have to. They're sellers really - they sell an idea to other politicians and the public and to do that, they have to deceive, manipulate - and they have a hard time not doing it because they're so used to it. An honest politician would never get at such a high post where it matters what they say.
in the case of a politician, the reason the lying bastard is lying to you now is because he has lied for so long and has lied so frequently that he no longer knows how not to lie.
I do agree that most interviewers, whether it be political, fashion or entertainment, see themselves as the person who should have the limelight and not the interviewee. A recent interviewer I loved was Dawn French Comedy.... she did a fantastic job of actually letting the comedians speak and not loving the sound of her own voice. Most interviews are just egotistical idiots who are as thick as the politicians they are interviewing. Andrew Marr being a prime example of a hypocrite.
It's a good point. I always loved to see Paxman laying into the liars, but it's actually more about enjoying watching a heated argument than getting to the bottom of the matter.
I saw Tony Benn tonight and, strangely, he made the same point.
@SouthPads How is he 'outrageously' left wing? He's disappointed with the bizarre way the lib dems are behaving because he voted for them, but in what mad universe (i.e. anywhere but america) is that 'outrageously left wing'?
@derdriui What? at what point did I say "he's disappointed with the lib dems and so he is left wing"?
no, I am referring to his highly critical political musings, which seem to offer no solution whatsoever. I am a student, what the Tories are doing is affecting me directly. However, I do not take it upon myself to bitch and moan constantly WITHOUT offering any kind of suggestion for a realistic solution. Any fool can say "the Tories are shit" (they are), but I doubt he could do a better job.
@SouthPads ... Have you tried watching 10 o'clock live?
Also, I think you misunderstand the concept of dissent. When a political party is doing something wrong you have a duty to say something about it. It's a duty you can abandon and sit on your arse telling yourself that this might not be good but you couldn't do a better job.
Calling him 'outrageously left wing' for not liking the Tories is hilarious.
@derdriui I'm glad you're so easily amused. His performance on 10 o'clock live is exactly what i'm alluding to. He is an entertainer, nothing more. He is very left wing because of his simplistic ideals on the "stupid bankers" etc. newsflash, The financial sector is 1/5th of our total economy. true bankers are being irresponsible, but let's be reasonable hey?
oh how I yearn for the (pre-Iraq) Blair years, and the considerate if slightly stagnant years of John major. we don't need a Lenin thanks.
You're so naive. Just... read a few more books, you'll find your feet.
(... Heck, look up 'Lenin', 'Communism' and 'left-wing' on Wikipedia and note the brilliant differences!)
'Let's be reasonable'? Who is arguing against being reasonable? (... You yearn for Blair and compare comedians who speak out against the banking sector to Lenin, so arguably YOU are.)
Again, look up the role of dissent. Also, look at what he's actually saying; it's hardly revolutionary.
@derdriui I was exaggerating for the sake of effect. OBVIOUSLY mitchell is not a revolutionary, nor a communist. Please don't patronise me, as it happens I know quite a bit about communism, especially it's rise. I have read many of the russian greats as well, I particularly enjoyed the gulag archipelago.
My original point was that Mitchell is very left wing, or appears to be, simply to please the audience. maybe he isnt leftist, but his liberal ideas come across empty and unreasoned imo.
@SouthPads I honestly don't understand why you think he is left wing, either for comedic effect or otherwise.
The majority of his comedy is pro-establishment 'common sense' type comedy, not very thoughtful but rather funny. He's similar that way to Dara O'Brian.
On 10 o'Clock live, his main gripes have been about the method in which cuts are made (not the cuts themselves), speeding laws and some cracks about oil wars and Gaddafi.
He's not particularly left wing. Look at THIS video!
@derdriui In this video he is central yes, but generally speaking he is very damning of all conservatives, and speaks in absolutes. Obviously this is a matter of opinion and I dont have the time or inclination to persuade you. I'm sure you have your reasons for your views, but for me, his leftist pandering and "Che" wannabe sentiments leave me slightly cringing. He should stick to what he knows best: home grown comedy, and not sully his reputation with being a political pundit. badly.
@SouthPads Yes he's damning of tories, but also of labour and very much on the lib dems. He managed to get a lib dem spokesperson to admit that they're powerless but trying to do what little they can. Yes, he's not perfect, and he's not even a Jon Stewart type, but so what? He's starting out, he's being brave and trying to tackle topics with a common sense approach.
Being leftist is great but David Mitchell is hardly a proper leftist. He's a just a slightly liberal comedian.
David Mitchell is the kind of gentlemen who you would want on your pub quiz team. Not so much for the right answers (although to be fair he would know a few) but to be the only man rbave enough to correct the quizmaster at the venue. Is he as good as George Carlin or BIll HIcks? No. However he is still a very good and articulate man with a very sharp sense of wit and coomon sense (both of which are lacked by today's overly placated and stupefied society).
@CuckooNow I do listen, and agree with everything he says lol. But I just thought that since the whole video was about him talking, that the talking was already a reason why I liked these vids... Otherwise I wouldn't be watching them. Besides - I've commented on a few other of these soapbox episodes and always just commented about him talking, so I thought why not say something else I like about them? Sorry if I came across differently :P
Heh. I wonder if he is reassessing this after his interview with Alastair Campbell, when Mitchell's naiivete was used by Campbell to spread lies about the Iraq war. 10 o'clock live is a good show, but this perspective of Mitchell's is too naive. Campbell lied to him, blatantly, and the lying bastards who lied and took the country to war were able to use his interview to spread their spin.
It's far better to be deconstructing politicians in interviews, rather than letting them talk freely.
@derdriui and you don't trust people to decide for themselves whether the politician is lying or not, you'd rather the interviewer decided that for you?
@wintj1000 Allowing politicians to talk freely is a mistake because they simply spread their side of the story. You need to ask targeted questions about specific issues. Jon Stewart on The Daily Show for example tried to have Mitchell's attitude and the interviews were useless. His recent interview with Rumsfeld on the otherhand, Stewart did most of the talking and it actually got somewhere.
I love the watching these because you see a random cartoon surrounding, the camera angle moves and David is just sitting there in the same position every time and starts ranting about literally anything... It's also funny cuz in most of them, about half way thru something happens in the background (like in this one a bird shits on the statue's shoulder lol) they're just so random :P
@80snessEj You may be alarmed to discover that Mitchell is actually saying things. Interesting things, that you should be listening to; rather than being placated by the animated background.
I like David Mitchell and agree with most of this except his conclusion. Personally, I think that a lack of meaningful discourse between media and politics is a perfectly acceptable situation in the eyes of those making the laws because it means that not only are they rarely brought to account for their actions, but now no one even expects them to be. The journalists may not be handling the situation well, but the situation only arose due to politicians refusing to answer in the first place.
Why is there not a single politician able to articulate that? I have to assume there are some who know it, they can't all be permanently bewildered bumbling idiots, but why has there never been a politician look Paxman right in the face and say 'this is self defeating, you egotistical, pompous clown.'
@gabiotta Oh I don't know, a lot of what Fry says seems to be stolen from more capable sources. Eg Look up his talk on philosophy where he talks about Richard Attenborough docos and the beauty nature, then see David Attenborough tell the same story first hand a year earlier...so I'd say that Mitchell generally has more credibility and less wankery.
@wrmty56413 no matter how much i'd like that idea, Stephen Fry can't die. and if David Mitchell takes over something like QI, it would never get past the first topic of the show
@wrmty56413 Oh no. Mitchell is great - intelligent, funny and all that - but he is very different to Fry. Much more bitter, he focuses his intelligence on showing the down side of things. Stephen can generate enthusiasm for anything! Stephen Fry is irreplaceable.
@wrmty56413 Don't be silly, Stephen Fry is at once human and divine, and in the event of his death he will rise again, ascend to a higher spiritual plane and conduct our lives from above.
@thelleht Your right mate I agree with most of what you say there. I dont trust the main stream media either.It uses the same principles to try and control "us" and make money as religion does, fear! Less concerned with the facts of the events or presenting balanced overview, it focuses on sensationalizing and using shock tactics often to further the agenda of their corporate owners!
Charlie Brooker made an excellent and insightful series called News Wipe which I think you'll enjoy.
First time Ive disagreed with this guy. Most of that was bollocks! Politicians have proved them selfs to be self serving liars in the past an continue to do so! We have every right presume what they say is untrue until it has been proven not to be. Im glad our political media are hostile towards them!
@etocadet We have, as you say lost trust in our "leaders" over the last few decades, but from the early 60s we lost admiration for them so they since then, and even more so now rely on fear to keep us under control! This is very well illustrated in a film that you'll find on here called The Politics of Fear. The film is by far and away the most insightful and interesting political documentary Ive ever seen. Enjoy =o) And if you watch it, feel free to let me know your thoughts about it.
@thecrazychef1 I agree. Although I do wish it was more than just our political media that were hostile towards them. A little hostility from us wouldn't hurt either. Well.. maybe it would hurt a little lol. But fuck it. The government is in place to serve the public, not the other way around. People need to be reminded of that.
It's a bit different here in America. Our politicians have been lying so much that these days they don't even bother to lie well. And everybody lets it go because we've all gotten very tired. Then there's a new "party" of people who actually think that you're actually *supposed* to make up complete bullshit, and that it's cruel and unfair for interviewers to try to get actual facts or logic out of them.
@ELuhn SoOoooOOooo TRUE. If you ask them were they went to school,, that’s a “Got-Cha” question. What News they read,, another “Got-Cha” question. How they feel about Santa,, YEP,, another “Cot-Cha” question, Flowers and Gardening, a “Got-Cha” too. Fuels economy, helping the poor, retirement age, helping the environment, reforming Wall Street, educating immigrants, passports, did they love their mum,,, YEP! All Got-Cha questions. Knute
@ELuhn Well, to be “liberal minded” seems to have been taken to the extreme,, now-a-days, in America. It used to mean, that you did not favor burning folks at the stake. Now, you are lumped together with Galileo, Michael Faraday, Newton, Orwell, Darwin and a few other thinkers and dreamers. WAIT,, that can’t be all that bad. OR,, we could always go back to the world being FLAT? Knute
Well,a war or two and the taking of a few rights based on lies kind of keeps you sceptical. Meaningful discourse between media and politics,ha what a laugh;i thought the ushering in of the war was quite a display of camaraderie between the two.
in fairness to the paxman/howard interview, people don't enjoy that clip because they believe it is a brilliantly conducted interview, but because of the way howard avoids the questions so blatantly
Is it just me, or does David look more handsome in this particular soapbox vid than he usually does? Maybe the lighting? A different (better) make-up artist?
@dreamer24h7 no he's still as ugly as he's ever been just once you fall in love with someone for their personality there outward appearance has no relevance
@RequiemReaper because he, just like any other man in the world who has sensible ideas about many different things which are currently being done wrong or inefficiently and doesnt simply grasp at the most popular ideas i.e. make everything green, is also smart enough to not want anything to do with politics, invariably what is both beneficial and not the most popular band wagon, doesnt get done much, cause it doesnt raise voter support to start campaiging for it
Not being English I have observed that Paxman is almost single-handedly responsible for the dumbing down of political debate in your country. The "do you pray together" and "did you threaten to overrule him" rubbish. He would be sacked for that nonsense by any self respecting news organisation. In your country he's praised. It's like bizzarro world over there.
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wrmty comment
When Stephen Fry dies, David Mitchell will take his baton...
wrmty56413 1 year ago 269
Firespyrt 2 weeks ago
I don't think this show would suffer if they got rid of the greenscreening and crap animations
TimArmst 2 weeks ago 5
@TimArmst Quite.
TheDefiantBadger 2 weeks ago
Politicians lie because honesty does not serve them well; they are either saying what they think their constituency wants to hear, or trying to be all things to all people. US presidential hopeful- and multimillionaire- Mitt Romney recently said he "isn't concerned about the very poor"; I'm not surprised he feels that way, I'm only surprised that he said so.
moonlily1 3 weeks ago
@moonlily1 why did he say that somthing so stupid?
also I think assuming politicians are only ever acting in their own self interest is very dangerous and pessimistic
255ad 2 weeks ago
@moonlily1 And other former presidential candidate, Herman Cain, quoted the fucking pokemon movie by mistake.
Why bring up American politics in any serious context?
AEgamesFtw 2 weeks ago
@moonlily1 Ironically, you're dishonestly quoting Romney out of context to suit your purposes and as such should dispise yourself as much as you do dishonest politicians.
Johngc390 2 weeks ago
@Johngc390 I'm not quoting him out of context; I didn't supply his full quote; he doesn't care about the plight of the poor "because they have a safety net", which is bullshit, BTW, and I would know; and he also said he wasn't concerned about the rich because they're fine and his main concern is making sure that the middle class doesn't become poor. It's still dumb to ever say that you aren't concerned about the very poor; and I didn't say I despised him or anyone else.
moonlily1 2 weeks ago
I always click one of these hoping I've not seen it and when I realise that, yes of course I have I still watch it again and about another ten afterwards! God damn you David you're so compelling.
helpimafishcake 3 weeks ago
spot on David
nasty1182 1 month ago
yeah leave our rulers alone! they get too hard a time from scary microphone men. I totally agree with mitchell - our rulers should be left to their own devices, free from pesky public scrutiny
oldoddjobs 1 month ago
@oldoddjobs Maybe scrutiny should be fair. For example, it's okay to criticize Sarah Palin, but not accuse her of inspiring a person who hates Israel (unlike her) and hates Bush (unlike her) and hates Jews (unlike her) when he shoots a republican judge and a centrist democrat congresswoman. It's okay to criticize Palin, but not mock her when she rightfully accuses the media of blood libel against her.
Tomer1776 1 month ago
@Tomer1776 The only appropriate response to people who have the effrontery to presume to steal your money "for your own good" and to declare themselves your legitimate sovereign is ruthless mockery. If you can give a rational answer to Auberon Herbert's question "By what right do men exercise power over one another?" I'd love to hear it. Until then, I couldn't care less what slanders are thrown at our rulers. The more the better.
oldoddjobs 1 month ago
@oldoddjobs You completely digress from what I wrote, and weren't really reacting to anything I said, until the very last line. So you're saying that because you feel a certain group of people has wronged you (and me) in your view, it's okay to attack them not on the actual thing they did wrong, but on whatever. How would there ever be serious discourse on what politicians do wrong if we make up stuff? You might as well accuse them all of killing Nicole Brown Simpson and never raise true issues
Tomer1776 1 month ago
@Tomer1776 I was reacting to what you said. Let's just contradict each other and then reprove one another for not doing it right. I don't care what politcians are accused of, you're right. That's because I don't believe that 'slander' or 'defamation' are crimes, they are merely sounds. That goes for everyone, not just our rulers. P.S You will one day see all politicians for what they are - destructive parasites who represent nobody
oldoddjobs 1 month ago
@oldoddjobs right, so if I printed 4000 fliers with a picture of you saying that you were a paedophile and a nazi sympathiser and left them all over your home town.. you'd have no problem with that?
Franticalmagic 1 month ago
@Franticalmagic Now you're getting it! I have no authority to stop you distributing fliers.(first let's presume you're not littering someone's property by doing so). Do you believe every flier you come across? Do you believe everything you read in the rags that actually do circulate? The Sun newspaper, for example? Of course not. How about I print 4000 fliers accusing you of all the same things? What criteria would an outsider have for determining the truth of either flier?
oldoddjobs 1 month ago
@oldoddjobs People are stupid, my fliers can lead to your house being fire-bombed. Back when the paedophile craze was rampant the Daily Mail got a mix up by listing the names of a couple of paediatric doctors as paedophiles... what happened? Here's a clue referencing the first sentance... "Whhhooooshhh.... ....BOOM!"
Franticalmagic 1 month ago
@Franticalmagic If "people" are going to do that whether or not it is legal, then what does it matter? Your paedophile/paediatrician story never actually happened, you are repeating a tall tale. You're missing the key point - by what right can I stop you handing out pieces of paper with symbols on them? By what right can I stop you making certain forbidden noises? Have you heard of freedom of speech? I believe in it, and I don't make exceptions when the content doesn't agree with me.
oldoddjobs 1 month ago
@oldoddjobs His recounting of the paediatrician story was mixed up and inaccurate, but it was based on a true event. Look up Yvette Cloete.
plevyman 3 weeks ago
@plevyman Thank you, I know the full story. Read what I said before you presume to correct me in future. I described his version as a "tall tale".
oldoddjobs 3 weeks ago
Speaking as an American, Mr. Mitchell, the BBC's attitude that politicians should actually fucking be questioned is quite refreshing. Our 'journalists' pretty much just write down whatever Romney or Boehner says, without bothering to note the immense lies they spout.
timmyhkvt 1 month ago
paxo is no gladiator. there is a video of him sticking his finger is his ear then licking the fruits of his efforts
Uforix12 1 month ago in playlist Series 2
didnt really like this one =/ most of em are golden though
numbcore 1 month ago
I thought I was the only person who always expected the worst to avoid disappointment.
360NyTeMaRe 2 months ago in playlist More videos from davidmitchellsoapbox
god, what a bore
seanyboyrebel 2 months ago
@seanyboyrebel No, you're obviously just unintelligent.
IrritationCharles 1 month ago
@IrritationCharles Good comeback. I usually quite like David Mitchell (which is why I watched this) but I found this boring. But then again, I'm unintelligent so what do I know?
seanyboyrebel 1 month ago
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wrmty56413 said When Stephen Fry dies, David Mitchell will take his baton...
sfurner 2 months ago
Ugh, now I have to go and look for wrmty56413's comment.
MultiMelpomene 3 months ago 6
@MultiMelpomene an easy way to find it if you like me see the most popular comments are targeted at a certain person, well if so easy to do go to see call comments and and control F and type the name of the person you will end up finding it quicker than search through what could be thousands of responces
DannyJP11 2 months ago
I question the barbie comertial
coatduck 3 months ago in playlist More videos from davidmitchellsoapbox
Bollocks
nilbud 3 months ago
i would of thought it was much more simple that that, why is this lying liar lying to me now seems simple, if he is a liar then it is his characteristic to lie and so therefore explaining why he is now lying
lubu160 3 months ago
im sorry i had to rewatch because i got distracked by a helicopter flying in the background.
becozman 3 months ago
There needs to be an official change in dictionaries to make the word "Politician" a synonym of "Liar" lol
ComradeFolski 4 months ago
I can't agree with him for the very reason that politicians ALWAYS put a spin on anything they say - they have to. They're sellers really - they sell an idea to other politicians and the public and to do that, they have to deceive, manipulate - and they have a hard time not doing it because they're so used to it. An honest politician would never get at such a high post where it matters what they say.
redavatar 4 months ago
For the very first time, I DISAGREE with a single word that came from THE Mitchell´s mouth, OH THE SHAME:
yatter1 4 months ago
in the case of a politician, the reason the lying bastard is lying to you now is because he has lied for so long and has lied so frequently that he no longer knows how not to lie.
thebigdawg61 4 months ago
thumbs up if you had to look up 'prevaricating' and 'obfuscating'.
DrAmorphos 5 months ago
@DrAmorphos Sorry, I knew what those words meant, I feel really low for saying that but it´s true, should I burn myself and my offspring?
yatter1 4 months ago
@yatter1 That won't be necessary....I've had too many ritual sacrifices performed for me already today!
DrAmorphos 4 months ago
Oh YouTube..You dirty little ad bitch.
matt301273 5 months ago
oh wait might have seen this one before :P
schnorschrajaxx 5 months ago
he did this on Qi or Would I Lie To You didn't he ?
schnorschrajaxx 5 months ago
everythime i watch david mitchell my vocabulary grows a little bit more.
BaileyBankai 5 months ago
David Mitchell is better than Stephen Fry!
*stands back and watches the ensuing carnage*
looseSpark 6 months ago
starfish!!!!!!!!!!!!
sugkukenminhore 6 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
wow the dislike bar is the size of ur penis
x7Degreesx 6 months ago
@x7Degreesx
Wow.
You're a prick!
thewoopdeedoo 6 months ago
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U suck boo suck it piece of fucking shit u r a fucking shisno
x7Degreesx 7 months ago
Fantastic. David Mitchell achieves such linguistic fluency without being verbose.
Swiftbollocks 7 months ago 4
Mike Hosking needs to see this video.
bored1980 7 months ago
I really don't think I'd mind running into David at a party.
hazaraku 8 months ago 8
I do agree that most interviewers, whether it be political, fashion or entertainment, see themselves as the person who should have the limelight and not the interviewee. A recent interviewer I loved was Dawn French Comedy.... she did a fantastic job of actually letting the comedians speak and not loving the sound of her own voice. Most interviews are just egotistical idiots who are as thick as the politicians they are interviewing. Andrew Marr being a prime example of a hypocrite.
iago18958 8 months ago
I watched that Michael Howard interview. I think the thing to take away was that he threatened to overrule him.
weejockpoopongmcplop 9 months ago 5
this is the most true thing ive ever heard
heinzie5 9 months ago
@heinzie5 In the spirit of David Mitchell; you mean 'this is the truest thing I've ever heard'.
Threepwoodist 9 months ago
@Threepwoodist lol ill let you have that one considering whose videos we are watching xD
heinzie5 9 months ago
@heinzie5 haha.
Threepwoodist 9 months ago
This man is clearly Yahtzee's long lost brother...
B1o2e3rg4e5r6 9 months ago
Wow, he doesn't blink often.
kingy402 9 months ago
Of all the soapbox rants, this is my absolute favourite. I've listened to it a few times now, and my head is sore from all the nodding.
joiskyhigh 9 months ago
What a fucking genius. Download "Peep show" if you can. Funniest sitcom ever and Dave's the star.
MarkXbl 9 months ago
I like this man. He practices what he preaches. In fact, he's awesome at interviewing (10 oclock live).
carpeinfinitum 10 months ago 2
What? He defends politicians? Eeew...
nass1 10 months ago
David, you are truly a man after this American's girl's own heart. I agreed with pretty much everything you said.
PrezLeefun 10 months ago
It's a good point. I always loved to see Paxman laying into the liars, but it's actually more about enjoying watching a heated argument than getting to the bottom of the matter.
I saw Tony Benn tonight and, strangely, he made the same point.
Twice in one day. Well coincimental!
rtollisen 10 months ago
@wrmty56413 Stephen Fry will never die. He is a deity.
Maanling 10 months ago 5
"It's very unlikely that their interviewee will be caught out in a demonstrable lie, because then they'd be required to resign."
Unless it's Nick Clegg, or one of many other politicians.
adamfawcett 10 months ago
watch the gargoles nose!
nimajneb2005 10 months ago
lol @ the "all-seeing-eye" above the churchs' pyramid top!
turbodude555 10 months ago
2:23 so true.
edga69 10 months ago
I'd like him alot more if he wasn't so outrageously left wing. I'm centre left btw
SouthPads 11 months ago
@SouthPads How is he 'outrageously' left wing? He's disappointed with the bizarre way the lib dems are behaving because he voted for them, but in what mad universe (i.e. anywhere but america) is that 'outrageously left wing'?
derdriui 11 months ago
@derdriui What? at what point did I say "he's disappointed with the lib dems and so he is left wing"?
no, I am referring to his highly critical political musings, which seem to offer no solution whatsoever. I am a student, what the Tories are doing is affecting me directly. However, I do not take it upon myself to bitch and moan constantly WITHOUT offering any kind of suggestion for a realistic solution. Any fool can say "the Tories are shit" (they are), but I doubt he could do a better job.
SouthPads 11 months ago
@SouthPads ... Have you tried watching 10 o'clock live?
Also, I think you misunderstand the concept of dissent. When a political party is doing something wrong you have a duty to say something about it. It's a duty you can abandon and sit on your arse telling yourself that this might not be good but you couldn't do a better job.
Calling him 'outrageously left wing' for not liking the Tories is hilarious.
derdriui 11 months ago
@derdriui I'm glad you're so easily amused. His performance on 10 o'clock live is exactly what i'm alluding to. He is an entertainer, nothing more. He is very left wing because of his simplistic ideals on the "stupid bankers" etc. newsflash, The financial sector is 1/5th of our total economy. true bankers are being irresponsible, but let's be reasonable hey?
oh how I yearn for the (pre-Iraq) Blair years, and the considerate if slightly stagnant years of John major. we don't need a Lenin thanks.
SouthPads 10 months ago
@SouthPads Lenin?
You're so naive. Just... read a few more books, you'll find your feet.
(... Heck, look up 'Lenin', 'Communism' and 'left-wing' on Wikipedia and note the brilliant differences!)
'Let's be reasonable'? Who is arguing against being reasonable? (... You yearn for Blair and compare comedians who speak out against the banking sector to Lenin, so arguably YOU are.)
Again, look up the role of dissent. Also, look at what he's actually saying; it's hardly revolutionary.
derdriui 10 months ago
@derdriui I was exaggerating for the sake of effect. OBVIOUSLY mitchell is not a revolutionary, nor a communist. Please don't patronise me, as it happens I know quite a bit about communism, especially it's rise. I have read many of the russian greats as well, I particularly enjoyed the gulag archipelago.
My original point was that Mitchell is very left wing, or appears to be, simply to please the audience. maybe he isnt leftist, but his liberal ideas come across empty and unreasoned imo.
SouthPads 10 months ago
@SouthPads I honestly don't understand why you think he is left wing, either for comedic effect or otherwise.
The majority of his comedy is pro-establishment 'common sense' type comedy, not very thoughtful but rather funny. He's similar that way to Dara O'Brian.
On 10 o'Clock live, his main gripes have been about the method in which cuts are made (not the cuts themselves), speeding laws and some cracks about oil wars and Gaddafi.
He's not particularly left wing. Look at THIS video!
derdriui 10 months ago 4
@derdriui In this video he is central yes, but generally speaking he is very damning of all conservatives, and speaks in absolutes. Obviously this is a matter of opinion and I dont have the time or inclination to persuade you. I'm sure you have your reasons for your views, but for me, his leftist pandering and "Che" wannabe sentiments leave me slightly cringing. He should stick to what he knows best: home grown comedy, and not sully his reputation with being a political pundit. badly.
SouthPads 10 months ago
@SouthPads Yes he's damning of tories, but also of labour and very much on the lib dems. He managed to get a lib dem spokesperson to admit that they're powerless but trying to do what little they can. Yes, he's not perfect, and he's not even a Jon Stewart type, but so what? He's starting out, he's being brave and trying to tackle topics with a common sense approach.
Being leftist is great but David Mitchell is hardly a proper leftist. He's a just a slightly liberal comedian.
derdriui 10 months ago
David Mitchell is the kind of gentlemen who you would want on your pub quiz team. Not so much for the right answers (although to be fair he would know a few) but to be the only man rbave enough to correct the quizmaster at the venue. Is he as good as George Carlin or BIll HIcks? No. However he is still a very good and articulate man with a very sharp sense of wit and coomon sense (both of which are lacked by today's overly placated and stupefied society).
jakamneziak 11 months ago
Learned a new word, "Anodyne," thanks Dave.
ivanhale 11 months ago
Conan O'Brien: Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record, it's my least favourite quality, it doesn't lead anywhere.
David Mitchell: I'm all for cynicism, and a big admirer of expecting the worst and never being disappointed.
This is why Conan O'Brien is a pussy, and David Mitchell is the man.
KryzMasta 11 months ago 5
how can you tell if a politician is lying? his lips are moving xD
ec123456789able 11 months ago
@ec123456789able And that why a ventriliquist is the best option for our prime minister.
DietDrMario 11 months ago
@CuckooNow I do listen, and agree with everything he says lol. But I just thought that since the whole video was about him talking, that the talking was already a reason why I liked these vids... Otherwise I wouldn't be watching them. Besides - I've commented on a few other of these soapbox episodes and always just commented about him talking, so I thought why not say something else I like about them? Sorry if I came across differently :P
80snessEj 11 months ago
Heh. I wonder if he is reassessing this after his interview with Alastair Campbell, when Mitchell's naiivete was used by Campbell to spread lies about the Iraq war. 10 o'clock live is a good show, but this perspective of Mitchell's is too naive. Campbell lied to him, blatantly, and the lying bastards who lied and took the country to war were able to use his interview to spread their spin.
It's far better to be deconstructing politicians in interviews, rather than letting them talk freely.
derdriui 11 months ago
@derdriui and you don't trust people to decide for themselves whether the politician is lying or not, you'd rather the interviewer decided that for you?
wintj1000 11 months ago
@wintj1000 Allowing politicians to talk freely is a mistake because they simply spread their side of the story. You need to ask targeted questions about specific issues. Jon Stewart on The Daily Show for example tried to have Mitchell's attitude and the interviews were useless. His recent interview with Rumsfeld on the otherhand, Stewart did most of the talking and it actually got somewhere.
derdriui 11 months ago
I love the watching these because you see a random cartoon surrounding, the camera angle moves and David is just sitting there in the same position every time and starts ranting about literally anything... It's also funny cuz in most of them, about half way thru something happens in the background (like in this one a bird shits on the statue's shoulder lol) they're just so random :P
80snessEj 11 months ago
@80snessEj You may be alarmed to discover that Mitchell is actually saying things. Interesting things, that you should be listening to; rather than being placated by the animated background.
CuckooNow 11 months ago
I like David Mitchell and agree with most of this except his conclusion. Personally, I think that a lack of meaningful discourse between media and politics is a perfectly acceptable situation in the eyes of those making the laws because it means that not only are they rarely brought to account for their actions, but now no one even expects them to be. The journalists may not be handling the situation well, but the situation only arose due to politicians refusing to answer in the first place.
silenceneverheard 1 year ago 3
Why is there not a single politician able to articulate that? I have to assume there are some who know it, they can't all be permanently bewildered bumbling idiots, but why has there never been a politician look Paxman right in the face and say 'this is self defeating, you egotistical, pompous clown.'
QueenDeaconite 1 year ago
I'm not gay but I'm willing to accept that I have a mancrush on David Mictchell
moonrockguy 1 year ago 128
@moonrockguy Johnson?
bobdy9988 8 months ago
@moonrockguy I think you are
HarryJones95 8 months ago
EXACTLY
HalSamuel 1 year ago
A very UK-specific rant.
derdriui 1 year ago
:3
"Meedee-err and politics"
X3
MrV902 1 year ago
When Stephen Fry dies, David Mitchell will take his baton...
wrmty56413 1 year ago 268
@wrmty56413 Oh, no. Stephen Fry will live forever.
SheliakDragon 1 year ago 4
@SheliakDragon Let's hope so!
wrmty56413 1 year ago
@wrmty56413
Apples and oranges. Mitchell is great, but hardly a cultured, stylish polymath who can move in and be loved by almost any strata of society.
gabiotta 10 months ago
@gabiotta Oh I don't know, a lot of what Fry says seems to be stolen from more capable sources. Eg Look up his talk on philosophy where he talks about Richard Attenborough docos and the beauty nature, then see David Attenborough tell the same story first hand a year earlier...so I'd say that Mitchell generally has more credibility and less wankery.
JordanMargetts 9 months ago
@wrmty56413 no matter how much i'd like that idea, Stephen Fry can't die. and if David Mitchell takes over something like QI, it would never get past the first topic of the show
SgailSabre 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@wrmty56413 and ram it up his arse,
Threepwoodist 9 months ago
@wrmty56413 Mitchell already holds his own baton high. I'd watch Mitchell before Fry.
ShtikMahn 9 months ago
@wrmty56413 Stephen Fry will never die!
Mahnahmahnahful 9 months ago 56
@wrmty56413 Stephen Fry is immortal...
imoldjosh 8 months ago 9
@imoldjosh He will simply fade out of existance in the middle of QI then David Michell will fade in to where he was sitting and his clothes.
PROkiller16 8 months ago 10
@imoldjosh Maybe, or maybe not, but Stephen Fry's Mustache will live forever. (A QI episode also featuring David Mitchell, series I episode 2)
slightlyinsaneFTW 2 months ago
@wrmty56413 Oh no. Mitchell is great - intelligent, funny and all that - but he is very different to Fry. Much more bitter, he focuses his intelligence on showing the down side of things. Stephen can generate enthusiasm for anything! Stephen Fry is irreplaceable.
Gubbywubby 8 months ago 9
@wrmty56413 kind of see what you mean but Stephen Fry is 53 and David Mitchell is nearly 40. Hardly different generations.
shakehorn 7 months ago 7
@wrmty56413 ....IF...not when...IF...
ZombiefiedGoat 6 months ago 6
@wrmty56413
Stephen Fry cannot die...
...can he....?
SirSebastianWang 6 months ago 11
@wrmty56413 Don't be silly, Stephen Fry is at once human and divine, and in the event of his death he will rise again, ascend to a higher spiritual plane and conduct our lives from above.
derangedyoshi 6 months ago 107
@derangedyoshi The Apotheose of Stephen Fry!... I look forward to the ceremony :P
Aepullo68 3 months ago
@derangedyoshi Well that would be nice. Shame he doesn't believe anything outside of science though
reidvfx 2 months ago
@wrmty56413 Ha! Fry will never die, he will just stubbornly live on ^^
but yeah, mitchell would be a great heir
kindAhumaNbeinG 5 months ago
@wrmty56413 LEAVE POOR STEPHEN ALOOONNNEE!!! HE IS IMORTAL!!
bubblespopable 4 months ago
oh,what a lovely Pinocchio-Gargoyle...xD
freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez 1 year ago
Bird poop on the grotesque was a nice touch. :]
DarkestHeart266 1 year ago
I think he might be turning into Arthur Dent.
ImMichaelTaylor 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
A bastard is a female dog.
Introspective91 1 year ago
@Introspective91 that would be a bitch, mate
JStok3r 1 year ago 5
@Introspective91
A bitch is a female dog. A bastard is a child born to unmarried parents
shikamaruisfit 1 year ago 4
@thelleht Your right mate I agree with most of what you say there. I dont trust the main stream media either.It uses the same principles to try and control "us" and make money as religion does, fear! Less concerned with the facts of the events or presenting balanced overview, it focuses on sensationalizing and using shock tactics often to further the agenda of their corporate owners!
Charlie Brooker made an excellent and insightful series called News Wipe which I think you'll enjoy.
thecrazychef1 1 year ago
First time Ive disagreed with this guy. Most of that was bollocks! Politicians have proved them selfs to be self serving liars in the past an continue to do so! We have every right presume what they say is untrue until it has been proven not to be. Im glad our political media are hostile towards them!
thecrazychef1 1 year ago
@thecrazychef1 we had trust in them, they exploited it and now they have to earn it back
etocadet 1 year ago
@etocadet We have, as you say lost trust in our "leaders" over the last few decades, but from the early 60s we lost admiration for them so they since then, and even more so now rely on fear to keep us under control! This is very well illustrated in a film that you'll find on here called The Politics of Fear. The film is by far and away the most insightful and interesting political documentary Ive ever seen. Enjoy =o) And if you watch it, feel free to let me know your thoughts about it.
thecrazychef1 1 year ago
@thecrazychef1 I agree. Although I do wish it was more than just our political media that were hostile towards them. A little hostility from us wouldn't hurt either. Well.. maybe it would hurt a little lol. But fuck it. The government is in place to serve the public, not the other way around. People need to be reminded of that.
l3awl3ag 1 year ago 2
@l3awl3ag True. But elected officials can't help the public much if they expect to be slapped by the media for having an opinion.
vonFelsenheim 1 year ago
Does the Tea Party cover this statement? Do you hear the insanity coming out of their mouths?
vashcat 1 year ago
It's a bit different here in America. Our politicians have been lying so much that these days they don't even bother to lie well. And everybody lets it go because we've all gotten very tired. Then there's a new "party" of people who actually think that you're actually *supposed* to make up complete bullshit, and that it's cruel and unfair for interviewers to try to get actual facts or logic out of them.
Could you lend us Paxman for a while?
ELuhn 1 year ago 4
@ELuhn SoOoooOOooo TRUE. If you ask them were they went to school,, that’s a “Got-Cha” question. What News they read,, another “Got-Cha” question. How they feel about Santa,, YEP,, another “Cot-Cha” question, Flowers and Gardening, a “Got-Cha” too. Fuels economy, helping the poor, retirement age, helping the environment, reforming Wall Street, educating immigrants, passports, did they love their mum,,, YEP! All Got-Cha questions. Knute
OldKnute 1 year ago
@OldKnute Don't forget the classic crafty Liberal trick: "What's 2 plus 2?"
ELuhn 1 year ago
@ELuhn Well, to be “liberal minded” seems to have been taken to the extreme,, now-a-days, in America. It used to mean, that you did not favor burning folks at the stake. Now, you are lumped together with Galileo, Michael Faraday, Newton, Orwell, Darwin and a few other thinkers and dreamers. WAIT,, that can’t be all that bad. OR,, we could always go back to the world being FLAT? Knute
OldKnute 1 year ago
thumbs up if the big words turn you on
TheMoonsLover 1 year ago
Well,a war or two and the taking of a few rights based on lies kind of keeps you sceptical. Meaningful discourse between media and politics,ha what a laugh;i thought the ushering in of the war was quite a display of camaraderie between the two.
andysafetybay 1 year ago
My God the bulldog voiceover man is irritating. I mean...he really is.
But David is SO great.
MargotVoguey 1 year ago 3
in fairness to the paxman/howard interview, people don't enjoy that clip because they believe it is a brilliantly conducted interview, but because of the way howard avoids the questions so blatantly
somerandomer 1 year ago
HERE HERE!
TheRockybalburke 1 year ago
did anyone notice the gargoyles nose from 2:23 onwards?
BillyGoatGriffo 1 year ago 2
@BillyGoatGriffo Pinnochio reference ^.^
chocomog35 1 year ago
what it was was repetition :P
brangwen1 1 year ago
Humphries = sexist
goulygliu 1 year ago
I cannot applaud this enough :)
PinkFloydFan74 1 year ago
DM FOR FIRST MINISTER WOULD PROBABLLY KILL GERRY ADAMS WITH SHEER REALITY!
folwert 1 year ago
I can watch next week episode right now?
rtsjoe 1 year ago
Is it just me, or does David look more handsome in this particular soapbox vid than he usually does? Maybe the lighting? A different (better) make-up artist?
dreamer24h7 1 year ago
@dreamer24h7 i'd say he looks the best in would I lie to you? he's not a particluarly handsome man, but that said, I think I love him :D
bobbiwib 1 year ago
@dreamer24h7 no he's still as ugly as he's ever been just once you fall in love with someone for their personality there outward appearance has no relevance
davidstem18 1 year ago
"relentlessly and unimaginatively combative" is completely correct, Paxman should shut himself down like some kind of defective Cyberman.
bailyrg 1 year ago
Let me tell you something about this "David Mitchell" chap....he's awesome.
End of.
Heroville 1 year ago 3
why is this man not in charge of the world yet?!
RequiemReaper 1 year ago 227
@RequiemReaper because he, just like any other man in the world who has sensible ideas about many different things which are currently being done wrong or inefficiently and doesnt simply grasp at the most popular ideas i.e. make everything green, is also smart enough to not want anything to do with politics, invariably what is both beneficial and not the most popular band wagon, doesnt get done much, cause it doesnt raise voter support to start campaiging for it
Tai4030 11 months ago
why did the tower bell go off at 14:35? lol
netsharp 1 year ago
You know, I think Dave could even manage to sort out the state of English football.
artstuX 1 year ago
@artstuX I've no doubt that he possibly could, but I also have no doubt that he almost certainly takes no interest in the subject whatsoever.
Football = politics for the stupid.
fitznicely 1 year ago
@fitznicely
Interested or not, the guy is just too amazing not to improve the situation. :-)
artstuX 1 year ago
This man is a nugget of gold in a sea of political concrete. Yes, a nugget of gold with a penguin nose.
SuperStickmanML13 1 year ago
Not being English I have observed that Paxman is almost single-handedly responsible for the dumbing down of political debate in your country. The "do you pray together" and "did you threaten to overrule him" rubbish. He would be sacked for that nonsense by any self respecting news organisation. In your country he's praised. It's like bizzarro world over there.
Onanation 1 year ago
@Onanation Where are you from?
superphilman2 1 year ago
@Onanation he's still better than Bill O'Reilly though.
matafuko 1 year ago
@Onanation "In your country he's praised. It