HIGNFY - William Hague - Part 1 of 4 (S25E02)

[Kalamata77]

no doubt Hague got Paul with that line "just because I tell jokes don't mean you should have political opinions" but i wouldn't put it as some of the commentators here did "owned" ... i have seen almost every episode of this show and loads and loads of those panel shows and don't think there is anyone that can beat Merton, get one over him maybe .... but the man can rip you apart if and when he chooses ... id give an eye for his super sonic wit.

[123HMatty]

jeremy clarckson + ian hislop + william hague... could this get any better?

[aarandir]

Yea but Paul still got him back with "These jokes you mentioned, when are we hearing those?" lol

[YAYOMUTA10]

Paul Merton Got OWNED TIED UP AND SLAPPED WITH AND AFRICAN LEAF...

[Th3BestOf]

William Hague isn't scared of Paul ffs! He's scared of Gadaffi!

[skyyymichael]

William Hague is one funny dude! Sharp!

[HLecterPHD]

ahw.. ill..iahm hague

[SilveradoNL]

Linda Smith R.I.P.

[aarandir]

@SilveradoNL Wonderful woman. Wonderful.

[Bucketheadhead]

I think Paul forgot that William Hague is actually really smart having bullied so many other politicans on the show

[luckyspurs]

William Hague's "just because I tell jokes, doesn't mean you should have political opinions" line was brilliant. He left Paul Merton totally dumbstruck and unable to think of anything to reply with.

[Vault101Reject]

Why does Hague look like a cross between that ugly motherfucker from eastenders ((Bradley's dad. Don't watch it often)) and one of those maniac fox news presenters? The one that almost had a breakdown and cried about how great (HAH!) america is.

[TheWackadooFuckhead]

holy shit, look at all the pro labour dickheads in these comments

[DrucciSchemer]

You british fuckers have any shows that ARE NOT HOSTED BY QUEERS AND FAGGOTS Hague,Norton lol u limey bastards

[danhjnny]

@DrucciSchemer He does an amazing terminator impression, and his shadow can do magical things.

[TheWackadooFuckhead]

@DrucciSchemer Get back to your 50" pizza you fat obese yank.

[daconor91]

@DrucciSchemer Hague isn't gay. But he is a twat.

[lashlashlashlashlash]

The fall of Paul Merton. Almost sad to watch... But laughed my ass off anyway.

[Vault101Reject]

@lashlashlashlashlash He has to work in the house of commons.

He deals with inane bullshit day in, day out.

So paul would be no problem.

[Brideshead09]

Merton really was a twat when Hague took the piss out of him. Disappointing.

[arthur1411]

Merton can be such an arse!

[westben2000]

i wish american politicians weren't to stuck up to do stuff like this. imagine a democrat or republican in washington doing a show like this...the press would crucify them

[philpil100]

I completely disagree with Hague politically, but he is funny as hell.

[lac6480]

R.I.P linda smith

[Sutchy0401992]

I swear Paul used that line "Can you give us a signal when you've done one?" on Ann Widecombe or someone else

[wimpylassiter2336]

@Sutchy0401992 alan duncan

[paranoidandroid192]

@Sutchy0401992 It was used on the Brian Blessed episode against the Tory MP: Alan Duncan.

[Seiferjesus]

Never seen someone control Paul like that lol ....apart from Ann Widdecombe

[Sutchy0401992]

@Seiferjesus that's because there was love in the air :-P

[GallagherWellerBrown]

As much as I hate Hague for being such a Conservative, blah blah blah, I do find him funny, in the Commons, and here, and I like how he can actually have banter, and the liberal comedians can with him.

[sermeister]

where can i find footage of william hague's speech when he was 16?

[readingaddict176]

i must get home- there's been a chicken invasion!

[kenfig]

You've heared nowt yet son ; get back on the show NOW you poofta ; Rent Boys on the taxpayers dosh !

[xraycortina]

Maybe William should give up politics and become a permanent quiz host; he seems better at it...

[BakaKarasu]

The very first guest to get one over on Paul Merton, and Paul's completely ruthless for the rest of the show. Ha. Hahahaha.

[dasgdasg]

@BakaKarasu As much as I love Paul, he can be catty as hell. It's happened other times, I think. And, I mean, Hague really struck home on that one...

[qwert4327able]

hague ownz them all.

[rocksoliddude1]

today's host is a war mongering murderer hooray

[douggz1]

'Hong Kong - the worst place in the world apart from Wednesbury!' - Just brilliant!

[ItDoesntMatter1906]

"Just because I tell jokes doesn't mean you should have political opinions".

OWNED.

[nramsey77]

Love his 'ooh scary' comment about French, Belgium and Luxemburg soldiers (5:45) .. he's our Foreign Minister now !!

William Hague is a legend, best polititian public speaker by a mile.

[poossum12345]

ooo Scary... and he's now foreign sec!!

[Rascasseman]

Probably one of the most respected politicans in Britain. Which makes it even more incredible considering the fact he's a Tory and a Tory front bencher in that as well! Still no Tory is as slimy and greasy as Mandelson.

[silversynth]

ooooo burrn "just because I tell jokes don't mean you should have political opinions" hahaha take that Paul Merton

[higfny]

hague, smith and clarkson as guests.. it's probably the best panel ever

[SulkingSerpent]

Dam hague is ownage

[Cnd1867]

we in Canada only had SARS because we have too many chinese people

[jesal21]

Hague owned Merton in this one.

[TheIkaraCult]

@jesal21

yeah, not often it happens. He's probably the wittiest polititcian theyve ever had one as host or gues, plus its a pretty hard show to chair with Clarkson and the magnificent Linda Smith. She gets one over on him a couple of times though but she's pretty much impossible to outwit. Good job William. Still not gonna vote for him though

[richiebabe24]

4:23 - Holy shit! Merton got owned! Can't remember the last time that happened!

[gangstamillion]

This man could be Foreign Secretary in a few weeks.. Brilliant :)

[xVancha]

That has to be the only time I've seen someone get one over on Merton. Impressive.

[PurushaDesa]

Merton IS being a bit of a twat here. As soon as Hague brought up Angus, Merton tries to punish him for every small joke - and he knows fine well, not all of them are meant to be howlers anyway. Hague does well considering.

[abania]

Merton pwned @ 4:23... well I never :~)

[upupaepops1988]

hague is on fire

[NMtB4ev4]

William Hague seemed like one of the few hosts who didn't seem scared of Paul. He even owned him at one point. Good on him.

[psychobollox]

@NMtB4ev4

yeh. some of the politician guests have actually come up with the goods on this show and been thoroughly hilarious... WH in this one and Charles Kennedy to name but two.

[DB3457]

r.i.p linda smith-one of the best comedians of the last decade :)

[Ardensfax]

Is she dead then?

[DB3457]

yeah died of cancer a few years back :(

[Ardensfax]

:-(

[ir5ac]

"the guests are some of them" went over paul's head as a retort, i think.

[liambliss]

According to the Telegraph website:

"The post of vicar of Wednesbury has stood empty for nearly two years despite advertisements in the Church of England press appealing for candidates.

The dean of the area, the Revd Preb Richard Inglesby, has issued a plea for new applicants and urged them to ignore Clarkson's jibes."

[dudeyfeb88coach]

william hague next to david cameroon and rowan akinson and john cleeeseare to me the best uk comedians

[Cleopatrastomb]

No Boris is funniest. :)

[LollieSmith]

HMMM William Hague.

[tudorHB]

Benawl, William Hague is not a racist, I've met him and only an idiot like yourself would think that he is, so go and stir up a trade union meeting you dumb lefty pig

[benawl]

Idiot, his policies are racist. What you met him and he was alright-wow! That proves a great deal. Are you anti trade unions too you bastard.

[JxK101]

i would hardly call him ultra-right wing or racist for that matter. calling racist i suspect would be buying in to a character assassination by the media immediately following his "foreign land" speech where he outlined his views on out of control immgiration and failed multicultural policies of various governments

[benawl]

Hague said "under Labour Britian would become a foreign land". He is a cunt.

[JxK101]

he voiced concerns that a great many held at the time about what was perceived to be uncontrolled immigration. these views were not just held by racists and nationalists but by ordinary left, right, liberal wing people. you going to line all these people up as racist as well? commenting in a negative way on immigration does not make you racist so get off your high horse mate

[supertuber97]

and he has been proved right. fuck labour

[benawl]

Ahhh, what is wrong with all of you. Hague is a racist, ultra right wing bastard. Do you really think if you make a joke then you can hold the most cuntish political views with immunity?!

[DaveStrife1]

Hague is one of the best hosts ever, He's very funny and he can take a joke.

[happychappy1984]

Im not tory but id ov luvd it if hague had been pm

[benawl]

Actually, maybe shockingly to you-wanting Tories to be in power does make you a Tory.

but, but.. "he is funny and can take a joke"-ah ok, that is good enough really! FFS

[LordSpectreXII]

Ugh, I really dislike Smith.

[DHazlehurst]

Hague lives down the road from me. Nice fella.

[benawl]

No, he is a cunt. Saying "hello" and smiling does not change your horrid politics. But I can imagine where you might live and thur you're probably a tory.

[DHazlehurst]

No, I'm not a Tory. I'm not actually interested in politics at all.

[curlyceltic]

Ahhh...sweet Linda Smith.

(R.I.P)

[roflcoptaWF]

"Just because I tell jokes doesn't mean you should have political opinions"

lmao. F***ing hilarious. Merton behaved like a git after that.

[thatcheritescot]

paul merton always gets the better of guests on this show.... was great to see hague put him in his place

[beepandbop]

That is awesome, Merton behaved like a total twat.

Linda Smith needs to be told women are not funny.

[ChrissyChiChi]

I do find Merton very funny but sometimes he does come across as a noisy bratt who has to have all the attention all the time, when someone seems to be getting more than him he starts harassing them and being a bit of a cunt really, it can be a bit painfull to watch from time to time.

[holliealicia]

Hague is quite charismatic

[gdsamuel1]

Merton's an arse on this.

Hague handled himself brilliantly.

[rankthis]

Merton is just a miserable sod.

He is never happy unless he's getting all the attention.

Schoolboy attitude and probably a baby cock =)

[JMW14590]

I can't believe how quick Paul ripped into Hauge about the Angus Deayton comment. I mean come on, Deayton was a pretty good host overall despite his shortcomings as far as his personal morals go. Hauge is a great host by the way :) He should do more episodes.

[thatdrattedcat]

"... but so was the treatment of Angus Deayton on this programme" -- from what I can tell, only accurate and fair enough.

[itsnickman3]

Paul did not like that comment

He ripped into him afterwards

[fluncher8]

they should have Angus back as a guest host... to see how it goes. though I doubt Angus would agree.

[FermanaghPort]

Exactly! Paul Merton looked very stupid.

William Hague was excellent. I would love to see him on the show again.

[knucmo]

Definitely. Merton takes it personally when some one schools him.

[samuself]

hes fantastic!

[dragonlee90]

She isn't though. She's one of those smarmy lefties who people now adore because she suffered the unfortunate event of death.

[samuself]

umm i think you might have responded to the wrong comment my friend.

[mirrorc]

I have waited so long to see this one!!!!!!

I got into fights on another profile cos i wanted to see it!!!

Thank you so much for this!!!

HAGUE RULES!!!!!

[ColtonMP]

dont know if its worthy of viewing nor commenting on

but nevertheless, will, by jeremy clarkson has got one big fucking head, as much as i love him

huuuuuuuuuuuuge

[TheB1gB0y]

'just because i tell jokes doesn't mean you should have political views.'

one of the best ever comebacks to paul - unscripted and got a great audience reception

[dragonlee90]

William Hague is a fine, FINE MAN, WHOSE BOOTS YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO KISS

[pariswannabe02]

You all do releaise that most of what William Hague says is scriptted. We should be praising the panaliests and the people who wrote william hagues script and other presenters.

[Frailea]

Agreed, but of course it takes some skill to deliver it in a correctly funny way; the chairman not only has to juggle the demands of the autocue, but has to know when to let the panellists get on with their own thing, and a bit of old political self-effacement doesn't hurt either. So whilst yes, Mr. Hague's hardly the world's best comedian, his effort here is undoubtedly a fine one.

[optimisticnad]

yeh course but you try reading a script and sticking to it, and making it humorous. then come back and tell us that.

[pariswannabe02]

Okay dont have to be so rude about it at least Frailea was less insulting about it.

[optimisticnad]

Didn't realise I was being 'insulting', certainly didn't mean to be. I guess our definitions differ.

[2205923358]

Rest In Peace Linda Smith, let's hope that you were a nocternal animal in a previous life and you will return to this world again.

[josephdrew87]

William Hague could be Foreign Secretary by this time next year!

[pariswannabe02]

I hope fucking not

[pariswannabe02]

However, i will admit he is a funny guy and very likeable. He's someone that i could get along with and be friends with but i dont like his beliefs, ideas, policies. He would make the foreign office a bit more lively i suppose lol.

[Drizzlehell]

R.I.P Linda. You gave us the gift of laughter and for that we will always be thankful.

[bensonjack89]

is she dead? what happened to her?

[markus1357]

Yes unfortunately she is, she died in Feb 2006 from ovarian cancer.

[randominsanepeople]

Omg I didn't know that, cancer? did she have it when she was on this

[glebber]

@markus1357 bloody shame, that is. she was one of my favorite (actually, probably THE favorite) female comedians. :\

[brummydubliner]

Great episode!

Linda was the best comedienne around, may she rest in peace.