The Wright Stuff

An excerpt from 'The Wright Stuff' on FIVE (UK) 24th November 2010.

The debate is concerning the legal case of 27yr old accountant Paul Chambers, about a throwaway comment he made on Twitter regarding the temporary closure of Robin Hood Airport due to snow in January 2010. The case has become known as #twitterjoketrial

Panelists on the show include; Comedian Tim Minchin, Actress Tracy Ann Oberman & Journalist Hardeep Singh Kohli

You can find more about the case on the website of lawyer David Allen Green:

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/11/paul-menacing-criminal...

WEBSITE INFO FROM FIVE.TV
(its a bit sensationalist, but is posted to put the phone calls, texts & tweets used on the show in context)

Can Bomb Tweet Joke Ever Be Funny?
Our first phone-in: Your thoughts on the bloke who threatened to blow up Robin Hood airport in a Tweet he says was obviously a joke. But special branch thought otherwise and nicked him for it. Now Paul Chambers is appealing against his conviction for sending a menacing communication. Which begs the question, in these dangerous times, if a bomb tweet joke can ever be funny? Maybe you think the authorities have overreacted?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Paul
• Chambers
• Robin
• Hood
• Airport
• #twitterjoketrial
• Twitter
• Tweet
• Bomb
• Blow
• up
• #iamsparticus
• Comedian
• Tim
• Minchin
• Actress
• Tracy
• Ann
• Oberman

[BRICHADAMS]

great debate, can't believe it went this far though!

[Fade79]

Thanks for putting this up, it's probably the most fair debate I have seen on this subject on TV so far and it really needs to be seen more!

[error19]

damn, that numb-skull host cut off the conversation RIGHT when the most pertinent question was being asked, "if you're a terrorist watching some poor bloke getting dragged through the courts, it's not going to stop you. who is it actually stopping?"