Joe Lycett gleefully responds to right-wing frenzy over his Liz Truss takedown
Joe Lycett. (BBC)
Joe Lycett is revelling in the right-wing press upset he sparked with a satirical take on Laura Kuenssberg’s interview with Liz Truss.
The famously left-wing comedian provoked a huge response on Sunday (4 September) after mocking Liz Truss on the BBC’s new flagship political show, Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.
Lycett joined Labour MP Emily Thornberry and former No 10 staffer Cleo Watson to analyse Kuenssberg’s interview with Truss, widely expected to be named the new prime minister on Monday (5 September).
After surprising Kuenssberg by cheering on the Tory candidate, Lycett cheekily explained: “I know there’s been criticism in the The Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC.
“I’m actually very right wing and I love it. I thought she gave great clear answers. I know exactly what she’s up to.”
Lycett spent the rest of his time joking about Truss being the “backwash of the available MPs” and reiterating he is “incredibly right wing”.
While most people saw the humour, the sarcastic responses left some unsettled, with the Daily Mail dedicated its front page on Monday to criticism of the comedian.
I’ll be off to the framers in the morning pic.twitter.com/tJLFwtSnBU— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) September 4, 2022
The newspaper complained that Liz Truss’ interview – her only one of the Tory leadership campaign, which came after votes had closed – had been “overshadowed by Joe Lycett, who sarcastically applauded and cheered he, before ridiculing her promises”.
Despite the Daily Mail’s best efforts, Lycett took the front page in his stride, posting it to Twitter with the caption: “I’ll be off to the framers in the morning.”
Elsewhere, the Daily Express’ political editor, Sam Lister, wrote an enraged piece calling Lycett a “loose cannon comedian” and praising Kuenssberg for her decorum “despite the best attempts of Lycett’s clown car to cause a pile-up”.
Right-wing GB News commentator Darren Grimes also took to Twitter, saying: “The BBC offered us the opinions of comedian Joe Lycett and Emily Thornberry for the launch of their flagship political programme this morning. Riiiiiiiiight.”
While right-wing political YouTube Mahyar Tousi was even baffled by the vitriolic response, adding: “It’ll be great if right wingers don’t melt like snowflakes when a comedian – funny or unfunny – makes fun of them.”
After appearing on her show, Lycett continued the joke by gifting Kuenssberg a painting of ITV political editor “Robert Peston in jail” and encouraging people to come to his shows for more “right wing opinions.”
