Given Chris Morris's recent diatribe against Martin Amis ("the new Abu Hamza") and the less than wonderful (for me, unwatchable) Nathan Barley, this may not be that much of a loss, but it's nevertheless a sign of the times:
A British TV creator said networks have refused his idea for a comedy about would-be suicide bombers, but the project may find legs as a film.
Chris Morris, who rose to fame as the creator and star of controversial Channel 4 comedy "Brass Eye," said BBC and Channel 4 have rejected his proposal for a comedy about jihadists in the North of London on the grounds that it was deemed unsuitable for prime time audiences.
Mark Herbert, from Warp Films, which produced the TV project, said Morris had carefully researched the product to ensure it would not be offensive to Muslims.
"Chris's research has been meticulous. It is fatwa-proof," he said.
Morris had worked to ensure "it would not be offensive to Muslims"? Given his history, that's an odd and not particularly promising comment. Offending people was what he was all about.
They claim it would "it would work better as a film". Hmm. We'll see.
Why don't they just come clean and say "We are attached to our hands"?
Posted by: dearieme | September 23, 2008 at 01:06 PM
My favourite Chris Morris thing was on his radio show, where he removed a turtle from its shell (with a lovely fffflup noise), then phoned up the RSPCA to ask them how to put it back in. Needless to say, the nice liberal chap at the RSPCA was aghast... Equally needless to say, he didn't keep that show for long.
Posted by: BobFromBrockley | September 23, 2008 at 05:29 PM