A man with a long and varied career full of brilliant work that redefined the cultural landscape deserves to be known for so much more than being in that wizard shit written by a hateful human being. Understand that continued support of her work can feel like an open choice to support her views. Understand that her bigotry has forever tainted those who stand up for her regardless of the suffering she caused.

And maybe talk about how brilliant Cracker was, instead?

Oh, he'll always be a great actor and comedian. And his passing is a sad event - an indicator that, like Rik Mayall before him, these titans of the 80s and 90s are far from indestructible and will all start departing this realm in the next few years.

So in a way, I will still mourn his passing. But I also understand why so many trans and non-binary people are feeling very uneasy about people sharing Hagrid memes and openly expressing their love for Harry Potter once more.

Here was a man who looked at people suffering, looked at the billionaire making their suffering worse, and chose to mock the former in defence of the latter.

Maybe he was ignorant of a struggle he was privileged to never have to experience. Maybe he'd only read the edited highlights in the tabloids and just wanted to defend a friend. But regardless, Coltrane lost a lot of my respect that day.

And his work as a serious actor, in projects as diverse as Cracker, National Treasure and two James Bond movies, proved he had the chops to stand among the greatest actors of his generation.

Yet, in his later life, like many who were once dismissed as radical of politics, he became disappointingly conservative. His defence of JK Rowling, while clearly motivated by the money she made him, cut deep.

I wasn't going to say anything, but it is fair to acknowledge that Robbie Coltrane was a huge presence in my life long before he made those terrible films about a boy wizard written by a bigot.

The Comic Strip Presents team, of which Coltrane was a member, changed the face of British comedy forever and I am forever in their debt, as we all are. Then there's his appearances in shows like The Young Ones and Blackadder, which are all essential viewing.

If you are in LA or San Francisco reading this, you NEED to go to these shows. Tell em Didymus sent you.

Seen this band live five times between July 2021 and August 2022. Seeing them again in December. They're that fucking good.

10/10/2022 Los Angeles @ The Echo - Ticket link: tinyurl.com/4bwuk6jx

14/10/2022 San Francisco @ Brick & Mortar - Ticket link: tinyurl.com/3482k3xd

In the last few years, TikTok has:

* Breached GDPR regulations around child safety putting millions of people under 18 at serious risk.
* Proactively blocked LGBTQAI+ content in several countries, including people speaking out about their own oppression.
* Deliberately created a policy to keep 'ugly' people off the featured content list, which included plus sized people and anyone with a visible disability.

And now, it transpires they organised the Tory Party Conference After Party.

VOM.

Wicked.

"Basically for a Netflix standup special, you've got to get all the things that you can't say because of political correctness gone mad & the woke brigade, then you put them all together, and you say them. And you find that you CAN say them after all. With the full approval of all Netflix advertisers, lawyers & shareholders for a $60 m payout & a Grammy award. And that, being shown all over the world and getting a $60 m payout & a Grammy award - that's called being cancelled."

- Stewart Lee

Glad to be finally getting my fourth Covid jab this week. Gig season is back upon us and I'm hoping to see as many of my friends as possible between now and Christmas... safely!

@sfleetucker Had to have our floor in two rooms replaced recently due to dry rot, which has thrown the house into upheaval for six months...

So it definitely feels like it!

But no, I think it's my complete inability to edit, or make firm decisions.

My Practical Brain: "Why don't you pull out a pile of records to play this weekend while you do the huge deep clean, prep for decorating and tackle some life admin?"

My Passionate Brain: "OK. Will this be enough?" 😁

Spent last night in the company of the brilliant GEN AND TH£ DEGENERATES at The Ruby Lounge, Manchester.

First saw them supporting Skunk Anansie earlier this year and just had to see them again.

There's always time for binge watching my favourites later. I think I've watched about 150 episodes of classic Doctor Who this year alone.

But new stuff, especially long form narratives just work better when you have characters in your 'life' for longer, I find.

I eeked out The Outlaws recently, only finishing Series 2 tonight, and now I adore the whole gang in a way I might not have done if I'd ploughed through each series.

Take your time, folks. It really does reap rewards.

While both series have their flaws, I'm actually really enjoying watching both 'House of the Dragon' and 'The Rings of Power' on a once-a-week level. They're sitting in my mind more than those shows you rush through because it's all there to gorge yourself silly watching.

Where possible, I like to avoid spoilers and eek things out... I managed to go through 'The Sandman' over the course of two weeks, but would have liked more time with each episode to consider the possibilities.

The BBC have dropped the entire fourth series of GHOSTS onto iPlayer, Netflix style.

Personally, I'll be watching one episode at a time, and spacing them out - maybe not one a week, but definitely letting each episode sit with me for a while, ruminating in my brain before moving on.

Earlier this year, The Boys Season 3 opened with a 3 episode drop, then weekly instalments, and the frantic rush to see the first three didn't do it any favours. I went back to them later to appreciate them more.

I've been likened to loads of cartoon/puppet animals over the years.

But I think the most accurate representation of my personality is the random episode of mostly forgotten Channel 5 kids show Beachcomber Bay I saw once, in which Salty Dog was told he was too fat and had to diet, but he spent the whole episode longing for sausages. via barely concealed innuendo, until he eventually got what he truly desired most.

When you realise Richard Griffiths celebrated his 39th birthday just a few days before filming began on Withnail And I... and you're 38 in a few weeks... #elderqueernow

As it began...

Accidentally spent over two months away from this place. So much has happened in that time I wouldn't know where to begin. But still hopeful maybe this place can eventually replace the evil bird... if more people join anyway!