Infuriatingly Impartial

Mr Constantly Furious is a little put out that the newspapers are reporting Mrs Bulger's comments on the Venables case as gospel.

I remember a R4 comedy programme that included a sketch along similar lines. A talk show host phoned a bereaved father on-air to get his views on how a similar child killer should be treated - let off or locked up & the key thrown away. The father then spent the first part of the sketch being most surprised at the co-incidence that the journalist should be talking to him - after all, he was a victim of a very similar crime! Eventually the journalist twigged, and pointed out that they were in fact calling him because he had been afflicted in the same way.

At that point, the father switched into incredulity. "But why is my opinion of any interest?" he pointed out. "I, of all people, will be completely incapable of taking a reasoned and impartial view! After what happened to me, I am so obviously going to be biassed in one direction, and one direction only! Why would you want my opinion, in those circumstances?".

Wonderful comedy, and very pointed. I wish I could remember more, and find a link.

That said, of course, Venables is clearly best suited to the "Now, where did we put the key?" treatment. Who let him out, I wonder?