When I was interviewed a long time ago for admission to one of our ancient universities, a don used the phrase “the maintained sector” to describe my educational background. He meant that I was a state school lad and I suppose his implication was that independent schools were somehow more free-thinking, reliable bastions of excellence. At the time I could only see the other side of that particular argument, but the phrase has come to mind again now in a different context.
The disastrous reception given to comedian Nish Kumar at yesterday’s Lord’s Taverners’ lunch is a sign that the maintained sector of British comedy has fallen victim to lazy groupthink and general mediocrity.
Kumar, who was booed offstage by his mainly provincial, small ‘c’ conservative audience – albeit at a swanky London venue – had made the mistake of rolling out the usual, anti-Brexit, anti-Tory observations that are usually lapped up by the live audiences of his BBC show The Mash Report.
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