The writer created multiple celebrated sitcoms but has not worked in TV for several years (Picture: AFP via Getty Images) Of course, in recent years, Linehan has also become a bête noire of the trans lobby. The memoir, Tough Crowd, is billed as a humorous reflection on his journey from being one of the UK’s most beloved television comedy writers to becoming a pariah for being forthright about his gender-critical beliefs. Laurence Fox is Richard’s brother-in-law (Credit: SplashNews.com) Who does BAFTA host Richard Ayoade play in The Mandalorian?

It seems you no longer need to even express gender-critical views to become a target of the mob. Apparently, it is now enough just to associate with prominent opponents of trans ideology to be marked out for condemnation. But I’m not interested in Ayoade’s life for half-hearted context or as a way to help him sell his work: I think there’s genuine intrigue. He was brought up in Ipswich, by a Nigerian father and Norwegian mother. He went to Cambridge where he studied law and joined the revered student comedy society Footlights. Being one of its few non-white stars and experiencing comedy success at such a young age all seems fruitful personal history from which to draw on in his work. But he remains distrustful of such biographical inquiries. Fans of Richard Ayoade have voiced their disappointment after the actor contributed to Graham Linehan’s new book. Others disagreed with the furore however, saying it was essentially a comedic actor recommending a comedic book.He added: ‘I want to to make it clear, I’m not talking about trans people, I’m talking about trans rights activists. Two very distinct groups that often have nothing to do with each other. I just think they need to be defeated completely.’ spiked is free for all to read. But to keep it that way, we ask loyal readers like you to support our work. If that’s his fear about our meeting, he doesn’t show it initially. In fact he’s quite forthcoming as we talk about cinema and comedy. He tells me lots about film I didn’t know: the ways in which Woody Allen makes nods to Ingmar Bergman; that the 1960 film Zazie Dans le Metro is useless for teaching yourself French, as Ayoade attempted as a teenager, because the titular character speaks in slang and purposeful mispronunciation. I’m only a tad suspicious because these are unusual circumstances in which to conduct an interview. There should be plenty to talk about: Ayoade’s comedy career, including his Bafta-winning sitcom role as Moss, the socially-inept star of Graham Linehan’s The IT Crowd, as well as his two acclaimed films as a director, Submarine and The Double, which, alongside the recent output of Ben Wheatley and Edgar Wright, have made him a leading light of the new school of cultish British filmmaking. But Ayoade’s latest work – a book, Ayoade on Ayoade – is an interview itself, in which two fictional versions of the man antagonise one another. The hostility between both Ayoades in Ayoade On Ayoade was perfectly reenacted by Ayoade himself in recent interview, purportedly to promote his first book. With the same interviewer Quentin Tarantino notoriously “shut down,” Ayoade instead chose the less aggressive route and snarkily parried every single question asked, refusing to engage in the promotion of his book and by extension engage in “the essential lie of the interview situation.” It was, of course, a perfect promotion for his book.

That might sound like a mildly amusing conceit for a traditional autobiography, but Ayoade’s actual life is almost entirely absent, his work barely mentioned. The book is more of a surreal and hilarious exercise in self-aggravation. For example, one exchange runs like this: “I read somewhere that you regard your Jewish identity as being important to you.” “It’s very important. It’s foundational.” “And yet you’re not Jewish.” “No.” “And you don’t find that problematic?” “Not at all. I don’t think whether I’m Jewish or not is really relevant to my Jewish identity.” “Would you call yourself a practising Jew?” “I use to play guitar but I don’t really have time for it any more.” MORE : The Chase star Jenny Ryan slams Graham Linehan for ‘whingeing’ over Edinburgh Fringe cancellation Richard, who is half-Nigerian, was reportedly furious at this, and told Laurence: ‘You have never encountered racism.’ The Irish comedian has written a book about his life and career, from being behind massively popular sitcoms to dedicating his life to arguing about trans ideology on the internet.PDF / EPUB File Name: Ayoade_on_Ayoade_-_Richard_Ayoade.pdf, Ayoade_on_Ayoade_-_Richard_Ayoade.epub