Charlie Brooker Battles The Canary Over 2016 Wipe's Jeremy Corbyn Coverage

'Yep, Barry Shitpeas is why Labour polling is so atrocious.'
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Charlie Brooker has hit back in characteristic style after left-wing Corbyn conspiracy-supporting blog, The Canary, took great umbrage at his portrayal of the Labour leader in his show ‘2016 Wipe’.

The publication seemingly disregarded the concept of satire as it accused the screenwriter of a “jaw-dropping” character assassination.

The jaw-dropping moment Charlie Brooker character assassinated Jeremy Corbyn [VIDEO] https://t.co/FZhUKdWQbS

— The Canary (@TheCanarySays) January 3, 2017

Ignoring all the jibes targeting other politicians, the article on the site reads:

Charlie Brooker’s 2016 Wipe descended into a hatchet job on Jeremy Corbyn in its section on the Labour leadership election. The tipping point came when the Black Mirror creator suggested that Corbyn presides over racism in the Labour Party.

After Brooker showed a clip of Corbyn being unable to recognise TV presenters Ant and Dec, he joked: “If you think that’s tough, try getting him to recognise Ant n’ semitism.”

The Canary on Charlie Brooker, oh man. Yep, Barry Shitpeas is why Labour polling is so atrocious.

— Laura Cooper (@lauracooperJBAP) January 4, 2017

The article goes on to detail Corbyn’s long history of campaigning against such issues as anti-Semitism and apartheid in South Africa.

The author of the piece contacted Brooker on Twitter before writing, prompting this surreal conversation.

@charltonbrooker hey charlie, writing an article on this. Do you set the agenda for these yearly wipes or does The BBC?

— James Wright (@wrightismight) January 3, 2017

@wrightismight I don't understand the question. What do you mean by "agenda"?

— Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) January 3, 2017

@charltonbrooker Will clarify. Do you have free reign on the topics or does the BBC send you topics and you write the commentary?

— James Wright (@wrightismight) January 3, 2017

@wrightismight We (that is, the show) have free reign. BBC never suggests or requests anything be specifically covered / ignored.

— Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) January 3, 2017

@charltonbrooker Thanks. The piece is going to be pretty critical of your Corbyn section & lack of criticism of Clinton/ May. Wana comment?

— James Wright (@wrightismight) January 3, 2017

@wrightismight We originally planned a 25min pro-Corbyn musical number but our shadowy Blairite handlers insisted we scrap it.

— Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) January 3, 2017

The Canary’s “pretty critical” piece concluded:

Satire should challenge claims in the mainstream media and make pertinent points through comedy. Instead, Brooker’s 2016 Wipe got fully behind the smear campaigns against Corbyn. The satirical show talks politics to millions of people. So it has a responsibility. But it appears to have squandered that responsibility this year.

The top-rated comments on The Canary’s Facebook page appear to give Brooker the edge.

But over on Twitter things weren’t quite so polite.

Um. That Canary article. About Charlie Brooker. It's a bit Leave Britney Alone, innit?

— Catty and the Major (@DismalChips) January 4, 2017

The Canary there, lecturing Charlie Brooker about what satire is... https://t.co/gCq6G2Z2pq

— Nelson (@asnelson100) January 4, 2017

The Canary are very upset about Charlie Brooker's Jeremy Corbyn joke so please don't share it any wider or RT this or anything like that. pic.twitter.com/VcvihoQunI

— Momentum Trumpton (@MomentumTrump2) January 4, 2017

@TheCanarySays The Canary proving mind numbing idiocy is not just a feature of the Right Wing

— Spartacus (@Livlonanprsper) January 4, 2017

@TheCanarySays Get a grip, you joyless muppets. Poor ickle Jezza, can't he take it? You're like some humourless Stalinists.

— Martin Ballantine (@piracycorp) January 4, 2017

Meanwhile, the New Statesman’s Media Mole had a go at suggesting some jokes The canary would be OK with.

What jokes would The Canary allow Charlie Brooker to make about Jeremy Corbyn? https://t.co/gvKJgKo7bH pic.twitter.com/9hp699js8Q

— Media Mole (@ns_media) January 4, 2017
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