On Wednesday, I sat in a disabled toilet cubicle, listening to a lifesize effigy of the perpetually silenced free-speech crusader, progressive eugenics enthusiast and regular BBC broadcaster Toby Youngs as it lolled back and forth inside a glass cabinet, a fortune-telling puppet at a fair. “Five-months pregnant Padma Lakshmi’s boobs are massive. Actually mate, I had my dick up her arse! Living in close proximity to violent crime is the price Londoners pay for racial integration,” it said, repeatedly. The speech was free, of its original context, and its original audience.
If you accessed any media on Monday, you saw Toby Youngs, who isn’t allowed to say anything, telling supportive journalists about his Free Speech Union™®, a “non-partisan, mass-membership organisation that stands up for the speech rights of its members”. Toby Youngs’s Free Speech Union™® is one of 6,764 limited companies run out of 85 Great Portland Street, London. Presumably this is a virtual office, unless Youngs and his fellow directors, including Nigel Biggar, professor of moral and pastoral theology at the University of Oxford, have used the same miniaturisation ray on their company that they have already used on their cocks.
Youngs has been called a “caustic wit” by his friend, Boris Piccaninny Watermelon Letterbox Cake Bumboys Vampires Haircut Wall-Spaffer Spunk-Burster Fuck-Business Fuck-the-Families Get-Off-My-Fucking-Laptop Girly-Swot Big-Girl’s-Blouse Chicken-frit Hulk-Smash Noseringed-Crusties Death-Humbug Technology-Lessons Surrender-Bullshit French-Turds Dog-Whistle Get-Stuffed FactcheckUK@CCHQ 88%-lies Get-Brexit-Done Bung-A-Bob-for-Big-Ben’s-Bongs Cocaine-Event Spiritual-Worth Three-Men-and-a-Dog Johnson.
The Toby Youngs toilet effigy had been programmed to demonstrate Toby Youngs’s caustic wit, which must be defended. But the tape loop jammed. “Five-months pregnant Padma Lakshmi’s boobs are massive. Actually mate, I had my dick up her arse! Living in close proximity to violent crime is the price Londoners pay for racial integration,” honked the torso again, banging its bald head on the glass, Youngs’s harmless comments given liturgical resonance beyond their lighthearted origins.
The word “free” in the Free Speech Union™®’s name refers only to free speech. Membership actually costs between £49.95 and £250 a year, depending how freely you need to speak. If you are a student oppressed by political correctness gone mad, jonesing for freedom, Toby Youngs gives you the first hit half-price. It is not clear if the Free Speech Union™® will defend non-members on principle or members who are, as Youngs says, “ghastly, puritanical, po-faced, sanctimonious, finger-wagging, woke” people or “universally unattractive, small, vaguely deformed” working-class students. It’s a protection racket, capeesh?
I decided to visit 85 Great Portland Street, where companies claim presence from £29.99 a year, to see if the Free Speech Union™® had corporeal form. A disabled toilet cubicle, with a crayon drawing of King’s College Cambridge on the door, functioned as the Free Speech Union™®’s nerve centre. I heard the broken Toby Youngs effigy’s voice before I entered. “Five-months pregnant Padma Lakshmi’s boobs are massive. Actually mate, I had my dick up her arse! Living in close proximity to violent crime is the price Londoners pay for racial integration.”
Inside the cubicle, a brass plate read: “Ask me a question.” But before I could, the flailing animatronic educationalist lurched into involuntary life again, wooden teeth clacking. “Five-months pregnant Padma Lakshmi’s boobs are massive. Actually mate, I had my dick up her arse! Living in close proximity to violent crime is the price Londoners pay for racial integration.” I resisted the urge to cover my ears. The views of a malfunctioning Toby Youngs effigy deserve to be heard. And challenged in robust debate.
Nevertheless, membership of the Free Speech Union™® interested me. Recently, a person called Xpijonipsy wondered on the internet if he should kill me by stabbing my eyes out, shooting off my knees or smashing my brain in with a heavy object. But the first two methods would mean, though blinded or maimed, I would still be able to tell my jokes, as long as I was helped on stage by a clever dog. Will the Free Speech Union™® protect me from Xpijonipsy? Will it protect black footballers from racial abuse? Will it protect feminist campaigners from rape threats? Will it protect female politicians from male politicians who wouldn’t even rape them? Will it protect the “furrowed-browed little soothsayer” Greta Thunberg? Will it protect Holocaust Deniers and Replacement Theorists? Will it protect people from James Grundy’s Lancashire goolies? Will it protect Grundy’s Lancashire goolies?
What Youngs really wants isn’t a Free Speech Union™®. He wants a Freedom from Consequences of Speech Union and a credible-sounding caption for his BBC appearances: “Toby Youngs, Free Speech Union.” But within 24 hours of announcing his Wazzocks’ Waco, his X-Men of Shits, Youngs’s endearingly bumbling Sun interview, in which he wouldn’t guarantee Tommy Robinson’s freedom to speak, exposed his contradictory thinking. Toby Youngs is a tragic fly, floating on flimsy wings of unearned privilege and family connections, banging repeatedly into the same window pane of failure, all the while wishing he were the soaring eagle of legend, instead of something that vomits on to its own food and sucks it back up into its mouth.
Satirising “inclusivity” in 2012, Toby Youngs joked that schools now all have “wheelchair ramps, the complete works of Alice Walker… and a Special Educational Needs Department”, the latter of which might presumably help the struggling students this government-endorsed educationalist described as “functionally illiterate troglodytes with a mental age of six”.
If I am kneecapped by Xpijonipsy, will Toby Youngs protect my right to speak and my right to use those same wheelchair ramps alongside the “troglodyte children”? I asked the effigy. It answered. ““Five-months pregnant Padma Lakshmi’s boobs are massive. Actually mate, I had my dick up her arse! Living in close proximity to violent crime is the price Londoners pay for racial integration.”
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter