And boy, does it get a workout when I’m watching Have I Got News For You.
One thing that regularly happens is that one of the panel members mentions talking to a regular member of the public about the topic currently under discussion. We then invariably find out that the member of the public in question was the driver of their black cab. Because that’s the only time any of them are ever within breathing distance of the great unwashed.
This week’s episode offered two gems, both coming from a comedian called Jason Manford (I have to give his name because “the episode with the comedian” doesn’t exactly narrow it down).
First he made a joke about not knowing how to use Series Link. The rest of the panel laughed without needing any more info because in their world, everyone has Sky. As for the rest of us, that’ll teach us to be poor.
Then, later in the programme, he mentioned Wetherspoons, immediately adding: “the chain of pubs”. Because none of them has ever set foot in one, of course.
To hammer the point home, the joke was about how sad and clueless people who go to Wetherspoons are. Blimey, don’t sit on the fence, Jason, tell us how you really feel.
I haven’t felt so insulted for being an ignorant pleb since JK Rowling’s latest tweet/interview (more of that later).