Jo Brand silences all-male Have I Got News For You panel over House of Commons sexual harassment comments
Jo Brand last night silenced an all-male panel on Have I Got News For You when she explained why sexual harassment of any nature – or the trivialising of it – is unacceptable.
When team captain Ian Hislop suggested that some of the allegations currently coming out of Westminster were not "high-level crime", comedian Brand issued a sharp rebuke.
Here’s the moment Jo Brand had to explain to the #HIGNFY panel that they should take sexual harassment seriously. pic.twitter.com/4cc4J3ocOw
— Rob Williams �� (@BobJWilliams) November 3, 2017
"If I can just say, as the only representative of the female gender here today, I know it’s not high-level," she said. "But it doesn’t have to be high-level for women to feel under siege in somewhere like the House of Commons.
"Actually [for] women, if you're constantly being harassed, even in a small way, that builds up and that wears you down."
Brand then added: "Sorry, I thought I was on Question Time for a minute."
Hislop responded: "As you point out, with four blokes sitting around you, we're hardly in a position to say, 'That's rubbish'."
Later, panelist and Daily Mail journalist Quentin Letts referred to Julia Hartley-Brewer, who recently revealed that Michael Fallon once put his hand on her knee, as a "girl". Brand quickly corrected Letts, suggesting "woman" would have been a more appropriate word.
Jo Brand vs. #HIGNFY on women. pic.twitter.com/0R34BbhSeY
— Johnathan Randall (@MrJRan) November 4, 2017
Viewers soon took to social media to voice their support for Brand.
Watching tonight's #hignfy and may I just say on behalf of all women.... pic.twitter.com/XNTjgYfvKH
— Louise Atkinson (@MsLouAtkinson) November 3, 2017
#hignfy Well said Jo Brand. I don't think men will ever understand the build up of their 'low level' crimes against women.
— Kirsten Fisher (@Quirkyfish) November 3, 2017
Think #HIGNFY may regret having 4 blokes try to make light of the recent sex scandal, Jo Brand doing a good job of putting them straight
— Ollie Pope (@Ollieargyle9) November 3, 2017
#hignfy male guests discussing groping scandal well done Jo Brand for standing up to them. Poor representation BBC
— frankie (@frankiebird9) November 3, 2017
Tonight's #HIGNFY presents one woman explaining sexual harassment to four white men who still think it's bantz. Thank you @iamjobrandhttps://t.co/iSQNLtWLi6
— Sophie Walker (@SophieRunning) November 4, 2017