A dark side of actor David Walliams has been exposed – will he survive the court of public opinion? Perhaps he doesn’t deserve to, writes David Knight.
There’s no people like show people, as Irving Berlin wrote in his classic 1940s song. They smile when they are low, go the lyrics.
So, a round of applause from me to the cast of the musical Sister Act, who recently delighted audiences at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.
They should take a bow for an act of kindness, unseen by those filling the seats for a Saturday afternoon matinee.
They took my grandson, 11, under their wing and gave him a day he would remember for the rest of his life.
In stark contrast, other performers elsewhere would remember a different experience for the rest of their lives, but for the wrong reasons. They were abused by the acid tongue of Britain’s Got Talent judge, David Walliams, in brutal comments leaked to the media. Walliams made light entertainment seem much darker.
Anyway, my happy story was made possible by our American actress friend, Lori, who was in the show.
Initially, it was supposed to be a much more modest affair. My grandson was a pupil at HMT’s kids’ drama classes, so Lori would meet him for hot chocolate and a pep talk about musical theatre.
Things kind of escalated after that, and he ended up on stage for pictures with the cast, including Birds Of A Feather star, Lesley Joseph.
And, to top it all, he was invited to watch the matinee as their guest, from a production area. What a lucky chap.
We saw Walliams’s mask slip
The whole point of There’s No Business Like Show Business is that it is sung to try to persuade Annie, in Annie Get Your Gun, to join a touring show.
Walliams might have the opposite effect for BGT, which projects a wholesome family image. A squeaky-clean favourite with the British public, now tarnished as a result of off-air abuse directed at auditioning performers by comedian Walliams.
Outrageous stars can get away with some things under the guise of artistic licence, free speech and all that. But this wasn’t; it was disgusting and inappropriate stuff about contestants who deserved to be treated with respect and well-judged criticism.
The extraordinary thing about Walliams’s apology was that he appeared to suggest that because he said it in private conversation, and not for public consumption, this somehow made it better.
It made it worse to some extent, because the perception left behind was that his showbiz mask had slipped. We glimpsed an ugly visage underneath, which people might perceive is how he thinks of other hopefuls signing up for BGT.
Perception is reality, as they say in politics. Let’s hope they are wrong, and it was a one-off aberration.
Not everyone survives the court of public opinion
The issue is whether he can get away with it, especially as he is also a highly-successful author of children’s books.
What will young female readers and their mothers make of him? It would not be unreasonable to expect the worst.
After all, showbiz storms whip up fast; a 75,000-name petition demanded the sacking of This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
Their “offence” in the court of public opinion was alleged queue-jumping to see the Queen lying in state. Even though they were accredited with media passes to allow greater access than the public, there was a lingering suspicion that they hitched a ride, so to speak.
In politics, minister Gavin Williamson was forced to quit for an apparent abuse of power over his “slit your throat and jump out of a window” jibes at staff. His troubles aren’t over yet.
Now, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is feeling the heat, after accusations that he’s rude and abrasive to civil servants.
Best leaders inspire both fear and fun
Certain excesses are rightly not tolerated anymore in the workplace – be that office or stage.
Newsrooms were rumbustious places in the 1980s. I recall a boss picking up a reporter and trying to put him head-first in a rubbish bin (not at The P&J).
Fearsome, but full of fun, too; an inspirational leader who demanded high standards and shaped my whole career
I think it was classed as horseplay, but today’s HR would take a dim view.
Yet, we would run through brick walls for this boss. Fearsome, but full of fun, too; an inspirational leader who demanded high standards and shaped my whole career. He’s no longer with us, sadly.
They say the best leaders inspire not only fear, but – critically – respect, too. Those who create fear and loathing don’t last long.
My point is that tough speaking and frank criticism are essential at times, or people just keep making the same mistakes. So, maybe the best bosses – and judges – are entitled to chivvy people along, but it must be balanced by good judgment, fair play and humour.
Walliams was also passing judgment on the performance of others, but failed miserably with his outburst.
Luckily, those Sister Act performers at HMT renewed my faith in human kindness and generosity of spirit. It’s true – there’s no people like show people.
David Knight is the long-serving former deputy editor of The Press and Journal
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