Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

DJ Axed for Dissing Queen's Speech

Guillotine quip gets British jokester the chop

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 30, 2009 4:13 AM CST

(Newser) – A British radio DJ's bosses weren't amused when he cut short the Queen's traditional speech and joked about the guillotine. The owners of Birmingam station BRMB say presenter Tom Binns—who called the speech boring before putting on Wham's Last Christmas—won't be working for any of the media group's stations again, the Telegraph reports.

After the station switched to the speech by mistake, "I decided to get rid of it and make a joke. I said: 'Two words: bor-ing.' I then went into an old riff about how people say the royal family are good for tourism, but the French beheaded theirs and people still visit France," Binns said. "It's got to the point where comedians aren't allowed to say anything that could possibly offend anyone anymore," he complained.

[Images (1)]

[Videos (1)]

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II poses prior to the recording of her annual Christmas Day broadcast. (AP Photo/John Stillwell, pool)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas message to her subjects. (CBC)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

CLICK BELOW TO VOTE

31%

59%

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Queen Sought Poverty Money to Heat Palaces

Palace applied for funds earmarked for low-income families

(NEWSER) - An elderly British woman struggling with her heating bills who sought help from a government program to aid low-income families was told that, as queen, she wasn't the kind of individual the program was meant to assist. Ministers apologetically rejected Buckingham Palace's request for funds earmarked to help housing associations and hospitals implement energy-saving programs, according to documents obtained by the Independent. More»

Strapped Queen Surrendered Royal Finances to Gov't

Government gains veto power over how $60M allowance is spent

(NEWSER) - The British government now has the final say over how Queen Elizabeth II spends her annual $60 million allowance from the government. The monarch signed over official control of her spending in 2006, following cash-flow problems that saw her borrow another $3 million from the government, reports the Independent , which discovered the agreement through a Freedom of Information Act request. More»

The Queen Called a Philistine

Historian says Elizabeth II is uneducated and incurious, even about her predecessors

(NEWSER) - Queen Elizabeth II is undereducated and lacks curiosity about culture and her predecessors, a British historian charges in an interview with the Guardian. "I think she's got elements a bit like Goebbels in her attitude to culture," David Starkey says. "You remember: 'Every time I hear the word culture I reach for my revolver.'" Starkey, who winds up a 17-part TV series on the monarchy next week with a look at the Windsors, also calls Princess Diana hysterical and destructive but has kind words for Prince Charles. More»

Queen Breaks Royal Age Record

81-year-old passes Victoria, becomes oldest Brit monarch

(NEWSER) - As of today, Queen Elizabeth II is Britain's oldest-ever monarch, AFP reports. She's now a day older than Queen Victoria lived to be, and while she doesn't seem to be slowing down much, the British are starting to think about what will happen after she dies—as well as looking back at her remarkable reign. More»

Elizabeth Marks 60 Years as Queen

Thanks British people as Diamond Jubilee kicks off

(NEWSER) - It's 60 years to the day since Elizabeth II became queen, and she's kicking off a year of celebrations with a message to the British people. "I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years," she writes. "In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship, and good neighborliness." More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

DJ Axed for Dissing Queen's Speech