32 h. ago The Chair Company review – an office rage comedy packed with massive, stupid laughs

Tim Robinson is hilarious as a man hellbent on taking down a negligent chair manufacturer in this cringe caper full of roaringly good slapstickMeet Ron Trosper, a faithful office grunt in small town Ohio. Ron works for a company that builds shopping malls, and their latest one is the first for which Ron has been made project lead, despite some of his superiors’ misgivings. Today is his big day. He’s giving a speech at the launch!Ron is the creation of Tim Robinson, the former Saturday Night Live writer/performer who reinvented the American sketch show in 2019 with I Think You Should Leave. In a new half-hour, eight-episode series that starts as a workplace comedy before sprawling into mystery/thriller territory, his alter ego is a stock Robinson character, a variation on the textbook comic protagonist who has to bear the burden of being the only sane man in every room. Ron is genuinely beset by absurdity, misfortune and other people’s idiocy and selfishness, but always manages to re...

Society

47 h. ago The Chair Company reviews explain why Tim Robinson has made 'best show of the year'

The show is an addictive thriller meets outrageous comedy

Politics

1 week ago Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl review – lazy big screen cash

The megastar’s underwhelming new album gets a suitably sub-par cinematic accompaniment offering very little for even the most devoted of fansJust as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, fans of Taylor Swift will heed the call for new content. Long before the economy-lifting, paradigm-shifting global domination of her Eras Tour, Swift had cultivated a uniquely intense and personal relationship with her fans, even within the reverential world of pop music. That relationship, sustained through Easter eggs, years long parasocial narratives and arguably her own metaverse, can be real and special and nutritive, a steady raft through life’s storms – I’ve been there. But years into her imperial era, Swift’s cyclical feeding of the fan base has started to seem less like an act of mutual devotion and more nakedly exploitative, the many one-off re-releases and special vinyls and limited-edition Target drops like a billionaire’s tax on her most loyal.The latest of these is the Life o...

Politics

2 w. ago They’ve finally gone there: South Park lets rip at Benjamin Netanyahu

No matter how hot the political temperature, Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s show can be counted on to go for the jugular. And with Brendan Carr in a mountain of poo and Israel’s PM in its sights, the latest episode doesn’t pull any punchesIn the three weeks since South Park last aired, things have changed. The assassination of right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk exploded already fiery political tensions, with the Trump administration and its base embarking on a campaign of retribution the likes of which haven’t been seen since the McCarthy era, and stating, without sufficient evidence, that Kirk’s murder was the result of a wide-ranging leftist plot. Scores of people in the public and private sectors have been punished for commenting on the situation, most notably late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was briefly pulled off air after the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, put parent company Disney under pressure to do so.Suffice to say, the situation is far to...

Politics

2 w. ago Public are RIGHT to be concerned over £600 taxi rides for asylum seekers at taxpayers' expense, says Cabinet minister

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the Home Office was correct to launch a review after it emerged asylum seekers were being given long-distance taxi rides to attend appointments..

Economics

3 w. ago With or without a ceasefire, humanitarian aid must enter Gaza. We managed it in previous wars | Moazzam Malik

Global powers ensured aid during civil wars in Syria and Sudan. We need a ‘Lifeline Rafah’ before more people starveMoazzam Malik is CEO of Save the ChildrenAs the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepens, world leaders gathering for the UN general assembly face a grave moral and political test – one that has implications for the conduct of war and the supply of humanitarian aid in the decades to come.The use of humanitarian aid as an instrument of occupation by the Israeli authorities dates back almost 20 years. As a British official, I led a review of the humanitarian situation in Gaza in 2008 when the then government of Israel had just imposed a blockade. I advised UK ministers that this was not in line with international humanitarian principles, that we wouldn’t accept this in other humanitarian contexts, and we should not do so in this case. The UK government ignored my recommendations on securing independent access for humanitarian aid for Gaza.Moazzam Malik is CEO of Save the...

Events

3 w. ago Experts propose new benefit to replace PIP – here’s what it would look like

Independent experts say they hope an official review of the benefit will learn from their proposals

Politics

3 w. ago Juice season two review – Mawaan Rizwan’s enchanting sitcom comes at you like a tidal wave of creativity

The cast radiate charm, the storytelling is hugely imaginative and the narrative is irresistibly heartwarming. It’s not the funniest comedy, but it has so much more going for it than just laughsMawaan Rizwan began his career as a YouTuber; he later attended the prestigious Paris clown school, École Philippe Gaulier. In Juice, the 33-year-old’s BBC sitcom, he effortlessly unites these disparate comedy training grounds. As the fun-loving commitment-phobe Jamma, Rizwan channels the archetypal man-child vlogger. Puppyish and relatable, he wears his insecurities on his sleeve, and his attempts to conform to the expectations of adulthood are inevitably thwarted. But he is also a figure of more outre fun. With a severe bowl-cut and a penchant for retina-searing fashion, Jamma is overtly ridiculous: a master of slapstick and a magnet for chaos.In series one, Jamma spent most of his time clowning about: hardly working at a quirky marketing company (with mini trampolines instead of desk chair...

Politics

3 w. ago Boulies OP300 Ergonomic Office Chair review: A Quick DIY Solution for Home Workers

Thinking about upgrading your home office setup? Abha Shah’s review of the Boulies OP300 Ergonomic Chair explores its features, setup, performance, and value for money

Society

4 w. ago Give London police officers guns to keep them safe from knife attackers, Met report says

The confidential review suggested all officers should be given semi-automating pistols as a matter of routine.

Events