Carol Vorderman isn’t afraid to tell Conservative MPs what she thinks, and she didn’t hold back when Dominic Raab mispronounced the late Paul O’Grady’s name in Parliament yesterday.
This comes after the famed broadcaster, better known by his drag identity Lily Savage, died ‘unexpectedly and painlessly’ on Tuesday evening at the age of 67.
Countless prominent figures, including celebrities from the entertainment sector, the royal family, and even Sir Chris Bryant in the House of Commons, have paid respect to the icon.
However, following what was a rare moving speech in the chamber, Mr Raab felt he’d rise up and wade in on the respects – which did not go well at all.
‘I totally agree with him, Paul Grayson was an incredible comic but he also…’ he started, before trailing off as MPs picked up on his mistake, to which he grinned and corrected himself.
‘Paul O’Grady. But in terms of Lily Savage, also I think some of that comedy broke glass ceilings and broke boundaries in a way that certainly politicians would struggle to do. I agree with that.’
He continued: ‘I also think it shows how we need greater, more rambunctious free speech, and we need to avoid the wokery and the limitations on comedy, which I’m afraid both of them would have had no time for.’
Naturally, Twitter erupted, with one user calling it ‘perhaps one of the most painful Parliament moments in history,’ while another stated that ‘the man’s stupidity knows no bounds.’
And the famed Countdown mathematical wiz wasn’t happy either, writing: ‘DominD**k Ar*e,’ before adding, ‘Ooh soz I got his name incorrect’.
‘Name checking Paul O’Grady as Paul Grayson in the House of Commons today For many reasons, I think there’s a special place in hell for this bullying piece of…… Don’t you?’
‘I love it when Carol comes with the fighting talk! well said,’ chimed in one of Carol’s followers, while another wrote: ‘Why is this man so odious? Paul O’Grady died last night – does he have no respect?!!’
It’s safe to say Sir Bryant’s speech was a lot better.
‘I don’t know whether the deputy prime minister ever met Lily Savage, or has ever spent a night out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern,’ he said.
‘But Lily was performing at the height of the Aids crisis in 1987, when police officers raided the pub, arrested her amongst others. They were wearing rubber gloves because supposedly they were protecting themselves from contracting HIV from touching gay men.’
Sir Bryant then remembered Savage’s famous quote from that time: ‘“Oh lads, you’ve come to do the washing up. That’s great.”’
Sir Bryant remembered O’Grady’s alter ego Savage, who “campaigned hilariously for elderly people, for care workers, against oppression of every kind.”
‘Isn’t it time we in this country celebrated our naughty, hilarious drag queens and comics of every kind who inspire us to be a better and more generous nation?’ he asked, in a powerful end to the tribute.
‘It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening.’ said O’Grady’s spouse, Andre Portasio, in a statement on Wednesday.
‘We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
‘He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
‘I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.’