Unless you've been living in a political chasm over the past year, chances are you'll have seen YouTube videos on your newsfeed of an irate news reporter caught on camera mouthing off whichever politician is hot news that week. He's funny, brutal, rasor sharp, and is gaining popularity at an alarming pace, so we've gathered everything you need to know about the UK's sweariest news reporter.
Who is Jonathan Pie?
Jonathan Pie is the brainchild of comedian and actor, Tom Walker. He's a potty-mouthed, highly quotable parody of a journalist who can often be found outside Westminster bemoaning current affairs. His aim is to deliver 'news - told the way it should be'. In an interview with RT, Walker explains that in mainstream news, 'there is quite often an agenda rather than just telling the news, telling facts' - Jonathan Pie is his answer to this.
Who's Tom Walker?
Tom Walker is an actor living in London. He graduated from Drama School in 2000, doesn't have a political background, and never intended to be a satirist - according to Walker, 'Jonathan Pie was just an idea I've had in my head for years'. The catalyst came when Jeremy Corbyn was elected - Walker was furious at the way in which the press 'pounced on him [Corbyn] with ... blatant fucking lies'.
Where can I watch Jonathan Pie?
Jonathan Pie can be found angrily expostulating on Youtube and on his
(https://twitter.com/jonathanpienews) pages. This summer, he'll also be performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
You can also watch his latest video all about Donald Trump (urgh) here...
Who is Jonathan Pie a reporter for?
So, we've established that, alas, Jonathan Pie isn't a real news reporter - so who's recording him? When Walker started out, he was a one man team with a camera and a tripod. Now, he works for RT UK, who record and edit his work.
Is it off the cuff?
Walker tries not to learn his lines, preferring to write them down 'loosely'. His most scripted piece was the video that brought him internet fame, racking up millions of views after it was shared on a Facebook page without his knowledge.
Jonathan Pie, news reporter:
Jonathan Pie speaks it like it is, essentially, it's funny 'cause it's true. Even though he has no background in hard news or politics, he manages to sum up exactly what we'd want to articulately riff off to a bigoted aunt, when in fact all we can manage to mumble is 'yeah, but like, the economy 'n stuff'. He also uttered the phrase '18 silver spoons of poison per serving of the full fat, Tory right wing austerity jizzum tsunami', which is pretty fucking hilare.
Jonathan Pie on Brexit...
There's very little we can add to this.
Basically, he's hilarious, truthful, and a bit fucking rude - what's not to love...
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.