Missing chunks

The Tim Minchin Comedy Prom was broadcast on BBC2 last night.

Seeing it, rather than just hearing it on the radio, it came across as better and more coordinated.

But.   And but again.  The Beeb in its infinite wisdom decided they could cut it.  Gone was the Kit and the Widow satire on Sondheim (which I'd thought was one of the strongest pieces in the original).  But they'd kept in the Lloyd-Webber piece, which was aimed at a much easier target.

And they cut down Beardyman's set in the same way, removing most of his piece on Pachelbel's Canon - which was also pretty good.  

I'd like to claim they took out the less-populist stuff, but that isn't quite right as they also took out the Kit and the Widow singalong to Nessun Dorma ('Chicken Korma').

However, can you imagine them cutting any other (ie, serious) Prom the same way?  "No, I don't like that bit of the Brahms, so let's leave it out."

My real complaint, I suspect, is the attitude this editing shows to comedy, and the often-disregarded comedy in music at that.  

Just as the recent Guardian Guide to the Opera missed out anything which might be called light or comic opera (and heaven forfend we should mention G&S), so I would suggest this editing out of part of the Comedy Prom also demonstrates the aloofness and high-handedness that can still be seen in some British "High Cultural Circles."  Art has to be serious or its nothing; comedy is easy so we can dismiss it.

Anyway, it was quite annoying.