Daily Mail blames Jack Whitehall "outrage" on internet porn, his mother and 'drunk girls in short skirts'

The end of civilisation as we know it...?

The Daily Mail has reacted badly to Channel 4's unedited repeat of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, lashing out at comedian Jack Whitehall and his family - as well as linking his rise to stardom to a string of other Daily Mail favourites, such as internet pornography, "drunken young women in tiny skirts" and his mother.

An article on the Mail's website this morning tells us the popular comedian is "a certain sort of precocious child — usually the product of a star-struck mother."

It's safe to say we're now into the 'play the man, not the ball' stage of the campaign (see: The Daily Mail limps on with 'Big Fat' campaign). 

'We know where you live'

The Mail seems to be letting Whitehall and his family know they're being watched. We're told his family's names, ages and professions as well as various other personal details. But it's unclear what any of this now has to do with The Big Fat Quiz of the Year or how it is in the public interest.

Elsewhere, the Mail has also deployed columnist Amanda Platell to link Whitehall more broadly to the fall of modern society. 

Platell begins:

"Despite the outrage that greeted Channel 4's vulgar, sexist and deeply unfunny Big Fat Quiz Of The Year the broadcaster has pressed ahead with repeats of the show..."

...by "outrage" we should assume Platell is referring to the five complaints Ofcom received from viewers and the subsequent massively disproportionate reaction of the Daily Mail which roused a few more complaints. (see: Why Ofcom should now ignore 'Big Fat' complaints).

Platell then goes on to link Whitehall's line in sexual innuendo and smutty jokes to "the relentless spread of internet pornography" and other Daily Mail favourites such as "scantily clad women stumbling around drunk" (without which the Mail Online would have very few photo stories):

"The sadness is, too many women have gone along with it: not only by laughing as these idiots make their vile comments, but through their own behaviour. For if shows like The Big Fat Quiz degrade women, then too many young women are willing to degrade themselves. For proof, look no further than pictures taken... on New Year's... showing a parade of drunken young women staggering through the streets in crop tops and tiny skirts."

...pictures of course which the Daily Mail felt duty bound to share with us all this week. 

It's all becoming very 'outrage by numbers'. But surely the end is in sight? Having resorted to  personal attacks it's hard to see where else it can take this faltering campaign.