Michael McIntyre discovers Gianni Infantino in his audience and decides to ask the FIFA president’s entire contact list one very simple question: why does everyone hate him?
With thousands of contacts receiving the message, the replies begin arriving. Lionel Messi still has a score to settle, Donald Trump is ready to take action, while one final response from Bonnie Blue leaves Infantino wishing Michael had never picked up his phone.
Michael McIntyre discovers Gianni Infantino in his audience and decides to ask the FIFA president’s entire contact list one very simple question: why does everyone hate him?
With thousands of contacts receiving the message, the replies begin arriving. Lionel Messi wants answers about the release of some uncomfortable Ref Cam footage, Donald Trump offers enthusiastic support for the World Cup, while one final response from Bonnie Blue leaves Infantino wishing Michael had never picked up his phone.
Michael Spots Gianni in the Audience
Michael McIntyre is working the audience when he notices a particularly familiar face.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has turned up for the show with his partner.
That is all the invitation Michael needs.
Rather than simply asking Infantino a few awkward questions, Michael decides to involve several thousand other people in the conversation.
Why Does Everyone Hate Gianni?
Michael gets hold of Infantino’s phone and opens his contacts.
There are rather a lot of them.
Instead of choosing one football administrator, politician or former player, Michael selects all 8,247 contacts.
The message is short and direct:
“Why does everyone hate me?”
Then he presses “Send to all Contacts”.
Infantino can do little except wait for the consequences.
Messi Wants Answers About Ref Cam
The first reply comes from Lionel Messi.
There is no reassurance for the FIFA president.
Instead, Messi has a question of his own:
“Everyone! Why have you let them release that ‘Ref Cam’ footage of me being scolded in the final?”
Suddenly the experiment has touched on one of football’s newest talking points: what players actually say to referees during matches.
Ref Cam can give supporters a perspective that television broadcasts have traditionally been unable to provide, but greater access also means players and officials may find some previously private exchanges becoming very public.
Messi clearly would have preferred this particular conversation to remain on the pitch.
Trump Defends Gianni
Another notification arrives.
This time it is Donald Trump.
Unlike Messi, Trump has no complaints for the FIFA president.
Quite the opposite.
His response is characteristically enthusiastic:
“Don’t listen to them, Gianni. The World Cup was a tremendous success, a spectacular success, run by the Greatest President ever.”
Exactly which president deserves the credit is perhaps best left for Gianni to work out.
For a moment, however, Infantino finally has somebody on his side.
Then another name appears on Michael’s screen.
Bonnie Blue Is Typing
The next notification is from Bonnie Blue.
Infantino’s expression immediately changes.
His partner notices too.
Michael continues looking at the phone as the atmosphere around Gianni becomes considerably less comfortable.
There is a brief pause.
Then comes the message.
The Usual, Gianni?
Bonnie Blue seems rather more sympathetic than Messi.
She has apparently noticed that Infantino is having a difficult evening.
Her response reads:
“Oh you poor thing… sounds like you need the ‘Usual’ Gianni?”
Michael bursts out laughing.
Infantino looks horrified.
His partner looks considerably less amused.
The joke is left deliberately unexplained.
Unfortunately for Gianni, his reaction may have already explained enough.
Football’s Most Dangerous Contact List
The cartoon takes the familiar audience-interaction format of a television comedy show and applies it to one of football’s most connected administrators.
A FIFA president’s phone could conceivably contain an extraordinary collection of footballers, politicians, executives and celebrities.
That makes Infantino’s contact list the perfect place for Michael to go looking for answers.
The three responses also take the story in completely different directions.
Messi brings the conversation back to football. Trump turns it into a celebration of presidential greatness. Bonnie Blue makes the whole thing personal.
The Ref Cam Inspiration
The Messi gag reflects the growing use of referee cameras to provide supporters with another perspective on what happens during major matches.
For years, television viewers have been able to see confrontations between players and officials without necessarily hearing exactly what was said.
Greater access changes that dynamic.
For football, it can provide fascinating insight into refereeing and player management.
For somebody caught receiving a particularly stern lecture from an official, it may be slightly less appealing.
In the Storybook version, Messi wants to know why Infantino allowed anybody to see it in the first place.
Characters Featured
Michael McIntyre
Michael is the instigator.
Spotting Infantino in the audience is not enough. He wants to discover what thousands of people in the FIFA president’s phone really think about him.
Once the replies start arriving, Michael enjoys every increasingly uncomfortable moment.
Gianni Infantino
The FIFA president begins the evening as an unsuspecting audience member.
He soon finds his entire contact list receiving a question he probably would have preferred to keep private.
Messi wants an explanation, Trump wants to celebrate and Bonnie Blue appears to know Gianni rather better than his partner might appreciate.
Lionel Messi
Messi does not answer Infantino’s question directly.
Instead, he wants to know why footage of him being scolded during the final has been released.
For Messi, the real issue is apparently not why people dislike Gianni, but why the FIFA president failed to keep Ref Cam under control.
Donald Trump
Trump provides the supportive response Infantino has been waiting for.
He dismisses the criticism and declares the World Cup a tremendous, spectacular success.
He also manages to ensure that the greatest president ever receives appropriate recognition.
Bonnie Blue
Bonnie Blue delivers the final punchline.
She expresses sympathy for Infantino before suggesting that his difficult evening calls for “the usual”.
Michael finds the response hilarious.
Gianni’s partner does not.
Behind the Gag
The strip is structured around three very different relationships.
Messi provides the topical football joke through Ref Cam.
Trump provides the political satire by turning his reply into a celebration of presidential success.
Bonnie Blue provides the punchline by introducing a completely different reason for Infantino to start worrying.
The final gag works because the “usual” is never defined.
Gianni’s expression — and his partner’s reaction — allow the reader to fill in the blanks.
Looking Back
This Storybook episode brings football administration into the world of television comedy, with Gianni Infantino discovering the potential dangers of having a very well-connected phone.
Michael begins with an apparently innocent question but, once all 8,247 contacts receive it, Infantino has no control over who might answer or what they might reveal.
Messi wants answers about Ref Cam. Trump thinks everything was spectacular. Bonnie Blue simply wants to know whether Gianni needs “the usual”.
By the final panel, Infantino has probably decided that some questions are better left unsent.
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Michael Spots Gianni in the Audience
Michael McIntyre is working the audience when he notices a particularly familiar face.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has turned up for the show with his partner.
That is all the invitation Michael needs.
Rather than simply asking Infantino a few awkward questions, Michael decides to involve several thousand other people in the conversation.
Why Does Everyone Hate Gianni?
Michael gets hold of Infantino’s phone and opens his contacts.
There are rather a lot of them.
Instead of choosing one football administrator, politician or former player, Michael selects all 8,247 contacts.
The message is short and direct:
“Why does everyone hate me?”
Then he presses “Send to all Contacts”.
Infantino can do little except wait for the consequences.
Messi Hasn’t Forgotten
The first reply comes from Lionel Messi.
There is no reassurance for the FIFA president.
Messi has another grievance on his mind:
“Everyone! The ref gave us nothing in the final… why?”
Whatever sympathy Infantino might have been hoping for, he is not going to find it there.
Michael, meanwhile, appears delighted that the experiment is already producing results.
Trump Is Ready to Help
Another notification arrives.
This time it is Donald Trump.
Unlike Messi, Trump appears considerably more supportive.
He wants to know exactly who hates Gianni.
More importantly, he is ready to do something about it:
“Who hates you Gianni? I’ll hit ’em hard!!”
For a moment, Infantino may even begin to think that sending the message was worthwhile.
Then another name appears on the screen.
Bonnie Blue Is Typing
The next notification is from Bonnie Blue.
Infantino’s expression immediately changes.
His partner notices too.
Michael continues looking at the phone, completely unaware — or perhaps completely aware — that the most dangerous reply of the evening may be about to arrive.
There is a brief pause.
Then comes the message.
The Usual, Gianni?
Bonnie Blue does not ask why everybody hates Infantino.
She does not mention FIFA.
She does not mention football at all.
Her reply consists of four words:
“The usual, Gianni?”
Michael bursts out laughing.
Infantino looks horrified.
His partner looks considerably less amused.
Suddenly, explaining why people might dislike the FIFA president is no longer the biggest problem facing Gianni that evening.
Football’s Most Dangerous Contact List
The cartoon takes the familiar audience-interaction format of a television comedy show and applies it to one of football’s most connected administrators.
A FIFA president’s phone would theoretically contain an extraordinary collection of footballers, politicians, executives and celebrities.
That makes Infantino’s contact list the perfect place for Michael to go looking for answers.
The joke is not simply that people reply.
It is that every reply reveals a completely different relationship with Gianni.
Characters Featured
Michael McIntyre
Michael is the instigator.
Spotting Infantino in the audience is not enough. He wants to discover what thousands of people in the FIFA president’s phone really think about him.
Once the replies start arriving, Michael enjoys every increasingly uncomfortable moment.
Gianni Infantino
The FIFA president begins the evening as an unsuspecting audience member.
He soon finds his entire contact list receiving a question he probably would have preferred to keep private.
Messi’s complaint is manageable. Trump’s enthusiasm is slightly more concerning.
Bonnie Blue’s reply is another matter entirely.
Lionel Messi
Messi uses the opportunity to complain about the referee in the final.
It appears that even when Gianni is asking for reassurance, football’s arguments are never far away.
Donald Trump
Trump interprets the message rather differently.
He does not ask why people dislike Infantino.
He wants names — and promises to hit Gianni’s enemies hard.
Bonnie Blue
Bonnie Blue delivers the final punchline without explaining anything.
“The usual, Gianni?” is enough.
Michael understands that something interesting has just happened, Infantino understands exactly what has happened and, judging by her expression, so does his partner.
Behind the Gag
The strip is structured around three increasingly revealing replies.
Messi provides the football joke.
Trump provides the political joke.
Bonnie Blue provides the punchline.
The final gag works precisely because nothing is explained. The reaction of Infantino and his partner tells the rest of the story.
Looking Back
This Storybook episode brings football administration into the world of television comedy, with Gianni Infantino discovering the potential dangers of having a very well-connected phone.
Michael begins with an apparently innocent question but, once all 8,247 contacts receive it, Infantino has no control over who might answer.
By the final panel, he has learned an important lesson.
Some contacts are probably better left uncontacted.
