But much more concerning was a Radio 4 programme last Wednesday, which purported to intellectualise, under the banner of human dignity and choice, a discussion that included dwarf hurling as a sporting pastime and consensual cannibalism.
But in a world where clever minds would rather intellectualise pop culture than make a difficult news item accessible, Newsnight should be the last touchstone of serious analysis.
In the four-week rehearsal process, it was okay to ask any question, to bring up any story, to really over-analyse everything and intellectualise everything.
We can intellectualise for ever about the merits of any element around us - from great art to architecture - but if the first response isn't an honest emotional response, the rest isn't worth a damn.
The only sort of adults who seek to intellectualise the programme are those regressively infantile adults who regard The Simpsons as superior to Shakespeare or Beckett.
