I'll have to watch Question Time, cheers for the heads up. With me, I'm like this with most literati, I was bedazzled by his breadth of words and descriptions. I loved his short stories, then tried to read his novels. Oh dear without the pithy plot devices of his short stories I found myself just constantly analysing why? Why is he using this extended sentence, why is he using four or five arcane/obscure words on a roll, why does it feel like he's saying nothing but a flight of word fancy that feels orgasmic only in his brain?????
Then I saw him on the South Bank show, and although there were a few things that I agreed with, I just thought what a sincere cunt. At that time I was seriously unimpressed with Amis, Hitchens and Self. I thought that their morals were skewed and they seemed to sneer at anything outside their little superior club. It still makes me chuckle though the piece about him taking off al the badges on his Volvo, and his hatred of modern marketing/commerce: I have some affinity to that.
Then he went on Shooting Stars, and was clearly mocking the image he had in the press. He's managed to kick his drug addictions, and according to his wife works hard at this and his family life. One of his interests is psychogeography post his addictions. He used to have an article in the Independent talking about this. Psychogeography is something I always enjoyed doing in new cities I've lived in, just I didn't have a name for it, and it's something I admire him for. Whereas the above mentioned Keith Allen, thought taking drugs into his 40's+ and not giving a shit much about his family life was the way to gratify himself, Self had a very hard time trying to improve himself.
In short, in my youth I had severe swings between hatred and admiration. Now I figure I wouldn't want to read much of what he writes, but the guy clearly can laugh at himself, which is more than most....... certainly more than Jim Davidson. Still anyone involved in one of my favourite comedy sketches, is a legend in my eye:
Somoene told me once that he was caught doing heroin on an airplane , whilst he was working as a journo
dont know if it is true
It was coke and he was on the PM's plane.
John Major's plane and it was reported at the time, with vast coverage, that it was heroin he snorted. I was reading newspapers for a living then, and I've never seen him say it was anything else. He even said at the time something like I'm a journo who's hired because he does drugs.
I didn't see it last night but he was on QT with Vorderman about a year ago and reduced her arguments to shreds. I've read a couple of his books but stopped after 'Great Apes' which I thought was awful. He does like to show off a bit by using long and obscure words.
Double standards of the media, he was sacked for his heroin taking, although his habit had been well known for some time. Upsetting that morally upstanding fine John Major was a step too far it would seem. Self's childhood and early life were pretty chaotic but he succeeded in overcoming his various addictions ( apart from nicotine), so I guess he's a kind of success story. I prefer just to read his books/articles as I really don't enjoy watching him. He's an atheist who thinks British Rail should never have been privatised and doesn't want the NHS to go the same way, are those ideas controversial or left wing then?
I've read a few of his books. Some are great- some aren't. But they are all interesting and try something different. I can see how he could seem a show off but ultimately he's just a clever bloke.
I too find his verbosity a bit much at times and have struggled through only a couple of his books but warmed to him slightly last night. As others have said he nailed the question on the railway privatisation in particular and I don't see anyone but the most idiologically blinkered being able to take a different view.
I was actually expecting a little more of Will Young given he only had Pickles to contend with.
Another 'Champagne Socialist', earning well over £150,000 grand a year, spouted mainly rubbish. His sarcasm faired well as he had that idiot Eric Pickles and Will Young on an abysmal panel!
QT is ideal for someone like me as it makes it all more understandable with what they debate, like i said i didnt find myself disagreeing with all he said, i just found him extreemly annoying it was as if he was saying i am far too intelligent for you all so listen to me, he came across really arrogant and self indulging
Another 'Champagne Socialist', earning well over £150,000 grand a year, spouted mainly rubbish. His sarcasm faired well as he had that idiot Eric Pickles and Will Young on an abysmal panel!
You have to laugh at somebody that can't even think of a witty/original/self-created put-down, trying to belittle someone's ideas. Well as I don't earn over 45 grand I'm off to quaff a cheap glass down my local club, The Prosecco Proletarians.
PS he's a tee totaller, maybe pejorate with a wit tipped point?
I missed Question Time last night but I've seen him previously and, whether one agrees or disagrees with him, it is refreshing to see somebody attack the general ignorance, complacency and vacuuousness of most of the professional politicians that appear on the programme.
I can't stand him. He's another 'celebrity' who has built a career on the fact that he was at one time a 'junkie'. His novels are derivative rubbishy drivel and how he gets continuous air time on the BBC I do not know .. well I DO know but refrain from commenting as I would be accused of racism by some. On question time this week I believe that he and Will Young were on the panel .. quite, utterly ridiculous. MPs and leaders of industry should be panelists on these supposedly serious programmes and not z list celebrities
Clearly a very clever guy, just as clearly he knows it and wants everyone else to! It's always nice to see anyone taking some of the crap politicians and others spout to pieces, I just wish it wasn't someone I would quite happily punch.
Haven't watched QT yet , getting bored of it , tends to be the same stuff going round and round , week after week, , no wonder the country is in a mess , a little less conversation a little more action , as someone once said would be nice.
Haven't watched QT yet , have recorded it , getting bored of it , tends to be the same stuff going round and round , week after week, , no wonder the country is in a mess , a little less conversation a little more action , as someone once said would be nice.
Ooops was trying edit my post , eneded up with a double post ... Solly.
Uboat,hold your horses! I was simply agreeing with your sentiment about the general tone of the forum,i.e. if you don't like Jim Davidson but like Will Self you are 'a left-wing twonk' If I've misinterpreted your post,my apologies.
I can't stand him. He's another 'celebrity' who has built a career on the fact that he was at one time a 'junkie'. His novels are derivative rubbishy drivel and how he gets continuous air time on the BBC I do not know .. well I DO know but refrain from commenting as I would be accused of racism by some. On question time this week I believe that he and Will Young were on the panel .. quite, utterly ridiculous. MPs and leaders of industry should be panelists on these supposedly serious programmes and not z list celebrities
Hopefully Jim Davidson will get to appear on Question Time - does he qualify as Z list?
I saw him once a charity do. He was being really clever. I mean really clever, in front of my Mum and my business partners daughter. So I went up on stage and punched him in the face. I then ran away. I'd do it again though.
Is this the same chirpy red that berated the chap who punched Ade Edmonson? 'Resorting to violence is the lowest of the low' and 'You hit him and then ran away. Very brave.' Surely not.
Is this the same chirpy red that berated the chap who punched Ade Edmonson? 'Resorting to violence is the lowest of the low' and 'You hit him and then ran away. Very brave.' Surely not.
Comments
Then I saw him on the South Bank show, and although there were a few things that I agreed with, I just thought what a sincere cunt. At that time I was seriously unimpressed with Amis, Hitchens and Self. I thought that their morals were skewed and they seemed to sneer at anything outside their little superior club. It still makes me chuckle though the piece about him taking off al the badges on his Volvo, and his hatred of modern marketing/commerce: I have some affinity to that.
Then he went on Shooting Stars, and was clearly mocking the image he had in the press. He's managed to kick his drug addictions, and according to his wife works hard at this and his family life. One of his interests is psychogeography post his addictions. He used to have an article in the Independent talking about this. Psychogeography is something I always enjoyed doing in new cities I've lived in, just I didn't have a name for it, and it's something I admire him for. Whereas the above mentioned Keith Allen, thought taking drugs into his 40's+ and not giving a shit much about his family life was the way to gratify himself, Self had a very hard time trying to improve himself.
In short, in my youth I had severe swings between hatred and admiration. Now I figure I wouldn't want to read much of what he writes, but the guy clearly can laugh at himself, which is more than most....... certainly more than Jim Davidson. Still anyone involved in one of my favourite comedy sketches, is a legend in my eye:
I can see how he could seem a show off but ultimately he's just a clever bloke.
I was actually expecting a little more of Will Young given he only had Pickles to contend with.
He certainly has a bit more between his ears than I do and many others.
PS he's a tee totaller, maybe pejorate with a wit tipped point?
If I've misinterpreted your post,my apologies.
despite the "rhetoric" no one would miss him if he wasnt there
I'd do it again though.
Surely not.
Surely not.