THOUGHT FOR THE DAY XLI: ON THE GBNEWS DEBACLE

A look at the ongoing fiasco at GBNews in the aftermath of Laurence Fox and Dan Wootton's criticism of journalist Ava Evans' misandry.

THE RAPACIOUS ESTABLISHMENT AND THE REHABILITATION OF MICHAEL BARRYMORE

For those who do not know who he is - and most outside of Britain will not - Michael Barrymore was a generally well-loved television presenter and game show host in the 1980s and '90s, particularly by elderly women. In 1995, Barrymore publicly came out as homosexual after having led a double life away from his nineteen-year marriage to Cheryl, who was also his manager. The other Michael, who the public never saw, was a drug addict and alcoholic who had previously assaulted his wife, the police putting her on the at risk register. I still maintain that one of the causes of homosexuality is mind-altering drug use. After coming out, every on-camera joke and remark became about 'being gay', as it consumed his life, just as 99% of homosexuals become singularly consumed by this lifestyle choice. Everything was camped-up and over-the-top. Cheryl was repeatedly publicly embarrassed and an acrimonious divorce ensued. People began to switch off. Ratings dropped and his show Barrymore was eventually cancelled. Yet strangely, in spite of his drop in popularity, new vehicles were always found for him and he consistently won the National Television Award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter until his depraved lifestyle got the better of him and public outrage ensured awarding him the prize was no longer justifiable.

 

FRAMING THE DISCOURSE: PIERS MORGAN VS MUNROE BERGDORF

Piers Morgan is someone I despise. He could be considered a Tony Blair of the media: someone who constantly fakes emotion and can argue passionately for one proposition and a few days later argue equally passionately for the counter-proposition. He is symptomatic of the British bourgeoisie: mealy-mouthed and insincere, his only morality being his bank balance and his deference to whatever elite is in power. Yet he is even more dishonest than this obvious observation suggests. Furthermore, Morgan is typical of the groupthink inherent in today's media, where all discourse is framed to manipulate public opinion.

Fake toughness, fake arguments