Category: Icons Of Our Time

Jimmy Savile: Keep Quiet & Carry On

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Image: @SOTCAA.

Without making assumptions of guilt or innocence, the response of a sizeable minority of people towards the recent allegations against Jimmy Savile is making it increasingly clear to me how this kind of thing might have gone unchecked for so long.

I realise it must be horrendous for his family, but the level of anger directed towards the women claiming he assaulted them – the preferred option apparently to “let him Rest In Peace” – frightens me.

I thought we’d made some progress since the 70’s. Obviously not.

More: Grace Dent, Independent. ‘Soon, Pervert, Soon‘.

Shirley Manson: Divisive, Much?

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Image via twitter.

Garbage have been going for almost twenty years now (shudder), but it seems that front woman Shirley Manson still manages to provoke terror and confusion wherever she goes.

Good to see some things never change.

Paris Hilton Opens Mouth, Changes Feet

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Image: PacificCoastNews.com.

What Paris Hilton Allegedly Said In A Cab:

Ewwww … gay guys are the horniest people in the world … they’re disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS. … I would be so scared if I was a gay guy … you’ll, like, die of AIDS.

What Paris Hilton’s Rep Claims That Paris Hilton Actually Said In A Cab:

Paris was simply trying to express that it is dangerous for anyone to have unprotected sex that could lead to a life-threatening disease. Her comments were in reference to those people promoting themselves on the [Grindr, gay men’s social networking] site. The cab driver who recorded this only provided a portion of the conversation. It was not her intent to make any derogatory comments about all gays.

Yep. And I’m a daffodil.

Let’s not be churlish though. It’s pretty impressive that Paris has finally managed to alienate the one demographic even vaguely prepared to countenance her pointlessness. It’s been a long time coming, but she got there in the end!

DOING!!!!

Duchess Of Cambridge: Judge Or Be Judged

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Image: Gf/Bauer Griffin.

Should the French edition of Closer have published topless photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge taken when she was on a private holiday with her husband?

This is the question being pondered by virtually every news outlet in lieu of publishing said photos on or in their own website or newspaper. It’s a tactic that is increasingly used by the media to distract the public from the uncomfortable questions we really should be asking in these situations, and it shocks me that so many bright, supposedly intelligent people buy into it. Apparently, it’s now more important to have your voice heard than to say anything remotely sensible or constructive. And who is going to engage with a media source that makes you question your own motives and decisions when there are so many more out there literally begging you to pass judgement on others?

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Pussy Riot: Martyrs For Mobilisation

Posted on by Kelly Welles

The whole ‘hoping this would just go away’ policy was not working out for the Russian authorities. Image: REUTERS/Mikhail Voskresensky.

Three members of a Russian punk band arrested for singing a protest song in an orthodox church have been sentenced to two years in jail.

In her verdict, Judge Marina Syrova claimed that Pussy Riot “committed hooliganism driven by religious hatred” and in doing so offended the church and religious people.

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Olympic Observations: Loose Ends & Legends

Posted on by Kelly Welles

“You’re the wires guy, right?” Boris assumes security has been heightened in light of his last adventure. Image: SEAN DEMPSEY/AFP/GettyImages.

It’s all over, people, and you can now expect the UK to drift back into the familiar territory of self-hatred and celebrity lovin’ superciliousness we know and the Daily Mail loves.

Let’s just have one more round-up to remember it by, shall we?

Continue reading “Olympic Observations: Loose Ends & Legends” →

Icons Of Our Time: Gore Vidal

Posted on by Kelly Welles

In 2009, author Dave Eggers was honoured alongside Gore Vidal at the National Book Awards. He said of Vidal at the time:

… [he] meant everything to me when I was learning how to write and learning how to read. His words, his intellect, his activism, his ability and willingness to always speak up and hold his government accountable, especially, has been so inspiring to me I can’t articulate it.

Vidal himself, who died last night aged 86, once said:

Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.

I can’t disagree with either. RIP Gore.

Madonna: Another One Bites The Dust

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Bang Bang… my idol shot me down. Image: AP Photo / Sean Dempsey.

Dear Madonna,

It is my sad duty to inform you that, after careful consideration, your role as my idol has become redundant.

I realise this may come as a shock to you given the length of your tenure in my life (or even more likely, you won’t give a crap because financially, it’s still a winner) , but in truth, your position has been has been under threat for some time.

Indeed, I began to suspect you weren’t the female influence I was hoping for when I got old enough to realise that getting my boobs out and pretending to be sexually available for every moment of my waking life did not encourage people to take me seriously.

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50 Shades Of Grey: But Seriously…

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Image via tumblr.

Haven’t read it, don’t intend to.

But. I am curious as to how, in an apparently sexually liberated culture, a titillating tome about mild bondage can have become a literary phenomenon.

Isn’t anyone having the kind of sex they want to be having? At all?

Gary Lineker: And That’s Your Professional Opinion, Is It?

Posted on by Kelly Welles

Future Prime Minister? Could happen. Image: REUTERS/Toby Melville.

Have experienced the full horror of playing for the England football team, Gary Lineker really should have learned to recognise a pointless exercise when he sees one.

Of course, Lineker played at a time when football wasn’t in the public domain and therefore not subject to the opinions of people for whom football is just another entertainment format. As the figurehead of the BBC’s Euro 2012 coverage recently, one would imagine he’d at least be conversant with reality.

It may not have been earth shattering for all of us, but Gary was so incensed by Stuart Pearce’s omission of David Beckham from the GB Olympic football team that he issued a  tweet of condemnation. This prompted a Twitter backlash against the decision, which then resulted in #pickbecks trending and general agreement that Pearce is a mean git.

Continue reading “Gary Lineker: And That’s Your Professional Opinion, Is It?” →