MORALITY NOW

 

Donald Trump, Russell Brand, Tommy Johnson, Andrew Tate, A.N. Other Celebrity, Manchester City; chickens coming home to roost.

People who think they can get away with anything, people that think the law does not apply to them, people whose moral compass is askew. These people are now being held accountable. In an age of grift, arrogance and audacity it is a pleasant surprise to see the dominoes falling.

Operation Yew Tree dismantled the systemic abuse prevalent in the 70s / 80s UK celebrity world and cast a spotlight on many that were popular household names and since then there has been a steady trickle of predators exposed.

Russell Brand is the poster boy of the seeds of the Yew tree. I always thought of him as a cross between Pepe LePew without the credibility, Caligula without the  humility and the Earl of Rochester without the self control, and his libertine persona was revelled in and celebrated by those who should know better. 

Brand and his ilk were no more than bad seventies comedians who dressed as wannabe Rock starts rather than wore beige suits. Innuendo and "ooh missus" was there stock in trade with the  rampant sexism  of a bygone age shrouded in lurid moustache twirling

Not all of the names I have mentioned fall into that category, but my point is that they are all part of a broader idea that a little bit of power allows you to do what you want, when you want with zero accountability

What they do have in common is the arrogance of denial and the contempt with which they hold those who question their behaviours. 

They say that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely, perhaps this is truer now more than ever. Build yourself a following, bamboozle dissenters with cod-philosophy and use faith as a shield and Bob's your Uncle, you have free reign to get away with almost anything.

The leader of the pack, Donald Trump may well be thrown unceremoniously out of the White House so that the decorators can remove the gaudy trappings that he has inflicted on it's interior much as he has inflicted the cult of getting away with murder on his country

But the people cannot be hoodwinked all the time, the law cannot be disregarded, rules cannot be circumnavigated forever.

So let's enjoy the downfall of these 21st Century morally bankrupt figures, let's hope that the message goes out that you cannot have things your own way without paying the price.

ALI G WHO IZ I? OR RATHER ALI G WOT IZ THIS?

Ali G Who Iz I? Is in the tradition of British comedy films of the last 30 years, in as much as it ranks alongside Sex Lives Of The Potato Men, Fat Slags, Lesbian Vampire Killers, Kill Keith and Run For Your Wife. That's right, it's terrible and it's greatest sin is that it just isn't funny.

Sacha Baron Cohen created three characters of real comedic genius and should be given huge credit for that. Of the three Borat has stood the test of time whereas Bruno had his moment and Ali G certainly entertained us for an extended period, but that was then and this is now.

Baron Cohen, like many, works best with a collaborator but his new movie is a solo effort, that falls flat on it's face. Some of the scenes that would once have been shocking and hilarious are neither, they are just rather pathetic.

Grimsby was the movie that made me question Baron Cohen's sensibility as it is easily one of the worst British comedies of all time, but he released the Borat Subsequent Moviefilm which saw him back on top form. I guess that's why green lighting a new Ali G film must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Ali G Who Iz I? is as good an example of flogging a dead horse as I have seen in a while. Morgana Robinson, who is extremely talented, is utterly wasted as 'Me Julie', replacing Kellie Bright who played the role in Ali G Indahouse and the cast of actors and civilians, who Baron Cohen goes to great lengths to point out, are underwhelming.

British Comedy Cinema has a bad reputation this century despite there being some real gems such as Four Lions, In The Loop, Shaun Of The Dead and Sightseers and this latest from Baron Cohen does nothing to enhance it's image.

NF NO THANKS

The content of the Reform expose was, for some, shocking, for others expected. The social media age is a big contributor to the mindset of those caught on camera espousing views and opinions that have no place in modern society let alone within a political party.

Sharing extreme views is easier now and often from the anonymity of Social Media accounts that hide identities and insulate from accountability, but if the person posting does not see their views as extreme it creates a whole other issue.

The party members and other associates spoke with conviction and zero degree of self awareness about what they would do once Reform "got in". Talk of executions, forced deportations and concentration camps were delivered alongside sexist attitudes that were straight out of an episode of On The Buses.

Their leader, that cast member from Wind In The Willows, seems to be ambivalent in private to the misdemeanours of his followers while barely able to criticise in public.

Their leader's initials are a reminder of the past for those of us of a certain age. A past where those letters appeared on walls, in windows on posters, on flyers at football matches and on banners on marches. 

The National Front was a sinister organisation spawned in the seventies utilising a combination of intimidation violence and naive interpretations of Mein Kampf but met with defiance and relentless resistance and in-fighting they melted like the Wicked Witch of the West.

We now have Reform, Resistance, The Patriots and their self appointed Auditors out and about spreading their words of faux wisdom with any opposing view being shouted down by angry red faced individuals lacking teeth and usually clutching a can of Stella Artois.

The people seen had one thing in common; any issues the UK has are because migrants, Muslims and anyone non-white is causing them and the belief that women with large breasts are fair game for sexist remarks 

Tolerating the intolerable seems to be the party motto as they recruit unsuitable members who would not pass muster for most jobs let alone political office.

When an organisation is rotten at its core those that follow that organisation have the tone set by those in charge. The ITV documentary showed that within its walls the Reform Party is an insidious entity and one that is worryingly growing in popularity. I wonder will there be a modern day Anti Nazi League response as there was back in the bad old days?

Here's a link to Exposure A Year in Reform

  

SOFT PAWN

 

Having been, basically, in bed for a week with a bout of truly horrible influenza,I have not had a great deal of sensory input with which to influence this blog. However, I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in Pawn Stars. Yes you read that right 'Pawn' stars; Pawnshop people not adult entertainers. 

The History Channel is currently showing multiple episodes of Pawn Stars, a Las Vegas a sort of Antiques Roadshow CSI Crossover and it's been around since 2019 accumulating a plethora of episodes 

Richard ‘Rick’ Harrison is the Owner of The World Famous (well it is now) Gold And Silver Pawn Shop on the Las Vegas strip. His sidekicks are his son Corey Harrison and Coreys long suffering friend Austin “Chumlee” Russel. Chumlee’s relationship to the family is somewhat like Tom Hagen’s was with the Corleones, although his counsel is generally far from wise

The premise is simple, members of the public saunter into the shop with a variety of items ranging from the desirable to the dismal and the beautiful to the bizarre. The items in question are evaluated and a price arrived upon. But it's not that simple of course, otherwise it would be somewhat boring.

What I guess people watch this show for two main things; remarkable finds that are of interest and make the viewer think about exploring their attics and then there are the ludicrous asking prices and bubble bursting experts that rock up to scrutinise the authenticity of everything from autographs to toys

Pawn Stars finished airing with Season 23 and is on an  indefinite pause but Rick and Chumlee have kept going with the  Pawn After Dark podcast and a variety of spin-off shows.

It was easy for me to go down the Pawn Shop rabbit hole as there is something quite hypnotic about it. The format is simple, repetitive but endlessly interesting. Punctuated by "witty" interchanges between the primaries and appearances by experts who know about virtually every item that is bought in, the show has a roster of characters all with starring roles, albeit briefly.

The interchanges between Rick, Corey and Chumlee are the heart of the show and the viewer almost feels like part of the team as we grow familiar with the shop's day to day process.

This is not high art, it's am American reality TV show set in a pawn shop in Las Vegas and those elements alone may very well put people off,  but, and here's the thing, it still manages to fulfil some of the the high aspiration for television as envisaged by Lord Reith the first director of the BBC:

"To inform, Educate and entertain"

GOAT V BOAT

The Greatest or the best? there is a distinction when it comes to allocating titles. Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer, but was he the best? Casablanca is the greatest movie but is it the best? The Beatles were the greatest band but were they the best?

Tough one, as it's hard to define the difference. Perhaps it's critical acclaim versus statistics, maybe it's popularity versus achievement.

What is clear is that it is unclear, basically no one knows how to judge accurately. I'll try though, using the first three examples.

Muhammad Ali: The self proclaimed GOAT (Greatest Of All Times) was someone who took boxing into the stratosphere with his charisma, talent and razor sharp mind. His ascent in the context of the radical changes in Black life in the USA and the Civil Rights movement was dynamic and meaningful. Boxing writers may say Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Mike Tyson or Henry Armstrong

Casablanca: Critics praise Citizen Kane, the groundbreaking and daring debut from a young Orson Welles. Film buffs point to the amazing The Godfather (part one for clarity as it has Marlon Brando and James Caan) or Ozu's Tokyo Story 

The Beatles: The most important band in the history of popular music would be a title that many would agree with. Their surprisingly brief reign took them from "She Loves You" to "I Am The Walrus" while conquering America and influencing a generation. The ladies and gentlemen of the music press site a variety of artists and bands as the best and it is ever changing. From Pink Floyd to Elvis Presley and from Led Zeppelin to Bob Dylan. A tough call

Perhaps the best way to label things is "favourite", it's opinion based, your opinion, and is not quantifiable but does clarify what the individual thinks about a given subject.

It should avoid argument, but not debate; that's a good thing, and it should stop the disgruntled response of "you're wrong"

So, my favourite boxer is Muhammad Ali, my favourite film is Mulholland Drive and my favourite band is not a band but an artist David Bowie. Now that's not debatable

ABSOLUTE POWER...

 

We are living in an era where the rich and powerful can do whatever they like with impunity, lack of consequences, revolution or uprising. An age of absolute power with any dissent silenced (often permanently)

Therefore, the owners of Manchester City couldn’t give a fig about football’s governing bodies

When the news came out that the club had been found guilty of 114 charges of financial impropriety there was an element of surprise, surprise that it seemed that the Premier League were not going to let this one go. It seemed that two and half decades of malfeasance were going to go unpunished, it felt like this nation state owned club would carry on regardless.

However, the findings of the Premier League were uncompromising, the language used in the statement scathing, the levels of wrongdoing astounding.

The shadow that this casts over the beautiful game is very dark indeed and therefore the decision making about sanctions need to be a scorched earth policy.

To be clear, modern sport is by no means squeaky clean but the sheer temerity with which the ownership ran roughshod over rules that they had agreed to is astonishing.

The belief that sport should operate on a level playing field has been at the core of things since that first ball was kicked, but that is a belief that some disagree with and when those in disagreement have unlimited financial resources belief is irrelevant.  

Many, more qualified than I, can fully explain the levels of cheating that saw Manchester City dominant in the English game and those explanations provide damning evidence of guilt.

Your value system defines your culture, and your culture defines your organisation. Manchester City’s ownership’s value system is that they think they are above the law, any law, but that belief may be misplaced as Manchester City face the mother of all punishments.

BAD COMPANY

 

The 'unwanted company' cinema craze started in the 1980s with films like Fatal Attraction and Dead calm and blossomed in the 1990s with the likes of Pacific Heights, Single White Female, Unlawful Entry, Internal Affairs, Fear, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Bad Influence and Poison Ivy. Some trends are easy to explain; the musicals of the 30s were a reaction to the great  depression, Film Noir was related to the uncertainty of post war life and new Hollywood came out of post Vietnam identity, but this trend is harder to pin down.

Fear of strangers, concerns about threats to stability and unhealthy influence are themes of the genre. This was the end of the Reagan era and the start of the GW Bush era with it's connections to the end of the Cold War and the Gulf War.

So what drove the writers and producers of Hollywood to produce this output?

Could it have been the boom in home entertainment? Watching a movie in the comfort of your own home about someone invading the comfort of your own home may have been an astute combination, but that's not it as they generally did well at the box office.

Baby Boomer anxiety perhaps. The home ownership and urban aspiration that had been worked for so vociferously threatened by the arrival of a an unwanted guest. The Bad Man/Bad Woman lurking on the fringes of a perfect life, the new Bogeyman.

Tarantino and Transpotting rocked up and the cinema landscape changed again. The Deadly stranger receded into the background of the mainstream but worked their way into a genre where they have thrived. That genre of course was horror. The real home of the outsider.

The heyday of the mainstream period of stranger danger was an enjoyable one with fine actors relishing their parts and is an overlooked era of filmmaking.

Who knows, these unwelcome guests may reemerge with the increased fear of the outsider. After all, cinema is at it's best when it reflects life.

GETTING CARRIED AWAY

 

Let's all get carried away shall we? Over reaction is the new black, Knee-jerkism is the opium of the masses and outrage rules the day. Why does everyone feel the need to erupt at the drop of a hat?

The need to be seen and the need to be heard has meant that, in a crowded market, the squeaky wheel get's the grease. That market is attention seeking content viewed through the hand held twat devices that are ubiquitous and all consuming.

Nowhere is this reactionary trend more prevalent than in the world of football. Every goal, foul, free kick, perceived transgression is met with hands flung in the air, ranting and vein throbbing temples. There is a new trend of 'Watchalongs', which, basically are bloke's with a videocamera who sit watching a game while viewers in turn  watch them being performative and blowing their tops at the drop of a hat.

They aren't experts, in fact they struggle to put together coherent sentences, but they, bafflingly, have a multitude of viewers who in turn respond with outrage.

It's a vicious circle of overreaction that is becoming the norm, so much so that mainstream TV and Radio act in a similar way. Controversy equals clicks and clicks equal cash.

The other area where over reaction is king is the world of the right wing reactionary. Fury at the mention of "migrant", rage at the thought of "are country" being taken over, indignation at boats on the channel.

What all this tells me is that pausing for thought is an outdated concept for many. Taking time to consider is defunct and rationality is in short supply.

We all need to calm down, take a breath, think and use a bit of common sense and context. My concern is that altering behaviours is difficult, particularly if those behaviours are  ubiquitous and bombarding. 

Put simply, let's all stop getting carried away, let's not feel desperate for attention from people we don't know and will most probably never meet

REICH HERE REICH NOW

The rise of the right is happening right here and it's happening right now. That's not hyperbole that is disconcerting fact. People marching on the streets with flags hoisted, carrying cans of Stella whilst lacking teeth shout into the abyss with rhetoric based on rumour and conjecture, there feeble minds easily swayed by "apparently" and "Well, I heard"

The awkward 'Patriot' Ninjas are also popping up and blocking roads in the cause of stopping the migrants. They don't really know why they want to stop the migrants and they don't really know why they have to wear a balaclava but they do and they stand around looking awkward like those blokes queueing up to have sex with Bonnie Blue.

They are using Christianity too, oh they love to use Christianity as a way to explain why migrants are out of order, thing is most of them aren't Christians, in fact they would struggle to read a Bible and find any relevance. They don't know about The Good Samaritan, or loving thy neighbour and all those other bits that talk about how you should embrace others (at least I think that's what the Bible is abut not having read it or having any religious leanings)

It always starts with the irrational hate, the anger and the vitriol aimed at the concept of someone a bit different. Once ignited that fire burns bright and the throng swells accordingly. The instigators are men with blunt names and an eye on celebrity status. The coke taking helps; what's a good march without a bit of Chang after all. So does the lager; you can't march without lager.

The enthusiasm to raise flags and pester innocent bystanders is evident as they adopt the mob mentality that is all to familiar from history books and News At Ten. 

They chose their destinations well. Provincial towns, suburban outposts, seaside towns decimated by loss of industry, the far flung areas of desperation. They target the hotels and their  employees, they target the men and women of the RNLI who put their lives on the line for us. They target anyone that they can safely shout at and intimidate.

I don't know of any solution for the massing of the ignorant. I can't think of an answer for people that aren't interested in facts. I don't know a strategy to enlighten those that don't want to be enlightened, but I'll tell you something, a wise man once said "never again" but if we are all not careful we may see history repeating itself.

PEACOCKS OF THE WORLD UNITE

As we all know Peacocks flourish their tail feathers extravagantly to draw the attention of the dowdy Peahen, they seem to do this at the drop of a hat and, to be fair, they look magnificent. This is one of nature’s remarkable ways of drawing attention to creatures. Unfortunately, a growing number of humans have adopted this habit with the intent of getting noticed by mobile phone wielding members of the public and other moment capturing folk 

The modern phenomenon of The Influencer is predicated on drawing attention to oneself, getting ‘likes’ and building a brand. They walk hand in hand with content creators. The Influencer is the latest celebrity genre, following hot on the heels of reality stars. The numerous celebrity TV shows have lineups that have gone from “who is that?’ to “who the f*k is that?” as influencers and content creators abound.

Paul Weller once wrote that “the public gets what the public wants” and the popularity of these social media sirens is pretty large. As many turn away from TV to YouTube and scrolling on their devices those that are slightly more adept with technology are growing in number and creating cash from clicks.

Maybe we should view them as entrepreneurs who have grasped their opportunities with both hands rather than ludicrous popinjays who are dumbing down the world of entertainment for financial gain at the cost of critical thinking and originality.

Could this generation of online onanists be the new philosophers only with messages diluted to appeal to the hard of thinking? Could their influence be a power for good, their content have integrity and an underlying positive message? Who knows?

What is clear is that they are show-offs, and I suppose that in the broader world of showbiz you kind of have to be, but with the growth of this aspect of the online world we may reach a point where everyone is either a content creator, influencer or someone who works within content creation and influencing. The day will come when our collective senses will be assaulted by an Ostentation, a Pride or a Muster of Peacocks at every turn strutting and flourishing while plying their attention seeking trade as the the masses keep on clicking away.

LET THE TRAIN CAUSE THE STRAIN

 

"Let The Train Take The Strain" was the mantra of the British Rail advertising executives during the 1970s. These were still the days of British Rail before the UK rail service was privatised, a world of regularity and quiet conformity, an era when the trains, generally, ran on time, and if not on time, they were certainly cheaper.

The sell off to private firms for whom passenger satisfaction takes a distant second place to profits has led us to a place where traveling in the UK is akin to Homer's Odyssey.

An example of the frustrating nature of rail travel was my own experience of (trying) to get from Somerset to London on one of the hottest days of a very hot summer. 

My first train, before having to change at Bath was old stock with the ventilation of the Black Hole Of Calcutta and the comfort of a bed of nails. Naturally the train stopped midway and myself and the other passengers were stranded in a steel box with the sun beating down and streaming in through the blinder-less windows.

I was tempted to break that little glass box that houses a plastic hammer for emergency window breakage, such were the conditions on this train compartment turned into a New Delhi cattle truck. The longer the delay the more chances that the connecting train would be missed. This thought was not helped by the lack of anything approaching refreshments.

As the temperature soured in the metal container my energy levels diminished. Imagined thoughts of not actually getting home became reality in my mind's eye as I could see no escape. This went on for what seemed like a long weekend, then suddenly we started moving. Alas I had missed our connection and therefore could only spin any positives out of the situation by thinking that at leas I would have to wait on an outdoor bench with the occasional gust of air from a passing train go supply some relief.

This situation was exacerbated by the fact that my journey from London to Somerset was also delayed meaning missing my connection. The following connecting train was two and a half hours away which is hardly conducive to a relaxing weekend away.

The British railway network is not fit for purpose, I think that's clear for all to see, and us Brits should be embarrassed when comparisons are made with some European rail services. How it can be more difficult to make a trip to the coast than traveling through Germany or Switzerland, or Sweden or a number of other countries should be a source of national shame.

The cost of rail travel is also a cause for concern. It being, in some cases, cheaper to fly is not good thing but it's just a fact.

We wont see the end of private firms running things any time soon, nor am I optimistic about an investment in stock so that extreme cold, extreme heat, leaves or wind cause trains to be cancelled or delayed.

They say "you get what you pay for" but if you choose to pay for a train journey you don't get what you pay for, in fact, you get what your given...and lump it