Archive for May, 2007

A bit of a non-event in my opinion.
Paxman became laxman as he allowed candidates to get away with evasion and non-answers which he would never allow in a normal interview situation.
That’s not so much a judgement on him but whoever put the show together, trying to cram too much into such a short programme.
Paxman had to fight the schedule and dented his reputation as an interrogator in the process.

I rarely equate the word outstanding with Blears, but her technique of spreading blame and responsibility to others when a question was directed solely at her was…outstanding.
Blears’ smug, fresh out-of-the-box presentation-course veneer was not as obvious as this was camouflaged amongst others who have been given similar instruction.
And, I think there was a fix in place with most of the candidates to take the heat out of Iraq questioning.

Alastair Campbell has apparently upset Downing Street with the content of his diaries, published by Random House on the 9th of July.
Cherie Blair is supposedly furious but Tony Blair will be relieved his swearing has been toned down and that it will hardly touch on key issues such as Iraq.

Campbell will probably be only to eager to sign the odd copy. You’ll recall he was involved in a high-profile, celebrity signing before - when he and Cherie Blair autographed a copy of the Hutton Report - a report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Kelly, which was then auctioned for £400 at a fundraising event.

Love to see a few of these go up this weekend. Wouldn’t have been a bad idea for promoting the Taking Liberties movie.

btw :

Preview screening of Taking Liberties on Tuesday 5 June, 6.30pm at the Ritzy in Brixton followed by a LIVE panel discussion.
(the capitalization is their own - maybe to distinguish it from DEAD panel discussions like Question Time.)

The names confirmed so far, for the panel:
KEN LOACH, Film Director
SHAMI CHAKRABARTI, Director of Liberty
DAVID MORRISSEY, Actor and Narrator of the Film
RIZ AHMED, Actor
NICK CLEGG, Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam and Shadow Home Secretary

They are also holding exclusive preview screenings on the same night at the following venues:
Greenwich Picturehouse
Followed by a Q&A with Director Chris Atkins
Clapham Picturehouse
The Belmont Picturehouse, Aberdeen
Picturehouse at FACT, Liverpool
The Cameo, Edinburgh
City Screen York
The Litte Theatre Cinema, Bath
The Phoenix, Oxford
Exeter Picturehouse

Trafalgar Square has been covered in turf for the weekend to promote London’s wide and open areas.
God knows why someone wants to promote the space between Ken Livingstone’s ears is beyond me, but there you go.

Despite Livingstone slagging off us Scots recently, you must give him credit for his ingenuity in clearing up Trafalgar Square at the end of the promotion.

On Sunday evening, he plans to put up a set of goalposts and shout “England 1, Scotland 2″ and let loose the Tartan Army he’s employed to rip up the turf and take it home.

Pic- Tartan Army turns up early in Trafalgar Square ready for the order to strip the square of turf.

Having a bit of a break today - eyestrain and knackered after working late, severing all ties/posts/images with a site which decided to censor one of my posts without any consultation.

Here’s an old one which, I think, only appeared in the old part of the site - it’s not a comment about anything, how could it be? - The images just seemed to fit.

Patricia Hewitt - “I’m no Superman.”

Last week’s picture from the Channel 4 Newsroom Blog.