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Monday, March 30, 2009
Nick Cohen Against the World
This is a video from last week's Orwell Prize debate, featuring a rant from Nick Cohen against the judges, Peter Hitchens, Peter Oborne and just about everyone else. It made a lot of people shift very uncomfortably in their seats.
12 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I've never heard him speak before, but he sounds more than a little under the influence of alcohol
I suspect he may have a point. Most of the people nominated for these sort of prizes, and those running them, are all part of the establishment, are well remunerated, and are never going to really upset the applecart. A really subversive journalist (from right or left) would never get a look-in.
I notice that the name Thomson - Reuters was fairly prominent. I assume they sponsor the event. When you have corporate sponsors, you are never going to have anybody nominated that wants to upset the status quo. Mustn't upset the money men!
I've been out drinking with Nick many times. He slurs slightly after one drink. I'm the same.
But more to the point, he's spot on. Martin Bright was sacked for pointing out that Ken Livingstone had entered into a close relationship with fascists from the Muslim Brotherhood and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Peter Oborne is a waste of space, and Peter Hitchens is a stand up act.
On this theme he has posted in the Guardian, Comment is free, "Who would you rather trust - the BBC or a blogger?"
And, I responded:
Bullshit!
"If they stray, their editors impose journalistic standards and insist on objectivity".
Let's put this to the test, then, smart arse shall we?
Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor, Daily Telegraph, reports today "Fresh moves to give prisoners the right to vote".
Is this objectivity?
"It could lead to some of the most reviled people in Britain - including Ian Huntley, the Soham child killer, Rosemary West, the serial killer, Roy Whiting, the paedophile, and Charles Bronson, who has spent more than two decades in solitary confinement - being given a say in electing politicians".
I love it when the stuffed shirts get stuffed by somebody who does not give a stuff. Tired and emotional he may well have been, but he speaks the truth in love.
12 comments:
I've never heard him speak before, but he sounds more than a little under the influence of alcohol
Is he drunk, or is there something wrong with him?
He sounds drunk, but it seems like a fantastic speech with no effort being made to flatter the hosts.
Oh dear. I think the screen shot of him holding the bottle of red wine kinda gives the game away.
Wonder if he remembered this in the morning?
Hopi had a good piece on this with quiet an interesting thread folowing ( featuring me of course)
I suspect he may have a point. Most of the people nominated for these sort of prizes, and those running them, are all part of the establishment, are well remunerated, and are never going to really upset the applecart. A really subversive journalist (from right or left) would never get a look-in.
I notice that the name Thomson - Reuters was fairly prominent. I assume they sponsor the event. When you have corporate sponsors, you are never going to have anybody nominated that wants to upset the status quo. Mustn't upset the money men!
If Cohen can rant like that against some, I, as a working class from a real slum, made good, can rant back EXACTLY the same way at him.
And I wouldn't need to be pissed to do it. It was a shameful display and no-one but Cohen should feel uncomfortable listening and watching the lip.
I've been out drinking with Nick many times. He slurs slightly after one drink. I'm the same.
But more to the point, he's spot on. Martin Bright was sacked for pointing out that Ken Livingstone had entered into a close relationship with fascists from the Muslim Brotherhood and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Peter Oborne is a waste of space, and Peter Hitchens is a stand up act.
On this theme he has posted in the Guardian, Comment is free, "Who would you rather trust - the BBC or a blogger?"
And, I responded:
Bullshit!
"If they stray, their editors impose journalistic standards and insist on objectivity".
Let's put this to the test, then, smart arse shall we?
Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor, Daily Telegraph, reports today "Fresh moves to give prisoners the right to vote".
Is this objectivity?
"It could lead to some of the most reviled people in Britain - including Ian Huntley, the Soham child killer, Rosemary West, the serial killer, Roy Whiting, the paedophile, and Charles Bronson, who has spent more than two decades in solitary confinement - being given a say in electing politicians".
I love it when the stuffed shirts get stuffed by somebody who does not give a stuff. Tired and emotional he may well have been, but he speaks the truth in love.
He's slurring and pissed. But funny!
Fantastic. Isnt alcohol a wonderful thing.
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