Is the Guardian worse than it used to be?

OK, DC: endlessly pick at other, worse things.

Well, Hastings on Johnson is exactly what anyone would expect him to have written, and nothing more than I would expect from a canting, ranting rightwing rag like the Observer.

Whereas you were expecting maybe Pulitzer prize winning journalism from Laura Barton interviewing Alexa Chung?

Matt's point is a good one.

I haven't read "The Observer" in over a year. I don't know why anybody would read it, it's BORING.

"Dear Mariella" is always v. v. good. Basically because she invariable tells whinging men to pull their socks up and don't be such cunts. She'd sort the boys on this thread out, straight away.

there's fluff and fluff, entertainment journalism and entertainment journalism. an interview with chung is what it is, but laura barton is less good at it -- certainly less guardian-y, if that means anything now -- than she ought to be, given how much she is asked to churn out. maybe that's the real issue, the sheer amount of crap.

which i half-read and link to lol.

xpost

Like she sorted Jobbers out? (xp)

Well we all know how she got where she is today...

The question is why the Guardian should be interviewing a nonentity like Chung in the first place.

the boys on this thread

where?

She likes the boys in this thread/She said that I'm her all-time favourite

Remember, ILxors: Frostrup thinks you're scum.

I don't know, DK - KtS seems interested in them

in a way, Chung (or: the interview with her) maybe does represent something bad - the too-easy victory of looks and (intellectual) laziness. it's one thing for such a person to get gigs on TV, but a long Guardian interview is granting her a kind of credibility or substance that (as it proves) she doesn't have.

she doesn't deserve to be picked on and abused any more than anyone else, but she doesn't deserve to be fawned over, treated as though her opinions are interesting, etc, either.

Alexa Chung is not a nonentity, she co-hosted a highly successful satirical TV show with Sir Ben Elton!

Top Tory comedian!

looking forward to the George "pineahpul onna peetzah yor avin a larf shabbbabaaaa" Lamb interview

Is that a transcription of genuine Estuarine Straggle?

George Lamb - Eustonist With Attitude

xpost No, "we" don't know how Mariella got where she is today. Enlighten us?

BTW I always thought the invective of the andro half of the chattering classes directed at Polly Filla-style columnists or journalists but not their male counterparts was institutionalized sexism, pure and simple. It never suggests to me the critic has a better idea of what to write about. At the very least it's the parcelling off of personal shortcomings onto some blameless working woman, especially where the aspirant hacks among you are concerned. Estimation of writing skills is purely subjective, and when you learn most editors would rather get in copy on time that doesn't need to be vastly subbed, and would rather get it from someone who isn't a social retard and their readers have heard of (or who could help them in their own networking). Also, for the bonus ball, if a zillion butthurt people write in moaning that a writer sucks or whatever, the editors are going to commission again due to Heated Debate Factor.

You. Cannot. Win.

Certainly I can't think of any males writers who attract zingage from ILM or E.

We should bump that 2,000 post "Martin Samuel is always pleasant to read and look at" thread.

People are generally unstinting in their praise of A. Petridis and J. Harris, for instance

http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/img/samuel_and_parkinson.jpg

"Are we allowed a croissant?"

In the same way that if I submit a book manuscript for consideration I would rather have someone read it and give me a firm decision about publication and/or appropriate advice regarding editing, style and so forth, rather than someone who takes the manuscript away, sits on it for two years, offers me paltry excuses and drops out.

I. Cannot. Win.

"Dear Mariella" is always v. v. good. Basically because she invariable tells whinging men to pull their socks up and don't be such cunts. She'd sort the boys on this thread out, straight away.

Heh - this is exactly what happened a few years ago when my friend since school wrote in with a '40 years old and gay, what shall I do with the rest of my life?' question - and got short shrift.

He was really offended by the answer which suggested that he had a selfish outlook on life and that he should think about having a child.

"Mariella Frostrup does loads of voiceovers and nothing much else yet she seems to get buy..."

"Beautiful Liar" best thing on this thread so far, tbh.

Certainly I can't think of any males writers who attract zingage from ILM or E.

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, April 1, 2008 12:37 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

free passes all round

He might have received a more helpful response from a qualified counsellor rather than some crappy Norwegian waitress who fucked her way towards a position of pseudo-authority.

He was really offended by the answer which suggested that he had a selfish outlook on life and that he should think about having a child.

... with Mariella Frostrup

question is why laura barton is someone "readers have heard of", rather than the other somewhat more off-base gubbins.

Oh, haven't you read Offbase Gubbins' column yet? He's very talented.

Anyway, the only Guardian writers that don't get the ILx gasfaceare Marina Hide, Nancy Banks-Smith, and that one dude that killed that guy.

i've said nice things about marina hyde!

other than "would smash" i mean

I usually like Marina Hyde's column in the sports section, the G2 one can be good as well. Kevin McCarra does alright as well but I suppose we're not really talking about Guardian sports here are we?

Marina Hyde - ex-Mirror gossip columnist who had a thing going with Piers Morgan and she hasn't got over it and she takes it out on everyone she hates, mainly her readers, on a weekly basis.

Nancy Banks-Smith is one of the best writers the Guardian has.

*don't get, ie, the only ones that get any praise on here.

Richard Williams can be a bit of a twunt on occasion. Harry Pearson's a bit up himself.

And Barney Ronay is justification for freeing the Manson Family in and of himself.

Dom: of course they do, but all I am saying is that a man is never dismissed as a shit male writer.

Dingbod, you know you're sooooooo out of order. Just back away from your computer now.

...also we never hear about the career sex men have, why's that?

Sports is crap in the Guardian

"that one dude that killed that guy" Who? Lesley Grantham?

I heart Banks Smith.

"...also we never hear about the career sex men have, why's that?" Dingbod bangs on about thsi every time J Harris is mentioned!

Doesn't really matter Suze, to be honest. The guy at Faber wasn't interested either but at least he told me there and then and gave specific reasons. Means I can go on and approach other people without delay. Self-reliance innit?

...also we never hear about the career sex men have, why's that?

-- suzy, Tuesday, April 1, 2008 11:50 AM (52 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Incorrect, there was that deleted post in one of the Graun threads about two prominent gay male music writers and a toilet.

And straight male music writers don't have sex.

"...also we never hear about the career sex men have, why's that?" Dingbod bangs on about thsi every time J Harris is mentioned! - fixed

are women dismissed as bad Women writers, rather than bad writers / filler journos / whatever? not by me. maybe by someone else - maybe I've missed it.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RZZP0V0EL._SS500_.jpg

I've bought three of my last four girlfriends this book.