george galloway on celebrity big brother

Rambler

Awanturnik
Gabba Flamenco Crossover said:
I dont have to will myself at all not to watch it, i find it comes very naturally - maybe i'm just a curmudgeon (all posters eventually come to resemble their avatars...).

I was never a massive Galloway fan, but i always supported his anti-war stance on the grounds of my-enemy's-enemy etc. But when he missed the knife edge commons vote on the last terrorism bill due to a 'commercial engagement', I realised he's just a charlatan self-publicist. Imagine how the muslim residents of Bow felt about that? I'd be bloody livid.

Apparently, his major Muslim supporters in Bow feel somewhat betrayed that the guy they chose to represent them is now hanging around with strippers, transvestites and others of questionable morals...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1976600,00.html

“A lot of Muslims find it very unpalatable that their MP would consider doing this sort of show,” ...

A local community worker who joined the protest said: “I spoke to a number of people at Friday prayers who voted for him who are very disappointed he’s gone on TV with a Page 3 model and a Baywatch woman. What sign is that giving to the Muslim community? Children are tuning in. It’s not what the Muslim community wants from their MP.”
 

k-punk

Spectres of Mark
WOEBOT said:
his comments about class, along the lines of (snootily) "i'm of a different class than these people" i thought were incxredibly offensive and patronising, and yet BIZARRELY i can't seem to find anyone anywhere picking him up on them.....

Think you're misinterpreting him there... he said (something like), 'for someone of my age and class, it is strange to hear sex discussed in such a way'... I took him to mean working class obv... the point being that licentious sex-talk used to be something expected of posh types (though sadly the w/class have now picked up the habit lol)
 

boomnoise

♫
i agree that woebot's comments were perhaps being taken slightly out of context but it was certainly said with a level of 'these people are below me' snobbery, or at the very least, with regard to a notion of non socio-economic class/sophistication.

regardless, tonight provided some of the most disturbing viewing provided by big brother ever. george pretending to be a cat was too much for me - was he actually licking his housemate's hand? he certainly was purring. this is my mp! i'm not a constituent with issues but those who could do with his help, if they saw that, would be in further despair.

his presence is no longer enough to communicate a political message. he has been gagged and all the press coverage has been damning, this exercise has been even more foolhardy than i had previously (optimistically) anticipated
 
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k-punk

Spectres of Mark
boomnoise said:
ii'm not a constituent with issues but those who could do with his help, if they saw that, would be in further despair.

why though?

This rhetorical move - it's not me but - strikes me as typical of the denunciations of Galloway for going onto CBB. Would be a bit rich to condemn Galloway for snobbery whilst maintaining a totally snobbish stance about his being in there - an MP! on CBB!

Why aren't constituents 'in despair' when their MPs appear on other media froth like This Week or Have I Got News for You? Why isn't that nihilism-lite politix-is-all-just-public-school-japes thing thought of as unforgivably time-wasting too?
 

john eden

male pale and stale
k-punk said:
Why aren't constituents 'in despair' when their MPs appear on other media froth like This Week or Have I Got News for You? Why isn't that nihilism-lite politix-is-all-just-public-school-japes thing thought of as unforgivably time-wasting too?

In fact, Diane Abbott has come in for a bit of flak for being on that abomination of a programme where she cuddles up to Michael Portillo on the sofa every week.

However, there is a difference - which is that she is still able to run surgeries in her constituency and go to parliament to vote.

CBB does not allow Galloway to do this (or ANYTHING ELSE apart from CBB), which is a bit of a pisser if you live in TH and have a problems you need to talk to him about, or are opposed to the proposals for cross-rail which are being debated at the moment.
 

tatarsky

Well-known member
When I first heard that GG was going on CBB, my initial thoughts were that his motivation was probably just to massage his saturn-sized ego (no matter what he says). But whilst I think he's a corrupt narcisist, he can at least make some very valid arguments (his little trip to the states last year was highly entertaining). Sadly though, Endemol have gagged him, so there's absolutely no chance of him getting anything remotely controvertial aired. Furthermore, he knows this. So when he declares that he's going in "for Palestine", I can't help but think: Bullshit.

A friend of mine worked with him years ago when he was running War on Want, and aparently rumours of corruption buzzed around him like flies back them too.
 

Gabba Flamenco Crossover

High Sierra Skullfuck
k-punk said:
why though?
Why aren't constituents 'in despair' when their MPs appear on other media froth like This Week or Have I Got News for You? Why isn't that nihilism-lite politix-is-all-just-public-school-japes thing thought of as unforgivably time-wasting too?

At least those shows do engage with political issues. HIGNFY is probably the highest rated current affairs show on TV excluding news bulletins. BB is a different frothiness of froth altogether.

And while it was nice to see george sockin' it to the yanks, it's not exactly difficult is it? I'd rather have seen Robin Cook or Mike Jackson lay into them than georgous george.
 

Paul Hotflush

techno head
tatarsky said:
A friend of mine worked with him years ago when he was running War on Want, and aparently rumours of corruption buzzed around him like flies back them too.

He's clearly bent as an old tent peg. And he comes across as such a scheming arsehole on CBB.
 

Gabba Flamenco Crossover

High Sierra Skullfuck
Paul Hotflush said:
He's clearly bent as an old tent peg.

I dunno though - surely if there was anything concrete on him, we'd have seen it by now? He's pi$$ed off so many people. Some of those round him were clearly on the take but no one's managed to prove that he ever profited personally from his charity or for oil-for-food. I suspect that, like the WMDs, the powers that be cant find anything because it didnt happen.

Whatever it is that motivates GG's actions, it doesnt seem to be greed.
 

k-punk

Spectres of Mark
Gabba Flamenco Crossover said:
At least those shows do engage with political issues.

Only to trivialize and personalize them, especially in the case of the nihilistic public school guffaw-fest that is


which even if it

is probably the highest rated current affairs show on TV excluding news bulletins

it has absolutely no merit in terms of political analysis or discussion. It reduces politics to BB-style personalised gossip; at least GG is trying to go in the other direction.
 
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k-punk

Spectres of Mark
tatarsky said:
Sadly though, Endemol have gagged him, so there's absolutely no chance of him getting anything remotely controvertial aired. Furthermore, he knows this. So when he declares that he's going in "for Palestine", I can't help but think: Bullshit.

Hmmm, but the most media impact most BB folk have is in the week or two after they leave the house. Let's see if all the highbrow media sneering at Galloway refuse to interview him after he comes out..

A friend of mine worked with him years ago when he was running War on Want, and aparently rumours of corruption buzzed around him like flies back them too.

What does this prove exactly? The combined forces of the British and the American secret services plus the most intrusive media in the world have done their best to dig up dirt on Galloway for years. Nothing concrete yet.

But plenty of rumour and innuendo.

Of course.
 

tatarsky

Well-known member
k-punk said:
Hmmm, but the most media impact most BB folk have is in the week or two after they leave the house. Let's see if all the highbrow media sneering at Galloway refuse to interview him after he comes out..

Fair point. Given that highbrow media sneering, it'll be fun to see if them all do a u-turn and use him to boost circulation.

k-punk said:
What does this prove exactly?

Nothing. It's just another piece of hearsay to add to the pile (except with a mildly closer source to me). Of all I've seen of him though, I can't help get the feeling that he's arrogant and deluded in equal measure. On entering BB he declared rather smugly: "I think Blair will be in two minds about my entering the BB house. On the one hand, he won't be glad of all the publicity I'll be getting, but on the other, he'll just be glad that I'm not in the house of commons!" (or words to that effect).

Whilst I may agree with some of his opinions, and I admire his oratory skills, that level of arrogance just leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.
 

k-punk

Spectres of Mark
tatarsky said:
Nothing. It's just another piece of hearsay to add to the pile (except with a mildly closer source to me). Of all I've seen of him though, I can't help get the feeling that he's arrogant and deluded in equal measure. On entering BB he declared rather smugly: "I think Blair will be in two minds about my entering the BB house. On the one hand, he won't be glad of all the publicity I'll be getting, but on the other, he'll just be glad that I'm not in the house of commons!" (or words to that effect).

Whilst I may agree with some of his opinions, and I admire his oratory skills, that level of arrogance just leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.

I agree he's arrogant and possibly deluded (but surely Blair WON'T like the amount of publicity he's getting, actually) but I think that's a world away from financial corruption. It's the attempts to smear him that leave a bad taste in my mouth.
 

D84

Well-known member
Well, a lot of my favourite musos and comedians are could be described as somewhat arrogant deluded people but that doesn't stop me from enjoying their work or them from recognising and expressing the truth, being effective communicators and craftsmen/craftswomen etc.

I probably wouldn't want to share a drink with them but that's what one's friends are for..

Galloway seems to be supporting the right cause and he's a great communicator for it and so more power to him. I can't see this show from here on the other side of the world but I think it would take some guts and a modicum of humility to muck in with the others on TV.
 

domtyler

Teasmaid
D84 said:
Galloway seems to be supporting the right cause and he's a great communicator for it and so more power to him.

What cause would that be? The plucky freedom fighters of Iraq:

"The resistance is getting stronger every day, and the will to remain as an occupier by Britain and America is getting weaker everyday. Therefore, it can be said, truly said, that the Iraqi resistance is not just defending Iraq. They are defending all the Arabs, and they are defending all the people of the world from American hegemony." Galloway on Al-Jazeera 31st July 2005

Bombings kill 15 in Iraq capital
At least 15 people have been killed and 26 wounded in two near-simultaneous bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Iraqi police say.
The first attack came from a suicide bomber who walked into a crowded cafe in the centre of the city and killed at least 12 civilians. BBC report Jan 16th 2006

Defend the Arabs by killing the Arabs? That's not a cause I can support.
 

mms

sometimes
Although initially i've had respect for his respect party,George is a twat and as he goes on looks more like a twat than ever, did you see the other night 'the house was so far from racist,' he protested, that they let Dennis get away with things they would never accept from a white man (ie. sexual predatation , bad language, lack of self-control, talking about his knob). !!? And his crap about if he anyone knows about racism he does?
Then he attacks the two american's for being american and talks about dennis being a tiger in a cage and traci teasing him, wtf?
He's clearly using Pete to do his dirty work, keeping him close and winding him up so he'll do the pawn work.
 
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