IdleRich
IdleRich
OK, not a very snappy title, but it's late, I'm really high and I didn't sleep at all last night so my thoughts are not zipping and crackling around my brain with their usual... er whatever... with that in mind, I guess I will have to explain what it is I'm on about. And that is best done by example.
I'm sure that many of you are aware of the architect Erno Goldfinger - he designed the Balfron Tower in East London
That ended up being effectively a prototype for the Trellick Tower in West London
But, he is relevant in this thread because he fell out with the author Ian Fleming - or perhaps it would be better to say that Fleming fell out with him. As a result of which Fleming created a villain called Auric Goldfinger and made him the main antagonist of one of the Bond films (I forget which one). I believe that Goldfinger took Fleming to court to either stop this happening or get some compensation or something, but I think it was deemed that the change of first name was enough to make Fleming safe and allow him to get away with his amazingly petty and childish revenge.
I have to say, I'm surprised that this doesn't happen more often. If I had a platform of that nature then I would definitely use it to attack every single person who had ever crossed me. And I would be really vindictive and childish. Suppose for example I had an issue with a particular person from Dissensus, then I would create a baddie called Herring Boner and I would probably make him a failed poet who had a micropenis about which he was incredibly insecure and, as a result of which, he tried to blow up the world - or something.
Sadly I really can't think of many other examples. I do vaguely recall reading a book which I think was by Mark Manning (better known as Z from Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction) which featured an enigmatically named character Michael Loser - it didn't click with me until he described this guy as looking like "Jabba the Hutt's arsehole on legs" and of course, from that description I instantly recognised Michael Winner. I'm not sure that that one counts though, I think it was a cheap shot at a much-hated public figure, rather than a genuine act of petty spitefulness in response to some perceived slight. Still, until I can think of more real ones that will do I guess.
Over to you now. Would love to hear more examples of this, the more childish the better - although I suppose I would also be happy to hear about books where the author creates an idealised version of his or herself (or even of a friend or relative) and writes them into a book as the hero etc
I'm sure that many of you are aware of the architect Erno Goldfinger - he designed the Balfron Tower in East London
That ended up being effectively a prototype for the Trellick Tower in West London
But, he is relevant in this thread because he fell out with the author Ian Fleming - or perhaps it would be better to say that Fleming fell out with him. As a result of which Fleming created a villain called Auric Goldfinger and made him the main antagonist of one of the Bond films (I forget which one). I believe that Goldfinger took Fleming to court to either stop this happening or get some compensation or something, but I think it was deemed that the change of first name was enough to make Fleming safe and allow him to get away with his amazingly petty and childish revenge.
I have to say, I'm surprised that this doesn't happen more often. If I had a platform of that nature then I would definitely use it to attack every single person who had ever crossed me. And I would be really vindictive and childish. Suppose for example I had an issue with a particular person from Dissensus, then I would create a baddie called Herring Boner and I would probably make him a failed poet who had a micropenis about which he was incredibly insecure and, as a result of which, he tried to blow up the world - or something.
Sadly I really can't think of many other examples. I do vaguely recall reading a book which I think was by Mark Manning (better known as Z from Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction) which featured an enigmatically named character Michael Loser - it didn't click with me until he described this guy as looking like "Jabba the Hutt's arsehole on legs" and of course, from that description I instantly recognised Michael Winner. I'm not sure that that one counts though, I think it was a cheap shot at a much-hated public figure, rather than a genuine act of petty spitefulness in response to some perceived slight. Still, until I can think of more real ones that will do I guess.
Over to you now. Would love to hear more examples of this, the more childish the better - although I suppose I would also be happy to hear about books where the author creates an idealised version of his or herself (or even of a friend or relative) and writes them into a book as the hero etc
