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Original poster

Tim Dowling, for example, is a twat

488 replies

Robespierre · 17/05/2009 16:28

..who writes moderately entertaining columns about his personal life in The Guardian. Yesterday's was about the perils of self-googling, and in particular of an episode of self-googling which returned the text 'Tim Dowling for example is a twat'

Where did he find that humbling line?? On mumsnet of course!

In the article he claims to have given up self-googling, but we know that isn't true, don't we.

Shall we give him a few more personal insights? I think he is less of a twat than Jon Ronson and he doesn't have a whiney voice.

OP posts:
Joggler · 18/05/2009 10:45

lol King ROlo

the bint in the times just says "go to lakeland" with a certain ennui coupled with backhander

giantkatestacks · 18/05/2009 10:44

I have a good chuckle at that too Rolo - did you see last weeks when some poor middleclass numpty had got one Le Creuset casserole stuck inside another one?

Joggler · 18/05/2009 10:44

oh god she was cross.
that sarah Jayne does stuff for charity or somethign.

I htink the quote that DREW her here was that someone would rahter eat their own head than listen to her.
It was googleable for a long while after.

But the crux of it is that we are all nice to someone but basically MOST peopel are annoying and get in your way in supermarkets.

KingRolo · 18/05/2009 10:42

Always PMSL when reading the Q&A home / DIY page in the Saturday Guardian magazine where people write in with queries like 'I can't get a red wine stain out of my carpet' and the insightful reply is 'lots of retailers sell stain removers. Try Asda'.

Boco · 18/05/2009 10:42

LOL what did Sarah Jaynes mate have to say?

OlympedeGouges · 18/05/2009 10:40

I remember Sarah Jayne. I thought she was quite gracious in light of the slagging off that had gone off, no?

It is quite funny how neurotic all these male journalists are though, writing stuff fr the public and then being horrified if the public
don't lap it up...

KingRolo · 18/05/2009 10:39

Julie Myerson, for example, is a twat.

Julie Myerson's husband, for example, is a twat.

NorbertDentressangle · 18/05/2009 10:39

If you really want to despair in Saturday issues of the Guardian take a look at the Karen Brady cartoon/column in the "work" section.

I must admit I haven't looked at Saturdays one yet but, my God, talk about stating the obvious. Its not rocket science.

I'm looking forward to reading TD's column now

Joggler · 18/05/2009 10:38

I dislike any columnist who talks about education as if they knwo about it as they once went to school

ALice Miles i think in that case,was , for exmaple, a twat.

KingRolo · 18/05/2009 10:37

God yes MissM, Simon Hoggart is a HUGE twat. And that Alexander 'Tuscany...red wine...recession..we're all suffering' Chancellor is a twat too.

Joggler · 18/05/2009 10:37

adn ahem

ONE of us was the greeter to a certain childcare expert whose initials also conjure up a kissing disease.

OH OH adn we had the heartless mum of one of the kids off 7 up who sent her kid off to boarding school at about 3 weeks old.

she wasnt pleased.

Joggler · 18/05/2009 10:35

well the OLDIES( shudder) here will remember when Sarah Jayne from cebebies mate came on.

she was NOT pleased.

giantkatestacks · 18/05/2009 10:35

Jon Ronson is a limone...

Boco · 18/05/2009 10:34

Tim Dowling for example, is one columnist I find quite amusing.

One of my all time favouritest mn moments was when Jon Ronson had emailed Aitch to tell her off and his wife Elaine came on to ask us all if we lived in institutions. I still chuckle about it often.

KingRolo · 18/05/2009 10:34

Sting, for example, is a twat.

Have we had him yet?

MirandaG · 18/05/2009 10:30

Most of that Oliver James column is just badly summarised extracts from his books

Ohforfoxsake · 18/05/2009 10:30

Boris Johnson, for example, is a twat.

No, actually he is Grand Lord Twat of Twattage, Twattageshire, Twatston.

OlympedeGouges · 18/05/2009 10:29

he might as well MN all day rather than google himself Robes. At least he might learn something interesting whilst neglecting the children...

OlympedeGouges · 18/05/2009 10:27

is he Hassled? I imagine him with this half- Estuary, half-sloane accent.

Original poster
Robespierre · 18/05/2009 10:26

Oh, yes, Oly, the self-deprecation is a bit twatty. It is saying 'I am big and modest and self-confident enough to acknowledge my flaws' but at the same time saying 'I am useless, dear wife, so you do it all'. Using a national column to maintain the total-lifestyle equivalent of not being able to wash up because you don't understand the dishwasher.

OP posts:
Hassled · 18/05/2009 10:25

Yes, Mrs Ronson (Elaine?) was great.

TD does do the whole British self-deprecating thing well, but he is actually American.

giantkatestacks · 18/05/2009 10:25

or even damaged...

giantkatestacks · 18/05/2009 10:24

Oliver James gets my back right up - much more of a twat than Tim Dowling - who at least doesnt try and make me guilty about my parenting every weekend by telling me that I have damanged my child for using a nursery/shouting occasionally/letting them cry for more than 30secs.

Original poster
Robespierre · 18/05/2009 10:23

I don't really think he is a twat. He is and I hope he is reading this with emphasis on the word "quite" quite funny.

Don't much like All the Pres's Emails, though.

OP posts:
OlympedeGouges · 18/05/2009 10:22

Tim Dowling has made his very living out of being a twat, no? In a very British, self deprecating 'I'm such a twat' way. He can be very funny, but is getting a touch self- indulgent in his twatness. Bit like Jon Ronson. It was great when Jon Ronson's wife came on. 'Are you all in institutions?' was one of her memorable lines. I liked her.

Jeremy Clarkson is of course the biggest twat
who secretly thinks he isn't.