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AIBU?

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Original poster

Tp think Sinead O'Connor should learn some manners?

240 replies

breadyegg · 17/02/2013 10:00

Just saw her on the BBC. How rude was she to that interviewer? She needs a slap...

I like her as an artist. Have ever so slightly gone off her...

OP posts:
JamieandtheMagicTorch · 17/02/2013 21:47

It was one of those neither one thing nor the other links rather than an interview. He misjudged badly.

claig · 17/02/2013 21:57

It was a nightmair

TuftyFinch · 17/02/2013 21:58

Some people don't like real people. They're so indoctrinated into the Z Factor school of thinking where you nod and smile, the emotional stuff is only valid if there's a whole sadface backstory.
Eerie Mair, in his head, had an 'easy', few questions then onto the song, piece to do. He clearly had no real interest and behaved like my dad's friends in the pub used to with me when I had shaved hair, odd clothes and lived in 'that London'. Patronising and elbow digs to their mates about the silly girl who didn't look like the other 'nice' girls (my dad took no truck with them and would buy me pints to wind them up).
She did nothing wrong, other than voice her opinion. I would much rather have Sinead O'Connor as a role model for my children than whoever wins Z Factor.

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 17/02/2013 22:00

Tufty.

Yes, patronising, avuncular, not really knowing how to handle someone

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 17/02/2013 22:00

Well, avuncular apart from the part where he disses her.....

DyeInTheEar · 17/02/2013 22:05

I switched over as soon as EM said "are you trying to convince me or yourself" after she said "I'm great, great". I can't watch awkward. I was a huge SO'C fan. I played Troy over and over again - and I was pleased to see she'd lost none of prickliness.

What's wrong is that format. It's bad enough having a music slot without the agonising pre gig "chat". I can't bear to see suited politicians trying to keep the beat on the sofa after they've just argued about the latest economic issue. The worst one was Florence and the Machine in full floaty evening wear. I'm nearly 40 and even I feel embarrassed for the "grown ups" trying to be all cool.

TuftyFinch · 17/02/2013 22:08

Yes Jamie, until he was wrong footed ...
also, interviewing someone from 10 ft away is rude and a bit tricky to make it normal, like having a conversation with someone on the other side of a cafe. Why didn't he stand next to her? It's not like standing on the grass outside Parliament. I don't think it helped.

MechanicalTheatre · 17/02/2013 22:13

Tufty I totally agree that some are just not into "real" people. They can only stomach stuff if it has been PR-ed to bits.

It is very odd. But look at music today, the vast majority of the stuff is just ridiculously sanitised and there are very few popular musicians who say anything even vaguely controversial.

DyeInTheEar · 17/02/2013 22:19

Yes Mechanical Pop groups normally do very asinine / safe interviews

TuftyFinch · 17/02/2013 22:20

I know mechanical, in the 80/90's you'd be falling over yoursel listing to angst. But now?

Confuseddd · 17/02/2013 22:29

I haven't seen the interview but I always lunge to turn off the radio when PM comes on as I can't bear Eddie Mair's style - he's very smug and jocular but NONE of his jokes are ever funny in my view, and he's forever cracking them.

He was obviously referring to her MH issues with his opening question and comment ('are you trying to convince me or yourself'). Do interviewers generally ask 'how are you?' At the beginning of an interview? I don't think so. Very crass I think. She could have smiled through though then given him a massive fucking rocket once the camera stopped rolling.

flow4 · 17/02/2013 22:57

I like Eddie Mair, generally, but thought his interaction with SO'C was crass, at best.

LinusVanPelt · 18/02/2013 01:46

I'm really amazed that anyone can have seen that clip and come away with the view that she was the rude one. Hmm

You wouldn't have to know anything at all about O'Connor's personal history to understand that saying "are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" is incredibly disrespectful and crass when someone's just answered your question as to how they are.

Sinead O'Connor has given voice to so many silenced people: abused children who weren't believed, victims of church and government institutions who have carried a shame that was never their own, Irishwomen who still don't have reproductive rights, Catholic women who are marginalized by their church, people with mental illness who are expected to be silent about it or else face constant scrutiny and ridicule.

She is strong enough to be a voice for all of these groups that she represents, but I don't think she's so strong that it doesn't come at an enormous personal cost to her. I think she is goddamn wonderful.

And I am a Prince fan, but to anyone who thinks that her cover of 'Nothing Compares 2 U' is the best / only good thing she's done, I can only say that I pity you your shit taste in music.

TanteRose · 18/02/2013 02:04

well said, Linus Smile

wordfactory · 18/02/2013 07:28

Coming back to this, I'm wondering what people would have prefered.

Would it have been better if she'd welled up and swallowed her hurt?
'Well yes, Ed, I'm trying to convince myself. As you know, I'm not well, trying as bravely as I can to battle my demons...'

mrsjay · 18/02/2013 08:34

You wouldn't have to know anything at all about O'Connor's personal history to understand that saying "are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" is incredibly disrespectful and crass when someone's just answered your question as to how they are.

that and what word factory said, the woman has had loads of problems she was there to promote her album and I think the interviewer was bloody rude to her, did people want a breakdown on sunday morning telly Hmm

G1nAndT0nic · 18/02/2013 12:06

Linus+1

amalur · 18/02/2013 12:38

I am so relieved SOC is being defended here, she does get such a raw deal for just being angry at injustice. I have nothing to add to all the posts who defend her, but for the people who say she has only had one hit and it was a cover, she has the most impressive back catalogue. I had the privilege to see her at a small concert last year, and her voice and the feeling in her songs are simply mindblowing.
I am grateful that there are people like her around, to shake us off the stupor of watching so much mediocrity being passed as talent.

Dylanlovesbaez · 19/02/2013 09:35

Amular where did you see her? I was so moved when I saw her, I was 36 weeks pregnant but think I would have been moved anyway!

amalur · 19/02/2013 09:42

I saw her at St Pancras chapel, behind St Pancras station. I have seen her a number of times before.

I always cry at her concerts, some of her songs are just so beautiful and she sings from the heart. I am usually not an over emotional person but I do think she has a very special talent.

ithaka · 19/02/2013 09:43

Just watched the clip and wanted to add my voice to the SOC defenders. It was great to see her looking so well and strong and I actually thought she was pretty polite and restrained in the face of boorish idiocy. I thought an interview was designed to elicit interesting insights from an artist, not express your own witless view and then talk over their response.

SOC is many things, which may include annoying and rude at times, but she is an interesting and original artist and we could do with more women like her in the public eye. It isn't her job to be pretty and charming.

DyeInTheEar · 19/02/2013 19:37

I would also say that SOC does sing Nothing Compares 2 U beautifully but it is one of the least interesting songs on "I do not want what I haven't got"

With the brilliant line "if I treated you mean I really didn't mean to but you know how a pregnancy can change you"

I've not listened to her for ages and this thread has made me revisit on Youtube. I remembered every line! Off to rediscover Tori Amos now and imagine I'm young and it's still the 90s and I've got it all ahead of me

MadameBoolala · 19/02/2013 19:50

Sinead O'Connor in 'being Sinead O'Connor' shock.

For. Fuck's. Sake.

I have so little patience with 'she's promoting an album on prime time tv so she has to be pretty and gracious and demure for the nice man in the suit asking her the questions'.

Bollocks. Go back to your manufactured little doll pop stars. I LOVE Sinead.

MadameBoolala · 19/02/2013 19:55

Shocking news footage from 1976. Goodnes,, when will these popstars learn how to behave:

MadameBoolala · 19/02/2013 19:55

*Goodness