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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wish James O'Brien ran the country

45 replies

nickiredcar · 07/12/2018 10:43

He's just so spot on and gets it every morning. Today he's talking about the hypocrisy of Tory's that have tried to introduce policies like the bed room tax, disability cuts and universal credit but are now posing with giving food to a bank. Absolutely disgusting and shameful Angry

OP posts:
Wordthe · 07/12/2018 10:46

I used to like him but now I find him unbearably smug, contrived and condescending

IsThereRoomAtTheInn · 07/12/2018 10:47

YABTotallyU.

He sounds a bit like he'd be a real dictator given half a chance.

Safer in a radio studio imo.

He's likely right about the hypocritical politicians.

RazaShah · 07/12/2018 10:47

Agree Word.

Wordthe · 07/12/2018 10:47

I'm not saying I necessarily disagree with him though!

Shitlandpony · 07/12/2018 10:49

He is too in love with himself and condescending to callers that he not intelligent enough to converse with.

BasilFaulty · 07/12/2018 10:50

Oh my god yes! Me and my mum love him. Have you read his book? He prints out some of the best/most ridiculous callers he's ever had.
One of the most memorable is some twat bloke calling up to trot out the usual 'Country has gone to the dogs/immigration out of control/PC gone mad' stuff and when James asked for him to give a personal example of this, he said 'We took my daughter around a school the other day and there was a Muslim prayer room, it's taking over'
James promptly said they had found the headteacher for that particular school and she's on the other line, she would like to speak to him.
He hung up. Grin Grin Grin

TwistedStitch · 07/12/2018 10:51

Nah he's just another lefty misogynist.

flintfoxy · 07/12/2018 10:53

He is an unbearably smug arsehole who wouldn't be in the position he is today without his very privileged upbringing (thanks to his fathers actual graft) and a father with the right contacts.

Shitlandpony · 07/12/2018 10:53

I think he supports religious schools doesn’t he? I think his dds go to one, also he bought a designer cross breed dog and moans about foxes. The real reason I dislike him🤣.

Although thinking about it I am torn as he admitted that since one of his dd went vegetarian he admitted that he has been a twat about vegetarians in the past and changed his mind.

Still on balance YABU.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 07/12/2018 10:55

YABU.

Bombardier25966 · 07/12/2018 10:55

In what way is he a misogynist @TwistedStitch?

mothertruck3r · 07/12/2018 10:56

Why? He's a complete arsehole!

Wordthe · 07/12/2018 11:03

I don't think he's an asshole, he's probably a decent bloke isn't he (?) and I am probably broadly speaking generally on board with his message,
I just as I said find him a bit smug and condescending at times

katiegoestoaldi · 07/12/2018 11:05

I used to like him until he ran some very anti breastfeeding phone ins and then revealed his wife was unable to breastfeed. A coincidence? I think not. So his wife couldn't do it so he went on to attack all those who could and spoke over any advocate for bf

I still listen to him though sometimes as he can be a rational voice amongst the increasing right wing madness. I agree with previous views that he's smug, privileged background etc

TwistedStitch · 07/12/2018 11:08

Because he mocks and dismisses the concerns of women re male violence and sex segregated spaces Bombardier. He was very affronted when he asked a woman on his show if she would be happy to share a changing room with him and she said no. Then the opposite response to transwomen concerned about male violence, completely sympathetic and supportive and of course their concerns should be validated.

BasilFaulty · 07/12/2018 11:18

Twistedstitch if you read his book that certainly isn't the impression I get, he's very clear and supportive of feminism in all its veins, including trans issues and women's only spaces.

SillySallySingsSongs · 07/12/2018 11:20

I don''t he belittles and talks down to people quite a bit.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 07/12/2018 11:22

He does like to mock, talk down and minimise while enjoying the sound of his own voice.

It’s all very immature and unpleasant.

TwistedStitch · 07/12/2018 11:23

Have a listen to him interrupting a woman (Posie maybe?) 17 times in 5 minutes. There are other examples too, where a woman says she doesn't want to share intimate space with males- his response is I resent the implication that all men are violent. On the SAME SHOW a transwoman said they are worried about sharing intimate space with males, his response is Ah mate, that's terrible. Of course you shouldn't have to use the men's spaces. His male privilege is so ingrained he is oblivious to his own hypocrisy.

Avegemitesandwich · 07/12/2018 11:25

I used to quite like him, but he is just another brocialist, misogynist mansplainer who thinks he wittily 'owns' his callers.

Aomame83 · 07/12/2018 11:27

I just read his book and think, despite his slight condescension to people, he tries to be fair and reasoned. He admits if he has made mistakes and re-evaluates his original position when faced with new information, which seems to be more than can be said for the current government.

TwistedStitch · 07/12/2018 11:32

Anybody can write a book saying they support feminism. It's pretty meaningless if that doesn't then follow in their actual real life interactions with women.

SillySallySingsSongs · 07/12/2018 11:36

Anybody can write a book saying they support feminism

Saying something on paper is one thing. The way he speaks to callers who don't agree with him is something else.

Actions speak louder than the written word.

Ubertasha2 · 07/12/2018 11:43

Can’t stand the self-satisfied, patronising, condescending prick. Everything he says is right because he says it is so.

I used to listen to Nick Ferrari, then as soon as I heard that whining, moany drown of his not terribly dulcet tones, would change radio stations.

Give me Sheila, Nick or one of the Ians any day. I adore lovely Clive, tho. He is a babe.

Ubertasha2 · 07/12/2018 11:43
  • moany drone, not drown
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