Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Boris Johnson is actually a terrible public speaker.

146 replies

lemonsandlimes123 · 02/10/2019 12:06

Listening to his speech on the radio. It's very stilted lacks flow and certainly isn't soaring oratory.

Not natural sounding, not funny either.

Regardless of what you think of his poliitcs is there anyone who thinks he is a good speaker?

OP posts:
GinDaddy · 02/10/2019 12:13

YANBU

He is a great raconteur, fantastic at off the cuff silliness, and very good at short "launch" speeches where he can cut a ribbon and say something silly and obscure about British history or Greek legend.

He's less good at what he's forced to do now; give measured, serious commentary and information on the most important political issue of our times.

Most of his weapons (humour, charm, wit) don't really apply here. He ends up sounding leaden, slurred, rushed at times, and a bit staccato/scattergun

Original poster
lemonsandlimes123 · 02/10/2019 12:18

Totally agree. Sounds really odd!

OP posts:
FizzyGreenWater · 02/10/2019 12:19

No, I think he's awful. The 'off the cuff' silliness isn't, it's quite cynical and is a shtick which is pretty repetitive - the faux slight confusion look and the grabbing the hair stuff - and his reliance (as poster says upthread) on throwing in some historic reference is often off the mark and indicates his actual lack of anything other than a qutie sixth-formy approach to communication.

Sow's ear wrapped in an Eton-made silk purse. If he wasn't from the background he is, he'd be a nobody, because he's not able enough. Knowing that when you look at him 'orating' is fatal.

Mydogmylife · 02/10/2019 12:20

Man' s a total buffoon

ooooohbetty · 02/10/2019 12:21

I disagree and I'm not his biggest fan. I enjoy listening to him and he holds my attention

noblegiraffe · 02/10/2019 12:22

That weird speech to the UN about pink eyed terminators sent back to cull humans and mattresses that monitor your nightmares was just fucking bizarre. And poorly delivered.

PostNotInHaste · 02/10/2019 12:24

I don’t understand him as he never answers the questions , treats it all as an election campaign and the substance is divorced from reality. He genuinely puzzles me and I feel I must be a bit stupid or missing something.

Bellsofstclements · 02/10/2019 12:25

He's awful. All that ridiculous "off the cuff" bullshit is just a distraction. Call table tennis "whiff whaff" a few times and every one thinks you're funny when really you're dismantling the country. Rees Mogg does it too - talk in a funny manner and everyone will hopefully forget you're a vile individual who doesn't give a hoot about breaking the law, lying to the Queen or beating up your partner.

I'm not a fan.

MarshaBradyo · 02/10/2019 12:28

Yes he’s better at entertaining the press with the odd bit of levity than he is speaking as PM

He often looks stroppy and barely put together and can really ham up the reactions

HopeClearwater · 02/10/2019 12:34

enjoy listening to him and he holds my attention

Can you remember anything of it though?

GaudyNight · 02/10/2019 12:36

Yanbu, it’s classic intellectually-lazy and -arrogant Oxford Union schtick.

thecatsthecats · 02/10/2019 12:38

Has anyone else noticed that for the last week, he's been actually combing his hair?

MarshaBradyo · 02/10/2019 12:40

He might be trying a harder lately not to ham it up so much. I’d be happy if he stopped being so openly dismissive as others speak.

Clavinova · 02/10/2019 12:42

Has anyone else noticed that for the last week, he's been actually combing his hair?

Yes, there is a photo of someone combing it for him. Grin

I like him.

GaudyNight · 02/10/2019 12:45

Have you seen that video of him walking down a corridor with two aides, and one gives him a takeaway cup of coffee, and the other one snatches it away again immediately and hisses, through gritted teeth, ‘No disposable cups!’ while Boris grins and repeatedly says ‘uh oh’ like a giant baby who’s just figured out how to grab its own foot?

FieldsOf · 02/10/2019 12:48

His PMQ's are awful. I'm no massive fan of Corbyn but he's been coming across so much more statemenlike in comparison.

Clavinova · 02/10/2019 12:54

I've just been watching a short video link on the Brexit board - Peter Oborne, the journalist and broadcaster who wishes he had voted remain instead of leave. Although obviously critical of government policy on Brexit, he describes Boris Johnson as having "one of the most brilliant political brains that I've ever encountered."

sleepyhead · 02/10/2019 12:54

I used to think there was a certain cleverness about his ability to speak off the cuff until I read that Jeremy Vine article about discovering it was a complete act: reaction.life/jeremy-vine-my-boris-story/

Now it just seems a bit pathetic to have such a carefully constructed persona that he plays up to. Doesn't suggest he has much else about him.

Knittedfairies · 02/10/2019 12:57

I saw the clip of someone combing his hair, and it still looked... uncombed when she'd finished.
He is not a good public speaker; if you ignore the shtick, there's not a lot worth listening to anyway.

PickedByYou · 02/10/2019 15:11

He comes across as a bit stupid but I know he can't be. He is terrible at public speaking. If fact he is just terrible
at speaking. His faux bumbling toff persona is nauseating. It doesn't work for Hugh Grant and it doesn't work for Boris.

NewNameGuy · 02/10/2019 15:14

I watched all of BOJO and comrade Corbyn's speeches, neither are great orators but they are much better to watch than just audio

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 02/10/2019 15:19

A more educated version of Donald Trump. Waffle - soundbite - waffle waffle - hahaha - waffle - soubdbite - blah!

ajandjjmum · 02/10/2019 15:22

Bellsofstclements
...... everyone will hopefully forget you're a vile individual who doesn't give a hoot about breaking the law, lying to the Queen or beating up your partner.

Have I missed something? Who has he beaten up?

Amanduh · 02/10/2019 15:25

I disagree. I think he speaks well. It was a good speech and the general public will like it. Thing is, however false his messages or content, he does speak with passion and pride, and with such a woeful opposition, it’s what people like to hear.

MrsRufusdog789 · 02/10/2019 15:34

On radio OK - however when interviewed he often looks as if he's about to burst into peals of laughter - a very strange affect ........