… to ask why Giles Coren hasn’t been cancelled yet?

[mowly77]

The vile Dawn Foster tweets ffs. But he seems Teflon coated. He will never be cancelled. Three fucking columns a week … a pissing radio show, albeit on Times Radio, which surely no one listens to. I would love to be proved wrong. Absolutely love to be.

I listen to Times Radio but only listen on Friday afternoons when Geoff Norcott is covering for GC. I already think GC is an arsehole so I don't tune in to his show and his columns never appeal to me so I don't usually read them either.

I don't regard that as 'cancelling' though. If others still want to listen to/read his stuff they can. Presumably if his audience figures drop he will be sacked.

I do think his tweets about Dawn Foster were reprehensible by the way.

@longwayoff

All this 'he is part of the establishment' is twaddle. He's a columnist and occasional TV presenter who knows a few people of influence. If it wasn't for Twitter, nobody would know who he is. He can cancel himself any time he likes by not using it.

He writes for The Times. Plenty of people know who he is.

I do think his tweets about Dawn Foster were reprehensible by the way

So do I, but I shouldn't have to say so. I still think cancel culture is wrong, bullying and fascistic.

I like him on Times radio. He comes across as warm and interested in his guests.

I like Times Radio generally, though, as a break from R4 when it's having its 'comedy' slots, for example.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Having a dad in the game might get you a job, but it won't keep you in a job, especially when that job is essentially freelance

If you can't write, then no one will employ you as as writer, no matter who your dad is. GC's not a terrible writer (better than his sister, for a start). Most of the population couldn't do his job, but there are maybe 10,000 writers in the UK as good. Why does GC have a Times column, when the other 9,999 don't? That's where the nepotism counts. In a highly competitive profession, the initial leg-up, the connections and the exposure are everything.

As you say, it's a competitive profession, and a bitch to get into. Because of that, there's not one of those 9,999 writers who wouldn't take any break they could - just to get in the door - however 'unfairly' it came about.

I got my first regular paid writing gig because I happened to have a mate who knew a commissioning editor who needed a feature written and when we all met up in the same pub that evening, he said, "Hey - you write, don't you? Can you do me a piece about...."

I may be a terrible person, but there was no way I was going to say, "Look, that's terribly flattering of you, but I really think you ought to put an ad in the Guardian, look at a couple of dozen cvs, check out examples of everyone's work, do some interviews and then make a decision. And, you know, obviously I'll apply but I really hope that the fact we're on the same pub-quiz team won't in anyway influence your decision."

Nah. I said, "Sure. How many words?"

In the creative arena, it will always be about connections.

@Bryonyshcmyony

I do think his tweets about Dawn Foster were reprehensible by the way

So do I, but I shouldn't have to say so. I still think cancel culture is wrong, bullying and fascistic.

You clearly do not think cancel culture is wrong, bullying and fascistic. Twice on this thread you have falsely accused others of bullying you in an attempt to shut them down as you didn't agree with people challenging you. That is cancel culture.

You've proved that you're only against cancel culture when it's aimed at people your personally like.

The drum kit tweet is in poor taste, but no one thought GC was really planning to assault a child. The difference with the Dawn Foster tweet is that he actually is laughing at the death of a young woman. It's not provocation or hyperbole for comic effect: he has actually done it.

I recall who GC is now (had to look him up, which might dent his ego). To be honest he turns my stomach and sounds really unpleasant from what he has said. The worst thing about it all is he freely wrecks his own reputation on Twitter. Why in a million Sundays would you say that you are glad a 33 year old journalist is dead in public? I know this lady has clashed with other people, but still, it is really immature and childish, like a 3 year old having a tantrum.

But still, I believe that people grow over time and at different rates to each other. Some just don't get it until later in life (maybe because of privilege, as people have suggested), so I'm not for cancelling people - give them a chance to redeem themselves, otherwise you're just left thinking most of the world are wankers that are beyond help, which is depressing really.

The drum kit tweet is in poor taste, but no one thought GC was really planning to assault a child.

I just can't get my head around this viewpoint. If someone posted that their husband/son/father/brother had made a child rape "joke" there would be universal condemnation of them here.

When does it become acceptable? If you're a writer? If you have a famous dad? If you're privileged? What is the criteria that takes making child rape jokes from completely unacceptable to just a bit of a laugh?

One minute the show is praising the uber luxury in these grand places, the next it tries to display the hardship and 'empathise' with those working there. What exactly are they trying to achieve with this patronising tripe?

He is absolutely the wrong person for that job. In the earlier series he seemed to fin the hotel’s staff professionalism amusing, he would take over and do a “hilariously* bad job or sometimes even sabotage their work. He didn’t have any respect for their professionalism and pride, ironically anyone could do a better job of presenting that program than him.

He's a man, male. 'Nuff said.

@classica
I am completely against "cancel culture"
You did tell me to go away and watch child rape videos and I was happy not to report it so [shrug]

Irrespective of whether you find the comments OTT you don’t get to decide that someone should be “cancelled”. I’ve got a brain in my head thanks I can read a comment myself and decide what I think about it. I can respond directly on SM too if I feel I want to tell him directly he’s a prick. I assume he had either second thoughts or a robust challenge to the comment which is why he deleted them. If you’re not careful you end up in a society where only moderate, woke comments are allowed by the thought police. It’s what they’ve tried to do to JKR and it’s only her massive popularity and clout / wealth ( and sheer bloody mindedness) that has enabled her to keep commenting.

He near as damnit spoiled that hotel programme.

@Divebar2021

Irrespective of whether you find the comments OTT you don’t get to decide that someone should be “cancelled”. I’ve got a brain in my head thanks I can read a comment myself and decide what I think about it. I can respond directly on SM too if I feel I want to tell him directly he’s a prick. I assume he had either second thoughts or a robust challenge to the comment which is why he deleted them. If you’re not careful you end up in a society where only moderate, woke comments are allowed by the thought police. It’s what they’ve tried to do to JKR and it’s only her massive popularity and clout / wealth ( and sheer bloody mindedness) that has enabled her to keep commenting.

Yes, this. At least when he's on Twitter you have right of reply.

I am a grandchild of London Jews, and I would struggle to say that my life isn't privileged in many ways. I also have quite a dark sense of humour.

But to joke about raping a 12yo as punishment is frankly beyond dark, and not funny in any way.*

To laugh at the early death of someone that made a career selling products that extended life could be funny. To laugh at the death of a person in their 30s who seemingly has died as a result of medical tragedy... not funny. I feel sorry for his wife and family as he clearly has no empathy or filter whatsoever. Not as sorry as I feel for Dawn Foster's family though.

*I must admit I may be displaying some bias as the parent of a 12yo drummer. Burning his kit, funny. I have autism, but even I can see what is acceptable humour and what is simply is not.

What a disappointment he must be to his late father. Alan was a humorous essayist and on quiz shows on radio I remember. One of those gentle old fashioned nice blokes.

[quote Bryonyshcmyony]@classica
I am completely against "cancel culture"
You did tell me to go away and watch child rape videos and I was happy not to report it so [shrug][/quote]
Well that's a lie. You said you found his child rape 'jokes' funny so I told you to go and watch some more child rape stand up gags if you found them so amusing.

Unlike you I don't find anything hilarious about the subject.

Thanks for reiterating.

The Steve Martin stand up about him having sex with his cat is very funny though.

Cancelled lol.

Such a dickhead phrase.

Free speech is all we really have, regardless of how offensive some find it.

@Tossblanket

Cancelled lol.

Such a dickhead phrase.

Free speech is all we really have, regardless of how offensive some find it.

Yes, I agree.

@Tossblanket

Cancelled lol.

Such a dickhead phrase.

Free speech is all we really have, regardless of how offensive some find it.

Free speech has always had consequences.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow
First article I ever read of hers was about how awful and boring looking after her 2 year old son was. But as her husband earned so much money she could afford to hand him over to an Eastern European girl every morning. The article was so OTT about the horrors of being a SAHM to him. I felt sad thinking that in later years the boy (or one of his friends) would find it and read it.

Free speech has always had consequences

I don't like the sound of this, frankly