David Walliams

[Navelgazers]

He's on the wall of my child's school as author of the month. I just do not see the appeal - as I see it he got into writing easily, already being a celebrity, and found success as he used the same illustrator as Roald Dahl - Quentin Blake.

There have been threads in the past about him, and now this
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/nov/10/david-walliams-recorded-derogatory-remarks-britains-got-talent-bgt-contestants

Basically, saying really offensive things about some BGT contestants, on mic. Of course they were going to be leaked.

@AbsoluteYawns re Dahl where do you think Dahl (books I assume) should be banned from? Just your house? Your family? Or libraries? Bookshops? Second hand shops? UK or worldwide?

*comments not connects

Ugh - I also never really enjoyed his books - they're not well written at all (not that I could write a book). My youngest really enjoyed them for a while, but no longer. And yes - the lists! They're not even very good as audiobooks.
My girls loved:
Katherine Rundell
Ross Welford
Emma Carroll
Abi Elphinstone
Michael Morpurgo
Judith Kerr

So judges on family to shows aren’t allowed to have cunt in their vocabulary?

Hope you don’t damage those pearls from clutching them so tightly

Well.... you can now if you want to!

In your experience, would it be possible that he woukd think he couldn't be heard? Why would he think it was OK to speak like that?

Onjali Q. Raúf has written some lovely kids books which deal with modern day themes with humour & sensitivity.

I can’t believe the hype over this. Why not google what Sharon osbourne said about Susan Boyle during her auditions?

I was asking about Roald Dahl. I realise I didn’t specify, so my apologies.

Oh I do!

It's interesting seeing people stand up for him when I'm pretty sure that at some point in the future they'll say they always suspected.

And me. The eyes have it and very insincere too.

But it's all done 'in jest', for our 'entertainment' and just part of their highly paid and well-connected 'public persona'. They even do things 'for charity', don't forget! We must just have a sense of humour bypass, be oversensitive and be mistaken...

Not a problem - here you go - www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160912-the-dark-side-of-roald-dahl

Ah just googled his name and "sex pest" and yes, his behaviour on stage with teenagers is pure hiding-in-plain-site Jimmy Saville.

I wonder if there are more stories out there?

I wonder if he's been protected because of his earning potential?

Certainly wouldn't be the first time.

If someone does have the courage to step forward, I'll believe them.

No, I would say not. If you were raised hearing that word, then I'm sorry for you.
Looking at the weight of opinion against his actions on this thread, I would say your comments about pearl clutching are misjudged, and in poor taste.

BGT is a talent show where everyone is encouraged to have a go. Making disgusting comments about them is dreadful under any circumstances. Moreover. He didn't only call her that, he made a long comment about not wanting to have sex with her, and repeated it several times.

I don’t have proof, just what I heard but I have actually spoken to a journalist before about it. I can only say they’re collecting a lot of information, have been for a long time and the ‘big’ stuff on him is yet to run.

There is no way he thought he couldn’t have been heard, they are mic’d up on entering the building until they leave. He is arrogant enough not to moderate what he says in the slightest, he really has contempt for the contestants.

He also has shit hot lawyers blocking a hell of a lot of this.

It's never too late.

I see there was an MN thread about him @Kiplingroad

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4462013-david-walliams-creepy-behaviour-pretending-to-expose-his-penis-at-work-on-stage-and-more

He's really foul!

I also hope the link I posted provides a sense of balance - I'm not a harpy that thinks my own books are the only ones that should be read - on the contrary, in our industry we try and support all illustrators and authors. Dahl has some extremely problematic and inappropriate language and characters. It is of course up to parents to decide if they want their children to read and consume those messages.

I started this thread today because,

It was just in the news this morning, and
He is heavily promoted as a family friendly children's author. Sharon isn't, afaik.

he didn’t call a woman a cunt at all

He called a male a cunt

There was a man on that particular case who said there was a protected similar celeb out there.

This looks interesting. Have had a quick look, but will read properly later. Thanks for sharing.

he made a long comment about not wanting to have sex with her, and repeated it several times.

I doubt it will have occurred to him that she would probably rather gouge out her own eyes with rusty spoons than have sex with him - what with him being such a catc.,

The arrogance!

Right, yes, that's right, and then said a load of dreadful things about a woman too.

No, but rather like with Trump's 'grabbing their pussy' comments, it's the sort of disgusting thing that some men think passes as humour.

Btw if you do buy books and you have not discovered lowplex yet, they are great for booksets at reduced price. Not quite as good as the now defunct bookpeople were but they are definitely improving and getting there.