Gyles Brandreth

[Shadope]

Why is this utterly obnoxious, bordering on misogynistic, horrific name dropping, self obsessive suddenly everywhere.

didn’t we call time for men like him?

I kind of find him fascinating in a weird way like a lot of people onscreen. Not a single shred of talent. The only reason they occupy the spaces they do is because the have the right skin colour and right accent. Sometimes it's like watching fish in a bowl just in amazement at how some people just live life on automatic mode.

That's interesting because he knows he isn't a national treasure.

In fact a few years ago he did a programme on the radio called 'make me a national treasure' where he looked at different people who are considered national treasures and looked at what is required to be one.

It was gentle, amusing and informative. And it was brimful of namedropping.

I think being able to be a good public speaker and to be spontaneously witty and clever (eg on Just a Minute) is a talent. Yes he might have male white privilege etc etc but not all privileged white males can do what he does.

*you’ve lost me a bit on the living life automatically thing tbh, have you been at the gin?

He's bright, an excellent speaker, has been an MP and in the media for years. He writes, does live shows, obviously has so many interests and seems to have a gift for speaking to people. I'm not sure why you think he doesn't have a shred of talent.

I’ve met him in person a few times and he’s a sexist old lech - making unfunny sexual comments about young women and their bodies in professional contexts. Not funny, not acceptable and he’s honestly just a pompous arse.

you’ve lost me a bit on the living life automatically thing tbh, have you been at the gin?

No gin unfortunately! I meant how easier he and people like him live life in comparison. He can walk into a room and in a way work through it with ease and charm, I'm a black woman and the thought alone gives me anxiety.

What professional contexts?

Well, I’ve met him and listened to his unfunny sexist remarks about young (late teenage) women’s bodies and how much he fancies them — comments that were like a throwback to the 1970s. Not remotely acceptable these days. He also did a good number in talking over the (really quite senior and talented) women present. Depends whether you think of that kind of thing as misogyny, or just a bit of old-school patronising sexism, I guess.

Contexts? 1. A book launch. 2. A TV awards ceremony. 3. An industry party where he was giving a speech. So, all of these professional contexts where making comments in public - as part of a speech even! - about how sexy young assistants / colleagues / young female writers are, and how much you’d like to sleep with them, are not remotely acceptable.

I like him. I don't like the current feeling that if you're an older intelligent white man you must be a wrong'un. That seems to be the opposite of progressive thinking to me.

Totally agree.

Ahh but are they diminishing wigywhoo? Certainly (obviously) in relation to the late Queen and Prince Philip.

But Gyles and Camilla have known one another since they were teenagers. And he has been very busy indeed writing little snippets in the press about how nice the RF were to Meghan Markle and how horrid she was in return...I find that quite interesting!

Agreed. Sad state of affairs when you can be chucked in jail for merely being a well spoken intelligent white man.

Well obviously it's not ok to criticize someone's age or ethnicity.

But I think it's fair comment if you find them sexist, pompous, misogynistic and obsequious.

I find him a fascinating character. The stories he tells and what he's done. European Monopoly champion fgs!! 😂

He is ace. Clever, charming and fun.

@VladmirsPoutine "The only reason they occupy the spaces they do is because they have the right skin colour and right accent." You mean like Nish Kumar and Shaparak Khorsandi. Totally talentless and unfunny but promoted by the Right On BBC. At least GB is witty, intelligent and interesting. And lots of us, including white people, are intimidated by walking into a room full of strangers. That kind of confidence exudes from the public school Oxbridge set from which most working class people are excluded.

This!

@PandoraRocks Nish Kumar and the other person you mentioned aren't the subject of the thread and I agree I find them as amusing as a tampon floating in a toilet basin but the point still stands regarding GB and those similar to him. They operate through the world at a clear distinct difference.

Reported @1980sfookup there’s no place for racism here.

Reported too
Shame on you @1980sfookup

@1980sfookup Why do you people only say this stuff behind a screen?

I like him, he’s energetic, erudite, witty and doesn’t give much of a shit what people think of him. He believes in free speech.

actually I can see why many of Gen z don’t like him lol. Now those lot really are annoying!

An entire generation are annoying?

On the contrary, I think GB cares very much about what a certain section of society thinks about him ie Camilla and her cohorts.