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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask who is the biggest grifter you've seen?

594 replies

2025ohdear · 20/02/2025 16:41

I remember Anthea Turner punting flakes at her wedding. Carol Vorderman was always quick to front a financial product. Just seen Carole Malone on my timeline oiling on about weight loss jabs.

Any others spring to mind?

OP posts:
NormasArse · 22/02/2025 10:48

Deboragh · 22/02/2025 09:55

Obviously Megan is up there, but for years it was, still is Amanda Holden, apart from shagging Les Dennis, where did she come from. On a similar vein, Cheryl Tweedy, and Victoria Beckham.

She was in a series before that. I remember thinking she was beautiful at the time. Now I find her extremely irritating 😂.

canyouseemyhousefromhere · 22/02/2025 11:07

whatonearthisgoingonnow · 20/02/2025 17:38

I think Boris Johnson is actually incredibly smart. I don't like him, and he's certainly the master of free handouts, but he certainly isn't a man of little intelligence.

Edited
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His past teachers will disagree with you, as would I.

BustingBaoBun · 22/02/2025 11:12

I think Boris Johnson is good at duping people. Spout a bit of Latin, rub his hair with a balloon, crack a joke or two and bob's yer uncle.

Zenana · 22/02/2025 11:14

ElsaLion · 20/02/2025 17:29

Probably Meghan Markle, considering how much she seemingly conned the RF and public. Honestly, a £32 million wedding for a twice divorced actress! Personally I didn't have a good feeling about her from the start, and have since been validated.

I thought criticism of Meghan wasn't allowed?

BustingBaoBun · 22/02/2025 11:19

Zenana · 22/02/2025 11:14

I thought criticism of Meghan wasn't allowed?

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Who said that? There's countless threads criticising her 24/7

auntynan · 22/02/2025 11:23

Munroe Bergdorf

Foy19 · 22/02/2025 11:44

Gemma Markland of The Markland Home.

Pedallleur · 22/02/2025 12:47

PerfectforStealth · 21/02/2025 10:49

Liz Truss. I saw her in London recently, getting out of her police protection Range Rover. With another Range Rover right behind. All paid for by us as the tax payer. For someone who was PM for 50 days. We will pay for this for the rest of her life.

She made off with bathrobes from I think Chevening and was sent the bill. CF right there

FlyingUnicornWings · 22/02/2025 12:48

labtest57 · 20/02/2025 18:07

Jack Munroe, and Jessica Taylor. Both grifters and pathological liars.

Jessica Taylor is a dangerous woman in my opinion. Her constantly bashing mental health diagnosis and medication is not the one. She’s incredibly defensive and ignorant and not willing to listen to any other fact or opinion that opposes hers.

Pedallleur · 22/02/2025 12:49

SchoolDilemma17 · 21/02/2025 11:28

I am also definitely not a Meghan fan but I agree on this. Royal weddings are a key selling point for the RF and for British image, tourism and culture abroad.

Billions watched the wedding and the beautiful images of Windsor Castle and Windsor in the sun. It’s basically advertising for the Uk. One ad in the super bowl costs $40M so this was a relatively cheap marketing opportunity.

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Just backdrops tho. If the RF vanished tomorrow all those buildings will still be there. Not like there a wedding ever year. Be better letting the public use it for their weddings

Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 12:58

@BustingBaoBun so accurate- Folks!!

lilywillywoo · 22/02/2025 13:56

Butchyrestingface · 20/02/2025 19:25

Going back a fair bit admittedly, but I raise you Dundee's very own William McGonagall, famed as the world's worst poet and "so giftedly bad he backed unwittingly into genius." Supposedly it was all a ruse to make money.

"Beautiful railway bridge of the silv'ry Tay
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away"

Really!? I've never heard that before. Intriguing!

taxguru · 22/02/2025 15:28

Elon Musk - it's all down to his inherited money. He's not actually done anything himself, i.e. he's bought his businesses etc., not set them up.

ExercicenformedeZ · 22/02/2025 15:30

I forgot one: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

chaosmaker · 22/02/2025 23:20

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 20/02/2025 17:09

Gypsy Rose Blanchard.

The whole situation is appalling.

You mean her mother.

chaosmaker · 22/02/2025 23:26

All the counsellors/politicians with multiple jobs that all pay well and take more hours a week than exist in a week. See Private Eye for details

beencaughttrollin · 22/02/2025 23:28

Elon Musk, without a doubt. And that's giving him the benefit of the doubt about, and acknowledgement of, his successful business ventures over time. But the grift he's pulled since 20 Jan is - not unique, lots of countries have off-the-charts levels of corruption, but never before successfully executed in a context that impacts the world to such a degree.

Trump, Johnson, Farage - and does anyone remember Truss? - are charlatans, but at least with the veneer of popular support.

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 23/02/2025 00:48

Many that have been mentioned. Jack Monroe was my first thought, but agree also with Jessica Taylor, Jolyon foxkiller, and Belle Gibson, and also Captain Tom’s family.

Also Michelle Knuttilla who solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to run HiCaliber horse rescue in the US but the reality was sadly very different. Horses starving while she led a party lifestyle.

katienana · 23/02/2025 08:06

maximalistmaximus · 20/02/2025 18:52

Yes on a recent episode of SYLO she said dessert spoons are something from Downton Abbey! As if they aren't what most people use most of the time!

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Yes this really annoyed me when she said it! There's nothing wrong with having a set of soup spoons or cake forks for good measure too. Anyway she's got a cheek because she encourages over consumption with her clothing ranges and homewares. Wouldn't it be funny if a family had loads of her stuff to get rid of!

Sausagenbacon · 23/02/2025 08:10

Ok, I'll bite. What's the AIBU?
Oh yes, I see, it's yet another 5 minutes hate thread.
Wasn't there another one only last week?
Why don't you all get a life?

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 23/02/2025 08:15

BustingBaoBun · 22/02/2025 11:12

I think Boris Johnson is good at duping people. Spout a bit of Latin, rub his hair with a balloon, crack a joke or two and bob's yer uncle.

I read a Twitter post that said he looks like he uses a toffee apple for a hairbrush.

That description has lived with me!

Lovethegreydays · 23/02/2025 11:20

Sausagenbacon · 23/02/2025 08:10

Ok, I'll bite. What's the AIBU?
Oh yes, I see, it's yet another 5 minutes hate thread.
Wasn't there another one only last week?
Why don't you all get a life?

Weird...

Sausagenbacon · 23/02/2025 12:20

Why?

Clavinova · 23/02/2025 20:42

canyouseemyhousefromhere · 22/02/2025 11:07

His past teachers will disagree with you, as would I.

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Boris Johnson's school teachers must have been a bit surprised when he won a King's (academic) Scholarship to Eton then another scholarship to Oxford.

Ilovemycatalot · 23/02/2025 20:59

Peter Andre - talentless one hit wonder who used Katie price to make a name for himself and has been riding on the coat tails since.
Fake mr nice guy.

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