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WEBCHAT GUIDELINES: 1. One question per member plus one follow-up. 2. Keep your question brief. 3. Don't moan if your question doesn't get answered. 4. Do be civil/polite. 5. If one topic or question threatens to overwhelm the webchat, MNHQ will usually ask for people to stop repeating the same question or point.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

GOK WAN: Live Webchat - Friday 11 October, 1.45-2.45pm

522 replies

RachelMumsnet · 09/10/2013 14:41

We'll still be sweeping up the biscuit crumbs left from the Jennifer Saunders webchat as we prepare for the return of Gok Wan to Mumsnet Towers on Friday 11 October at 1.45pm. Since his last visit in Summer 2010, Gok has produced 2 cookery books and his latest, Gok's Wok is published this week.

Gok shares many of his family's traditional recipes but gives them a modern twist as he teaches us how to cook, simple, fast meals with flavour and a splash of Gok originality. Chapters cover all occasions from lunches to dinner parties and include curries, stir-fries, noodles, salads, soups and desserts.

Join Gok on Friday at 1.45pm or post a question to him in advance to this thead and you'll be entered into a draw to win a SIGNED copy of Gok's Wok.

We have also teamed up with Gok and Sainsbury's to host a live cookalong on Google+. On Wednesday 16 October at 7pm Gok will be making two super-delicious dishes from his new book and he'd love you to join him in cooking them. Find out more here.

OP posts:
MarmaladeBatkins · 15/10/2013 22:19

Am so jeffing jealous. Envy

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2013 22:19

We not banning banter! But there's ripping the piss and there's banter iykwim.

Valpollicella · 15/10/2013 22:20

I only ask that as (and I may be wrong) but there were hard hitting questions. Which were chosen to be ignored in favour of the 12 (?) questions he answered in an hour.

Surely, surely he had PR people with him that would have advised answering some of them, in some kind of fashion....?

MarmaladeBatkins · 15/10/2013 22:24

That's what I thought, Val. If he'd attempted to answer some tricky questions, I bet the tide would have turned, as is often the way on MN. You can win people over by being humble/funny/insightful.

That's why I was helpfully pointing out how long til end of web chat.

Valpollicella · 15/10/2013 22:32

As someone with experience you always ahve Lines Against Enquiries (LAE). These are banal statements that can b e thrown out to the tricky q's. They answer the question in a way, giving them an answer but actually, not really so.

I absolutely cannot believe that a team behind Gok would have sent him into this without a PR person on hand to do the LAE. Absolutely not. Given his prominence.

Justine, I really do feel that censoring webchats in the way you have described is going to backfire. People will just start other threads/not post for fear of being banned/etc.

mignonette · 15/10/2013 22:37

I don't blame MNHQ for getting tough on MNers who act like this. Re reading the thread it is downright embarrassing and spiteful.

It made me cringe because I sure as Hell don't believe those responsible would have the gall to behave like this in a face to face encounter.

ohforfoxsake · 15/10/2013 22:37

It was a crappy web chat and embarrassing for both sides.

He was only ever going to promote his new cookery book (which he did badly) and MNers were daft if they thought he was going to answer anything more probing than a biscuit question.

I doubt if he gives a shit anyway.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 15/10/2013 22:41

JustineMN - do MNHQ go through the questions that are posted, and look for any particular themes that are coming up in the questions, so that these trends can be brought to the guest's attention?

I only ask because it seems from this thread that a number of people were posting questions that had a bit of a theme (the way Gok advises women to squeeze into restrictive underwear to disguise the way their bodies are, and whether his advice helps women feel good about themselves, or feeds into the pressure on women to look a particular way), and none of these questions got answered - leading a lot of people to feel that a whole subject area was being ignored - hence a lot of the irritation and crossness. Reading the thread, it looks as if only questions about food were answered, while a really serious topic was utterly ignored.

It would have been so much better if someone had put a selection of these questions in front of Gok, so he could try to address the issues that were being raised.

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2013 22:50

@Valpollicella

As someone with experience you always ahve Lines Against Enquiries (LAE). These are banal statements that can b e thrown out to the tricky q's. They answer the question in a way, giving them an answer but actually, not really so.

I absolutely cannot believe that a team behind Gok would have sent him into this without a PR person on hand to do the LAE. Absolutely not. Given his prominence.

Justine, I really do feel that censoring webchats in the way you have described is going to backfire. People will just start other threads/not post for fear of being banned/etc.

Val we usually censor webchats in the way that I've described, as per the rules.

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2013 22:53

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

JustineMN - do MNHQ go through the questions that are posted, and look for any particular themes that are coming up in the questions, so that these trends can be brought to the guest's attention?

I only ask because it seems from this thread that a number of people were posting questions that had a bit of a theme (the way Gok advises women to squeeze into restrictive underwear to disguise the way their bodies are, and whether his advice helps women feel good about themselves, or feeds into the pressure on women to look a particular way), and none of these questions got answered - leading a lot of people to feel that a whole subject area was being ignored - hence a lot of the irritation and crossness. Reading the thread, it looks as if only questions about food were answered, while a really serious topic was utterly ignored.

It would have been so much better if someone had put a selection of these questions in front of Gok, so he could try to address the issues that were being raised.

We do keep an eye, yes, but as said I believe (and I wasn't there so am reporting second hand) Gok didn't want to engage with folks who he thought we're being hectoring and rude, which I agree some people were.

MarmaladeBatkins · 15/10/2013 22:57

I don't think that Gok wanted to engage with anyone who wasn't sending him kisses/invitations to dinner. Which is up to him, I suppose...

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 22:58

He should have done his own limerick:

Oh Mners are so rude
Not funny, just hectoring and crude
I give them advice
to help them look nice
And they won't even talk about food.

Too soon?

mignonette · 15/10/2013 22:59

Seeing as Gok has talked openly about being bullied as a child, I'm not surprised he decided not to engage with the bullying, hectoring and mocking tone of quite a few posts.

Isn't it rather hypocritical to attack Gok for 'humiliating' and making a mockery of women in his clothing/body programmes and then do the same to him?

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2013 22:59

@ohforfoxsake

It was a crappy web chat and embarrassing for both sides.

He was only ever going to promote his new cookery book (which he did badly) and MNers were daft if they thought he was going to answer anything more probing than a biscuit question.

I doubt if he gives a shit anyway.

Alastair C was here to promote his book too. Most guests come on to promote something - same as they go on Jonathan Ross.

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 23:02

"bullying"

No way.

That is ridiculous. He was criticised for what he does on his progs and the way he talks to women, he wasn't "bullied."

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 23:03

Anyway, I'm orf, shame he didn't engage and "banter" back. It might have been fun.

Wheatus · 15/10/2013 23:03

I thought this webchat was horrendous.

For anonymous posters to be so bullying to someone who gives their real name was not edifying.

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2013 23:05

@Hullygully

"bullying"

No way.

That is ridiculous. He was criticised for what he does on his progs and the way he talks to women, he wasn't "bullied."

I think it can very much feel like bullying from the other end Hully - we've been through this before as you know. Not sure there's a lot of difference between a lot of folks relentlessly teasing and bullying.

mignonette · 15/10/2013 23:06

It was rude/ill mannered/impolite take your pick. Sorry, Hully but that is how it came across to me. I know I gave it on both barrels to JO but he had said some vile things about people and that warranted a robust response. But w/ Gok I don't think that taking the piss, mocking him and all the other behaviours displayed on here was warranted. He wasn't given a chance to respond because it got unpleasant so fast no wonder he decided to ignore it all. It truly didn't come across as 'a little ribbing'. It was more huddle of mean girls in a playground and certainly from my own perspective of having been bullied at school, if I had been on the receiving end of it, I'd have found it quite difficult psychologically.

RE asking Gok for a response to our concerns- Softly softly catches monkey or so they say.

QueFonda · 15/10/2013 23:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 23:08

Really?

Okay.

Valpollicella · 15/10/2013 23:08

Mignoette, in which way was it spiteful? Honest question?

Justine, I remember the Shezerade (or however the hell you spell her name) webchat.

That wasn't censored. She just 'couldn't make it' for whatever reason.....

QueFonda · 15/10/2013 23:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hullygully · 15/10/2013 23:10

I expect I'll live, QueFonda, hard tho it will be.

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