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Original poster

Live web-chat with Tony Parsons, 9pm-10pm, 6 October

721 replies

rachel(mumsnet) · 01/10/2008 15:59

Columnist and author Tony Parsons will be joining us here on Monday 6th October from 9-10pm for a live chat. Tony's sixth novel, 'My Favourite Wife' has just been published and is described by The Independent as 'a much bigger, more ambitious book' than million-selling 'Man and Boy'. If you can't make the chat you can post your questions in advance here.
Hope to see you here on Monday.

OP posts:
ahundredtimes · 07/10/2008 13:15

Saying that someone is doing something for money, that they are disingenuous and cynical is name calling. Why? Because it's all about the person, and not about THE WORK.

Saying 'I read this book, and I found it really difficult. I struggled with the way you portrayed the women, and I found I disliked your use of language when describing the female form' is criticism. Why? BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT THE WORK.

And now I must go and do some WORK.

EffiePerine · 07/10/2008 13:24

100X - the Wellcome do tours of the exhibitions and collections - well worth a viist and all FREE

www.wellcomecollection.org/exhibitionsandevents/events/index.htm

I lurve the Wellcome exhibitions and am envious of their luxurious cases

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:34

I haven't read all the aftermath of this, but it sounds really interesting, and I'll be catching up later. Just wanted to say that I hold my hands up, I was rude to him, it was lazy, and I didn't properly explain why I have such an objection to him.
I do however find him deeply unsavoury. I thought the way in which he responsed to ScummyMummy's questions was absolutely pathetic and very defensive.
He is so obsessed by his own popularity, fine, he is open about the fact that he likes to be liked, but I think his pursuance of popularity is obsessional and imo very unlikeable. He is self congratulatory in the extreme , and takes himself terribly seriously rendering himself entirely devoid of a sense of humour. The way he 'flirted' here last night was revolting, and the way he opened with the nonsense about the Roald Dahl was calculated, cheesy and insincere, it put me in the mind of this and is definitely a competitor for vomit-inducing-insincere-spin prizeof the decade!!

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:40

ahundredtimes, I didn't realise he was only here to discuss his book!
I completely disagree that we should not discuss him as a person, he markets his personality as well as his books, it is not just about his 'work', he started off byt telling us something about himself as a father, was more than happy to talk about his relationships, and his life, and aspects of his personality too. That's the rub.
I read man and boy, wouldn't read anything else by him, but it doesn't mean I am not entitled to question his responces to some questions, or dislike his attitude, and discuss that.

morningpaper · 07/10/2008 13:42

God I love Tony Blair

He looks a little like Jerry Seinfeld there though

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:47

*responses

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:47

Blimey MP, don't do this! I used to love you!

donnie · 07/10/2008 13:48

well he likes the Clash so that catapults him onto the stratosphere as far as I'm concerned. Plus he raised his son alone after that helium voiced freako ex wife of his buggered off so I RATE HIM.

MrsMattie · 07/10/2008 13:52

He didn't quite raise his son alone. That's the thing: he has been quite happy to pimp his personal life as long as it paints him as 'Saint Tony, the poor bloke who raised his kid alone while his horrible wife went off to become a lezzer'.
So, he spends years 9and earns shit loads) prannying on about himself....but i have to be polite and respect his boundaries and stick to speaking about his God awful books?

He's a twat. What on earth possessed MNHQ?

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 13:54

I think you are taking this a bit too seriously 100times. Just take a deep breath fgs. This is Tony Parsons, not Tony Danza!

And I did not say that he was disengenous and cynical but the stunt itself. The opening gambit, the pitch, the (excuse the pun) tone. So put your handbag away. You have no need to be threatened by my opinions, or call them something they aren't, just becasiue they don't agree with yours.

The reason I haven't read his books is becasue I've read his journalism.

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:54

and OMG is he milking it now?! It is the best thing that ever happened to him. Loads of women raise there children aloone all the time, why are people so impressed by Tony Bleeding Parsons doing it?! It's because he goes on about it all the freaking time!

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 13:56

but MT HE is disengenuous and cynical, that's exactly what he is!

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 13:56

lol MrsMattie.

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 13:57

He might be - and I might agree - but I did not explicitly say that Minky

Swedes · 07/10/2008 13:58

MrsMattie Being a lone parent doesn't make you an only parent or even mean you raise your child alone literally. It means you live with the child in a residence that does not also house the other parent. I've been a lone parent and it's hard (and I had a very good support network and a very comfortable income).

MrsMattie · 07/10/2008 14:04

I was raised by a single mum (with no support network and a shite income). Tony Parsons is still a twat.

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:06

No one is saying it isn;t hard, but women do do it all the time. Parsons had to do it cos he happened to marry a bigger twat (allegedly) than himself.

That was his unique selling point. Becasue it was unusual when millions of women were in a similar situation but had no uniqueness to it. It was all too common. Great, he converted a bad situation into a winning one. Lets not take that away from him. Good business acumin.

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:07

Oh and lets not forget luck - being in the right place at the right time - knowing the right people

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:11

And I find the idea that we are expected to be fawning to someone using us to promote a book utterky revolting.

If they have some relevence to us - even in being a nice bit of totty - then that would be better!

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:19

We have all been deleted!

donnie · 07/10/2008 14:22

OMG listen to you all...so much venom and resentment. Why not dish it out to someone who actually deserves it like an arms dealer or murderer or something?

you sound like a bunch of tired and slightly envious harpies. It's quite amusing though so feel free to continue.

ahundredtimes · 07/10/2008 14:22

I haven't got my handbag out! Don't be cheap MT. I'm not remotely threatened by the fact you disagree with me, as I assume you are not by the fact I disagree with you. We are exchanging opinions is all. Is healthy.

Stop making it all so personal

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:28

"you sound like a bunch of tired and slightly envious harpies. It's quite amusing though so feel free to continue."

Charlie Brooker's review - in full

Monkeytrousers · 07/10/2008 14:29

of TLR not MN - tho you know what they say about looking into the abyss

MrsMattie · 07/10/2008 14:31

That is so something Tony parsons would say!@donnie

'You're just saying you hate my book and think I am a sad bastard because you're tired, resentful and a harpy!'>

Why not add 'fat' 'old' 'ugly' and 'obviously a lesbian' to the mix, too?

Whatever.

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