Gia Milinovich and her husband, Prof Brian Cox

[FiercePanda]

Was it really sensible to proposition Gia on the ProfCox thread? "Would your DH do a web chat?" I mean, crikey, her "invisible wife" article had been mentioned earlier in the thread and MN followed the jist of the article to a tee, deigning to speak to her only to ask for a favour from her husband. It really, really came across as being so unprofessional from MNTowers, not to mention arse-clenchingly rude. Gia's mentioned on Twitter tonight that she's "used to it", but she shouldn't have to be.

oh goodness me, link please

Linky

Olivia has apologised. Gia took it in good grace. Not sure what your point is now.

Well, considering Olivia has apologised, I think that it was rude to start this thread (although it might have been a XP).

'Apologies.
I had not at the point read the Graun piece and apologise for being opportunist.
I was directed to the thread by someone who had nominated it for Classics and I speed read it.
It is NEVER my intention to offend a MNer'

thank you for the link, Panda

It was indeed a cross post, didn't see that Olivia had apologised. Delete at will.

I think as penance MNHQ should invite Gia on for a webchats, and any posts on the forums referring to Prof Brian Cox should replace his name with MrGia.

We'll leave this thread as it is.
We do think it's a bit unfair to have a go at our luffly Olivia, who was after all just doing her job by trying to get MrGia for a webchat, which we know lots of MNers would love.

Olivia apologised last night, I was quite happy to let this die, but since you've responded I'll respond back to you...

Of course MNers would love a web chat with Prof Cox, that wasn't the issue. It's the way his wife was asked that was so embarrassing to see, in public, on the main thread rather than by PM. It gave the impression of MN being opportunistic and grabby and putting Gia on the spot - there wasn't even a "hello Gia, how are you, nice to see you here", it was straight into "will your dh do a web chat?". Once again she was ignored or spoken to as though she's her husband's PA, just as her article that someone else mentioned in the Brian Cox thread described.

I don't think it's "unfair" to be critical of how it was handled - MN mods aren't delicate "luffly" china dolls who can't pwossibwy take a bit of cwiticism, are they? I'd hope not. It's certainly not a personal attack on Olivia - goodness knows how hated personal attacks are(!) - more a question along the lines of is this how MN normally go about requesting web chats, by pouncing on someone's wife when they happen to post? It was like something from my teenage fanzine writing days, rather than the MN we know and love.

oh for heavens sake it was dealt with last night.

Yes, it was.

Oh FFS give her a break.
She apologised, end off.

I read that article Gia M. wrote a while back. She sounds like a really interesting woman. I'm genuinely interested in the fact that she set out to take science into the mainstream - and seems to have done so.

I just thought I'd say that. That article really did make me think.