Harry and Megan dubbed "fucking grifters" Part Deux

[Qbish]

Harry and Meghan slammed by Spotify executive after podcast deal ends | The Independent

The old thread got closed, just as I was trying to quote tweet someone! So I've started this one, because this shitshow is still rumbling on

Also churning this sort of thing out is Netflix’s bread & butter. Very high production quality. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t do well.

The Scobie book is an issue - if it gives accounts of arguments within the family they can only come from H&M as we can be pretty certain the RF won't be briefing him. It's clear it will be negative about the RF, which will just start the whole circus again. I don't actually think this is in H&M's interest. They've had a lot of negative press, and another publication which they will have co-operated with trashing the RF won't do them any favours.

Other posters have made some fair comments about issues with the Botswana doc - I think the question is 'can Harry roll his sleeves up and do some work?'. If it's another case of him doing the minimum needed then it will do more harm that good.

Agreed @Wheresthebeach . The more I think about the Scobie book, and what he's already saying about it, the worse I think it will be for H&M. Especially if there's loads of whinges criticism about the Queen's death and the Coronation.

The thing with the "white saviour" is a good point. However, when you have someone with a lifetime of work in conservation, close ties with the country in question, and an attitude that they are not there to "save" but to highlight the work and appeal to westerners for support for existing groups, then that is a welcome partnership of equals, not modern day colonialism.

Save for a couple of trips to Africa, what conservation insight, work ethic in conservation or particular educational insight does Harry have? Harry as part of the RF and the RF's ties to former colonies is hugely different to Harry the Californian B-lister thrashing about for something to do. It's highly patronising to think that Africa is his temporary playground of redemption, before wafting back to a life of comfort in California.

Oh I completely agree! The problem is I think currently people bypass finding out about the work people have done and view things on a very superficial level. Rich white man in Africa trying to help = bad. It’s a bit like when people criticise the RF over colonialism when they don’t know about the commonwealth, or about community cohesion without knowing about all of Prince Charles’s work. It’s not just the RF there are hundreds of examples! Trevor Phillips recently. I think modern activism is very surface-level. That said, Netflix are good at what they do and wouldn’t commission anything they expected a backlash over, so there must be a very compelling angle.

I’m just not convinced at all. I genuinely believe this is being done not due to altruism but due to the fact it’s the only remaining positive thing he can cash in on and monetise. He ain’t doing this for free.

also this whole everyone was celebrating in the streets when they married, like when Mandela was released is not really going to endear them

I think it’s very naive to think harry is doing this for any other reason than money and a desire to boost his popularity.

Ssssshhhhh, I was desperately trying to think well of him 😆

Thinking about their income going forward, where are the big bucks going to come from? All I can think of is some kind of tie in like Dior, or whoever. But are they worth that?

They still have 51 million out standing in their contract with Netflix. As such if they can get Africa signed off they will get a chunk of that, invictus will be another chunk, and of course they are trying that bad manners thing, not sure it will fly though, but to get that 51 million by 2025 they need to come up with content, hence flogging Africa.

after that, I think it’s anyone’s guess, Netflix will not sign again unless they have a huge success.

Regarding Harry's interest in Africa and conservation, wouldn't the photo of him with a deceased water buffalo that he shot be a problem?

I’m afraid I’m much more cynical, I believe if he could be doing other things, like selling trash talk on the royals, socialising with a listers, doing interviews in la, he’d be all over that like a rash and Africa wouldn’t get a look in. He’s simply screwed that so is falling back on this

You don't need to be cynical to wonder about this when he has previous for ditching "worthy causes" if something more personally appealing turns up - see the behaviour over the Marines' commemoration event

A bit snippy, I am entitled to an opinion

Exactly, if this was his beloved Africa he could have had this planned from the start, he didn’t. He’s only doing it now as they need to create content to get their hands on the remaining money from Netflix.

To be fair to Harry I do think he has a genuine love and interest in Africa. He has spent a lot of time there over the years - certainly before he married/had kids. He would need to be careful about the content of the documentary though - he can't afford to be filmed moaning about his life in Africa again.

A documentary of him helping with conservation efforts etc. and him just being 'Harry', interested in other people and not 'preaching' would do him the world of good. He has a very good rapport with ordinary people he needs to show that side of himself more - that is where his value lies.

When you think Omid Scobie is a super fan of theirs - he is really not helping them writing this book.

It seems obvious that the book will largely slag off the Royal Family. Even if Harry and Meghan have absolutely nothing to do with it- the moment it is released and serialised the whole shit fest will start again and people will attribute what Scobie says to them (or insinuate they have fed him the stories)

They are never going to be able to get away from this 'feud with the RF' and that being the only thing that people associate with them. It is all so toxic.

A documentary of him helping with conservation efforts etc. and him just being 'Harry', interested in other people and not 'preaching' would do him the world of good. He has a very good rapport with ordinary people he needs to show that side of himself more - that is where his value lies.

I think this, too!

I was really happy to see the Africa project announced. They need some positive news right now and Africa has been a lifelong passion for Harry. It makes sense.

I would love to see them both with some positive wins that also help their finances. They will never reconcile with their family out of desperation but might once they have some more tangible, positive things to show for themselves. (Besides two beautiful children, of course.)

See I just don’t get the whole life long passion thing. He’s not been near the place, had no desire to do any form of work there, and only when Netflix demanded content did he belatedly, after trying everting else, offer Africa. It is not a charitable act, he’s doing it for money. And a lot of it. If it was a life long passion and he genuinely cared he’d be doing stuff periodically and not cashing in.

We’ve all been a bit busy this past few years. There are things I’m passionate about that I haven’t gotten around to doing in 5 years due to Covid and other life events.

I could care less what charity stuff he does. That’s another conversation.

But would like to see him do something for $ that is positive. Work comes before charity, in my opinion.

I'm thinking he has a lifelong passion for one particular African lady beginning with C! But seriously, Harry needs to get out of his head and do something practical with his life - maybe do something with his piloting skills.

I was really happy to see the Africa project announced.

Nothing has been announced. It's just speculation.

I share the scepticism of many posters. I'm not convinced Harry cares all that much about animal conservation. Aren't there conservation projects he could join in California? He doesn't need to go to Africa for that.

I also think a series like this would be very expensive, and as others have said, the red tape might cause problems. That might be worth it if the series brought in a lot of viewers, but I don't think it would. People don't watch NF for 'worthy' documentaries, and NF didn't sign the Sussexes for that.

Hopefully the Botswana thing comes off for him and he smiles again.
Being positive can only be a good thing. Dishing dirt on his family was never going to bring happiness.

I think it could easily be very 'white saviour'.

If it was built on long-term relationships, if the people and projects involved on the ground received decent payment for their time and expertise, and if approached in a spirit of humility and wanting to learn from the expertise of those doing the work year in year, then possibly it could avoid that. But that wouldn't be quick or cheap.

Which is sort of the point - anything quick and inexpensive is likely to be exploiting Africa as a backdrop to Harry, rather than genuinely helping to make a difference.

She is attacked alot.

It's more 'him', he loves Africa, and he can focus on something positive.

Which country in Africa? There are over 50. Each country has it's own unique identity so saying that Harry wants to focus on Africa makes as much sense as saying that he wants to focus on Europe

Harry loves the landscape, flora and fauna of Africa, Botswana in particular. I listed to him narrating Spare and it really comes across.

Botswana has it's own home grown conservationists - they really don't need Harry. He would also have trouble with resentment from many people there for the inherent white saviourism trope should he try and set up shop there. Nope - he should stay where he is. Leave Bostwana and Lesotho out of it.

He spent loads of time in Botswana prior to his marriage. Have you not read his book? Even I believe those bits.