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David Starkey, 73, moans his broadcasting career has been ruined by 'old, ugly women'

139 replies

hungryhippie · 17/07/2018 08:00

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5960893/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-David-Starkey-73-moans-career-ruined-old-ugly-women.html

"Outspoken historian David Starkey — one of television's most prolific Tudor experts — claims that his broadcasting career has been ruined by the popularity of his female rivals."

Maybe they are just better than you David?
What an arsehole

OP posts:
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5
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 17/07/2018 16:06

Only just read the article. God, what a wanker.

Spudlet · 17/07/2018 16:09

[fans self] Mary Beard! On here! Omg! I, too, would like to be Mary Beard when I grow up, though I fear I may need a brain transplant to achieve it Grin.

I can't add anything original here - I do fully agree with the pp who talked about a certain kind of man being oh so ready to blame others (often women) for their misfortunes rather than taking a good look at themselves and their own failings. It is not an attractive trait, frankly.

I personally love the move towards looking beyond the big headline stories in history (divorced, beheaded, died! Very Important Men! And so on) to reveal a bit more about life further down the social scale, and the lives of women and children. I find that sort of quieter detail absolutely fascinating. Long may it continue!

RedToothBrush · 17/07/2018 16:19

Would you rather watch David Starkey or Mary Beard?

I rest my case.

TransplantsArePlants · 17/07/2018 16:29

Remember when he thought he could teach History to teenagers because he know a lot about History (and has an ego the size of a planet)?

Hahahahahaha. That was inadequacy ALL of his own making

TransplantsArePlants · 17/07/2018 16:31

Spudlet

Can I put in a plug for Dr Pamela Cox? Writes about women's lives - servant, shop girls, prostitutes. Has done a couple of TV documentaries but is a bona fide Academic

TransplantsArePlants · 17/07/2018 16:33

PROFESSOR Pamela Cox

iI'd like to see more of her on telly

Spudlet · 17/07/2018 16:36

Oooh, I will look for her. Her work sounds very interesting indeed!

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/07/2018 16:42

He just looks so arrogant in that photo, doesn't he?

WhereDoWeBeginToCovetClarice · 17/07/2018 16:56

The thing i've come away from that article with is a sense that beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholder. I'm not going to be rude, but I don't think looks are his strong point. And yet he obviously thinks he is there partly as eye candy. Isn't that amazing?

Great that he is positive about himself though.

How weird that he has beef with age though. Implying someone a decade younger than he is, is too old.

Odd man.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 17/07/2018 17:00

I loved the programme about servants Pamela Cox did.

Amanda Vickery is another fab one.

bellinisurge · 17/07/2018 17:16

Can I put in a word for Janina Ramirez? Also an engaging presenter of history.

ErrolTheDragon · 17/07/2018 17:35

Implying someone a decade younger than he is, is too old.

Yes, but he's a man. He probably doesn't judge men by their age or looks.

MissMarplesKnitting · 17/07/2018 17:43

Mary Beard is both engaging and makes difficult topics accessible without patronising people. I find her writing and programmes really interesting.

Starkey? He's actually quite nice IRL, or has been the times I've met him. Not as keen on his TV work though. It's just not as engaging.

Lucy Worsley....can't be doing with. Find her supercilious and a bit simpering.

GivenAndDenied · 17/07/2018 17:51

My OH doesn't like me to watch David Starkey history programmes, as I always end up yelling at the tv, due to his historical inaccuracies - of which there are many. I hate that he refers to things as facts, when it's actually just his opinion, and often actually completely the opposite of what the sources show/suggest. And I've never forgiven him for his 'ricardian loon' comments - which made my OH roar with laughter, and refer to me as such for quite some time. DS is a complete muppet - misogynistic, rude, arrogant. So I can't say his latest utterings surprise me.

Mary Beard is fantastic - I'd like to be Mary Beard. Hugely admire her for her knowledge, and her enthusiasm - I'd love to see more of her on tv.

I do enjoy Lucy Worsley, I think she's fun. Though I do sometimes think her history can be a bit suss, and a bit mainstream. But it's very watchable.

LittleCandle · 17/07/2018 18:04

I also find DS awful to watch. His obsession with the Tudors is wearing and his contempt and disdain for every other monarch, particularly the Plantagenets, but also everyone who comes after the Tudors, is all too obvious. I was incensed at his comments about Richard III on the re-interment. There was no need to have someone making those kind of remarks, especially as they were clearly designed to annoy everyone and he obviously thought he was being incredibly witty. (I do have to agree about Phillipa Gregory)

Roomba · 17/07/2018 18:13

In my former life I had professional dealings with him. A thoroughly unpleasant, impatient and rude man.

I see he's not changed!

NanaNoodleman · 17/07/2018 18:17

Starkey has suffered because for once, the public appears to want something more complex and nuanced than his rather simplistic, personality driven approach to history.
That’s what happened, you poor old thing. She was better than you. Suck it up.

groundcontroltomontydon · 17/07/2018 18:35

Love love love Mary BeardSmile
Poor David, those matinee idol good looks of his really are a curseConfused

ATailofTwoKitties · 17/07/2018 18:43

Hi Mary - I used to bump into you in the Very Long But Not Quite Record Breaking Corridors.

Must admit that at the time I muddled you up with the maths tutor at least once, but I was (a) shortsighted and (b) a NatSci. Sorry.

OlennasWimple · 17/07/2018 19:07

Oh!!

ResistanceIsNecessary · 17/07/2018 20:09

Love Mary Beard. IIRC she joined MN ages ago when Adrian Gill laid into her for not being youthful and lissom enough for his tastes. There was an outraged MN thread where lots of love for MB was shared and she ended up joining the thread.

Personally I would like to see more women like Mary on TV. Older, confident, educated, passionate, engaging, fascinating. A welcome antidote to the mind-numbing fashions which seem to demand that women need to pump themselves full of plastic and then obligingly disappear from the screen as soon as they hit 40.

WhereDoWeBeginToCovetClarice · 17/07/2018 20:19

Yes you can't beat MBs infectious enthusiasm. I also love her tone of ffs! Wanting to correct historical inaccuracies or shine a light on important matters that have been glossed over. Great energy.

ILoveDolly · 17/07/2018 20:34

Hi @atailoftwokitties we once did walk the same long corridors Wink I was usually a bit drunk so similar bumping apologies to inspirational MB but for different reasons (Art Historians tsk tsk)

bigKiteFlying · 18/07/2018 00:58

Starkey has become increasingly difficult to accept as a historian because he is all opinion and sneer without the evidence. Lucy W does tend in that direction too (but I really like her).

I went to a Lucy W talk recently and she said she saw it as her job to be at fluffy end to draw people in and hopefully get them reading more rigorous or academic authors - something like that anyway.

Done her job well with my childen - they all happily watch history documenatries now - and starting to show interest in books on the subject.

David Starkey is a harder watch than many of the others - though like many here I've enjoyed Mary Beard programs.

GameofPhones · 18/07/2018 01:24

Always thought he was a nasty little twerp, given far too much airtime (probably only because he was thought entertainingly provocative).