Open Letter from Autors and Entertainers in Support of JKR

[Igneococcus]

In the Times:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d714149e-003d-11eb-a6ce-737681864bdd?shareToken=522b280f5312e063be007bba64a0e96d

Here is the letter (a few down the list):
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2e240198-fe6a-11ea-a6ce-737681864bdd?shareToken=8bcca8afb981c27e32894e05e7776f41

And the signatories:

We wish JK Rowling well and stand in solidarity with her.
Ian McEwan, author; Lionel Shriver, author; Griff Rhys Jones, actor; Graham Linehan, writer; Maureen Chadwick, writer; Andrew Davies, writer; Frances Barber, actress; Craig Brown, writer; Alexander Armstrong, actor; Amanda Craig, writer; Philip Hensher, writer; Susan Hill, writer; Jane Thynne, writer; Ben Miller, actor; Simon Fanshawe, writer; James Dreyfus, actor; Frances Welch, writer; Francis Wheen, writer; Arthur Matthews, writer; Aminatta Forna, writer; Joan Smith, writer; Nick Cohen, journalist; Kath Gotts, composer & lyricist; Ann McManus, writer; Eileen Gallagher, writer & producer; Jimmy Mulville, producer; Lizzie Roper, actress; Stella O’Malley, author; Nina Paley, animator; Julie Bindel, journalist; Abigail Shrier, journalist; Rachel Rooney, author; Jane Harris, writer; Tatsuya Ishida, cartoonist; Lisa Marchiano, author; Zuby, musician and author; Debbie Hayton, journalist; Gillian Philip, Author, Jonny Best, musician; Manick Govinda, arts consultant; Russell Celyn Jones, writer; Magi Gibson, writer; Victoria Whitworth, writer; Dr Mez Packer, writer; Grace Carley, producer; Sam Leith, journalist; Malcolm Clark, television producer-director; Shirley Wishart, musician; Charlotte Delaney, writer; Nehanda Ferguson, musician; Justin Hill, writer; Trezza Azzopardi, writer; Birdy Rose, artist; Jess de Wahls, textile artist; Mo Lovatt, writer; Simon Edge, novelist; Tom Stoppard, playwright; and Amanda Smyth, writer

Love John Cleese.

Excellent put down from John Cleese there.

www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-hard-shoulder/person-targeted-no-longer-seen-human

Stella O'Malley on irish radio this afternoon. Well done Stella! Excellent job.
Bear in mind this topic is never on mainstream media in Ireland!

Stephen King has just tweeted he is really enjoying troubled Blood.
Said nothing else, let's see if he walks back.

Lots of Yikes in the comments

David Grey (singer) has signed it and he is Rachel Rooney’s brother in law. I think there are going to be more people as it seems that a lot of people didn’t know about the letter. I do wonder how they organise these sorts of things.

@7Days

Stephen King has just tweeted he is really enjoying troubled Blood. Said nothing else, let's see if he walks back.

Lots of Yikes in the comments

That is excellent. But honestly what an arse. I think that he and Philip Pullman should just show some balls.

@7Days

Childrens and YA lit is in a total state these days.

All I can think about is Victorian Improving Tales for Children.

Oh, so much this. Glad someone else has seen the similarity.

Ooh, I love Alexander Armstrong on Classic Fm. Hopefully their one woke listener won't bother writing in.

@Siablue

David Grey (singer) has signed it and he is Rachel Rooney’s brother in law. I think there are going to be more people as it seems that a lot of people didn’t know about the letter. I do wonder how they organise these sorts of things.

I must buy another copy of White Ladder, I loved that album back in the day, had it on repeat in the car.

I do wonder how they organise these sorts of things.

So do I! I’m not notable enough to have ever been asked to sign one

@ARoombaOfOnesOwn

I do wonder how they organise these sorts of things.

So do I! I’m not notable enough to have ever been asked to sign one

Don’t worry neither is Phillip Pullman. 🤣 But if he’d asked them he would have signed it but he might not. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Is there a list somewhere with all the people who have asked to be added?

@StephanieRang

www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-hard-shoulder/person-targeted-no-longer-seen-human

Stella O'Malley on irish radio this afternoon. Well done Stella! Excellent job.
Bear in mind this topic is never on mainstream media in Ireland!

That was great - Stella was brilliant! I am full of admiration for women who express themselves so well (it helps when the interviewer lets them).

@Clymene

Fucking hell, Pullman's arse must be sore from sitting on that fence for so many months. I hate the whole doddery old bloke shtick he pulls too

I suppose he's trying to work out which way the wind is blowing.

Like Stephen King

David Grey - Fab. White Ladder was my DH’s (then DBF) first present to me.

Alexa will do overtime!

Yeah, it’s no coincidence that Stephen King just had to tweet today about Troubled Blood/ Rowlings greatness. I just hope she doesn’t follow him back cause what he did previously was a pretty cowardly move.

I hope Stephen King looks at the shit he's copping for saying he's enjoying a book and reflects on who he's aligned with and how he's acted, I really do. I thought better of him till he scuttled off.

Sorry but I haven't read the whole thread this time.

I don't find this sort of thing all that impressive because I just look at it and think of about 1000 household name writers/directors/intellectuals who could have signed it and who haven't.

So, while I think all support for JKR is a good thing, I think this letter could have been saved for just a week or two until there was a longer and more varied list of signatories.

just been told Jenni Murray is the chair of Fawcett society! As she asked to have her name added can we hope she kicks some sense into it....

John Cleese has really thrown himself into the fray in JKs defence and he is not holding back. He is a legend.

Have any of the lame woke Harry Potter actor's done a reverse ferret yet?

Lame Comma woke and apologies for the stray apostrophe.

Cleese’s tweets are magnificent.

Well he did co-write and perform the sketch Transgenderism is based on. He's entitled to have the last laugh, through unpaid royalties if nothing else.

In a box? Ah, happy days

jamielee I just had to watch that sketch again. Amazing. Says it all really.