Adam Buxton podcast and billy bragg

[Sizzlysausage]

Adam Buxton has interviewed Billy Bragg on his podcast. I can’t bear to listen to it but the blurb seems pretty positive. Not sure if they address trans issues but I feel so disappointed that Buxton has included someone who I would see as such an obvious misogynist. I like his podcast. 🙁 Anyone listened to it?

I was also disappointed to see he was interviewing Bragg. Ordinarily I like Buxton’s stuff but giving a no doubt cosy supportive chat to a misogynist is a terrible letdown.

To be fair, not everyone will have caught up with the change in Billy Bragg’s status from “lefty right-on person” to “anti-woman campaigner”.

I think there are many on here who used to like him and thought he was a decent guy. If you aren’t looking at transactivism through the Mumsnet lens, you might not be aware.

AB sometimes records interviews months in advance, so perhaps recent events are not covered?

His latest has just been released and it's with Contrapoints. Why would he do that straight after Bragg? Can't be a coincidence.

He's funny and extremely clever with music, but he's also a very privileged, Eton educated, middle aged man. Sometimes that aspect of his personality clouds enjoyment of his talents.

Westminster not Eton. I like the AB podcast generally and think it's fair enough for him to talk to all kinds of people, but equally fair enough to not listen to it.

Of course, I don't listen to every episode. To release Bragg and Contrapoints back-to-back suggests politics at play, which has never been AB's style. Odd if they both took the opportunity to bash JKR. Why would he want to go there?

I like AB (and BB historically but feeling a bit weird about him these days)

Yeah, AB is privileged but he's quite aware of it. I think he's a bit fascinated with cancel culture (and many of these stem from trans witch hunts) so skirts close to these themes now and again. I don't think he's got any agenda other then that.

I remember he spoke with Isabella allende about trans-something on the show (but she dealt with it very pragmatically) and he stuttered a bit about his position on the subject. It didn't sound massively authentic but I am going off memory. I can imagine his private conversations about cancel culture are very different to his public ones.

I haven’t listened to his podcast for a little while but in one of the last episodes I heard he mentioned something along the lines of cis-het and it didn’t sound like a parody.

He is good mates with Louis Theroux (he of the one-sided BBC trans kids documentary).

I feel like AB is far too polite and "well brought up" to be considered a robust interviewer, and so he always seems to be agreeable with his subjects rather than challenging them. Which I like, it is a chat it is always friendly and low key. He is no Jeremy Paxman

I didn't know any more than BB than few songs and his left leaning ways.

I'm a regular listener to AB's podcast. I couldn't bring myself to listen to the Billy Bragg one. I listened to the one with Contrapoints. I've never heard of her, was interested. She speaks about her position on JK Rowling and says that JK is massively privileged and aligned with the far right. At no point does she or AB address the issues that JK and other GC feminists are raising - women's safety and fairness in various spheres. I don't know if Contrapoint addresses it in her own YouTube videos. She did say she likes to take a moderate path, to try not to alienate people, but that doesn't mean she actually holds moderate or reasonable views.

I feel like AB has sided with the trans lobby by doing these podcasts back to back. Unless he brings on a GC person in the next set of interviews.

Hi all, Just came back on this thread to say the same thing. I couldn't bring myself to listen but it does feel very pointed to have two in a row like this. It goes without saying that AB is entitled to interview who he wants on his podcast but it is so disappointing that in choosing these people he seems to be revealing himself as something I hoped he was not. Thanks for the summary @saverage. It seems extraordinary that he would allow the interviewee to claim that JKR is aligned with the far right, with no challenge or push back? I know he is a fairly gentle interviewer but at what point does he draw the line? What sort of falsehood would be too much or can you just go on his podcast and talk any old shit? I guess you can. I just can't help wondering how much of his audience base - which I would imagine includes people from a similar demographic - are on board with this? I'd love to know. I'd also love it if he invited a 'GC' person on next. I won't be holding my breath.

It's astonishing that people are allowed to say things like "JK Rowling is aligned with the far right" without being robustly challenged.

It's just absurd, slanderous nonsense.

i only listen to the ones where I like (or have heard of) the person he’s interviewing which is possibly well definitely very narrow minded of me but it’s an entertainment podcast for me to listen to at the gym and I don’t want to be cross or irritated! The billy Bragg one is there staring at me when I open the podcast app. I’ll delete it I think.

You know what, it really is slanderous to say JK is aligned with the far right. I’m surprised AB wasn’t jumping on the microphone. He should have been.

While I don’t like BB and won’t listen, I think AB should interview whoever he likes. Otherwise it’s a bit hard to complain from this side about ‘no platforming.’

Hopefully it will just shine more light on what an idiot BB is.

I am almost fearful to ask, but what did Isabel Allende have to say about trans issues?

@MargotBamborough she said something along the lines of the rhetoric of trans women are women is a dog whistle and she is for women's rights and that is what she cares about and anything else draws the focus off the situation. She was quite stern with AB about not being drawn into the argument. I remember because I liked the way she phrased it and the way she told off AB!

Oh, that's interesting.

I found this interview where she talks a lot about feminism.

She talks about how her daughter wanted her to stop going on about feminism and that women's rights had all been achieved, and then she hit the workplace and after that she knew better. Then immediately after that she talks about the "new generation" and the fact that her grandchildren all identify as non binary and she asks all their friends what pronouns they use.

It sounds to me like she's being very polite and respectful of what she privately thinks is a load of nonsense, and expects that her granddaughters will eventually realise they can't identify out of sex based oppression, they will have to face it head on.

There are obviously lots of valid reasons for not wanting to get dragged into the trans debate, of which not wanting to upset your grandchildren is one, but she sounds quite gender critical to me.

Anyway, I'm glad I don't have to go and add another author I like to my "I'm not angry, just disappointed" list.

I just downloaded the Billy Bragg one so I'll take one for the team and report back.

I agree AB can interview whoever he likes. I'm not a fan though of him not taking any kind of standpoint on what they are saying. I've got to assume he endorses it, after all he knows their viewpoints and has chosen the guests to come on and air them.

I think if interviewers ruled out assholes, they would cut the potential pool of interviewiees by a lot. BB might be a twat but lots of people like his music and will probably want to listen.

@MargotBamborough I've just reread my post - it was AB who didn't seem that authentic in raising/talking about the trans questions. And IA was very stern and challenged him.

IA was very authentic in her position and very clear that her focus was on women and trying to throw other things in dilutes her position. I imagine she has said the same to her family given the context you explained.

She was respectful and wonderfully clever but absolutely not taking any shit from AB (even if that wasn't his intention)

OK I made it 23 minutes into the BB podcast and gave up. They talk about JK Rowling, they both agree she shouldn't have the abuse that she has got and that she is an 'impossible situation'. But then AB says 'by the same token you do look at some of the things she says and you think 'what are you doing?'

No. No, I don't look at what she says and think 'what are you doing'. I think 'what a brave woman'.

I thought he was good? Or is this the usual mn trans obsession, please no 🙄