Helen Lewis interview

[AutumnalCosiness]

Great episode of the Adam Buxton podcast this week....

It’s an interesting listen, but I really didn’t enjoy Adam’s disclaimer and apology at the start.

He apologised for not pushing back enough/not policing the tone enough/not tiptoeing around respectfully enough at unspecified places in the interview. If there was something to apologise for, he should have been clear and specific about any incident, but it felt like a vague insinuation that Helen had been bad somehow, and he wished he had said something different in response, and in case anyone was cross with him for accidentally agreeing with the terf/bigot/nasty woman.
It really came across as him being desperate not to be contaminated in some way by having Helen on his podcast, despite her being a moderate and reasonable voice, and someone he gets on with. It felt like an attempt to keep the internet righteousness police off his back by grovelling in advance.
But a good conversation.

Not listened yet but that's a cowardly way of saying "i did have a valid argument against the woman, I just didn't make it at a time she could rebut it, for really valid reasons"

Will definitely listen thanks. I really rate Lewis, she's incredibly bright and articulate. More so than Buxton, but that's fine.

So there's no chance of him interviewing KJK then?

Nearly rolled my eyes clean out of my skull when he took great offence to Helen making a tame comment about "Contrapoints" caking himself in makeup.

I love listening to Helen speak "off the cuff" rather than a scripted podcast. Will Buxton annoy me too much though?

I found that quite frustrating to listen to. And I don't just mean him.

I didn't know who Helen Lewis is so I was surprised to google and learn that a woman who had been accused of "transphobia" was contributing to the Private Eye podcast, because Private Eye has so comprehensively ignored gender for so long. For a supposedly satirical magazine they have passed up endless opportunites for tasteless pisstaking of both sides. And as for journalism, their "MD" even grudged Cass. Then I heard what Helen Lewis had to say and that explained it. She's their cover. You can't expect men to say anything because what do they know? (Glinner didn't get a mention. Nor did Mr Menno, nor Dennis and Clive...)

Neither of them understand why J K Rowling tweeted what she did when the Hate Crimes Act came in. According to Lewis she was just being gratuitously unkind and embarrassing people who would have listened to Rowling otherwise. Well Rowling tweeted to protect other women who needed to speak the truth about gender, women who don't have Rowling's money or her speed-dial to the best human rights lawyers. Rowling said nothing untrue and she spiked the Act's guns on the same day it was enacted. Naughty Rowling, protecting Scottish women activists and antagonising nice caring middle of the road people like Helen Lewis.

There's no chance of him interviewing KJK then?

Now that would be fun! I have mixed feeelings about KJK but she'd have Buxton for breakfast.

Louis Theroux did this when he interviewed Germaine Greer. It's like they are acknowledging wrong speak. It's cowardly and shows themselves as frauds

I have mixed feeelings about KJK but she'd have Buxton for breakfast.

God she absolutely would!

I don’t think I can listen to this, it won’t be good for my blood pressure. JKR’s tweets meant that stupid law was DOA. It was a stroke of genius.

I don't agree 100% with everything Helen Lewis but have quite a bit of respect for her. She is bold enough to admit she has changed views on things and an interest in working things through with debate. The idea we go through life with fixed views on things is ludicrous and social media makes it worse because people are afraid that quotes will be dug up in future

Here’s a sex realist take on the podcast:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1842925764091748427.html

I have no time for Helen Lewis on this issue of men erasing women’s rights. Lewis seems to think we owe these men kindness, respect and compromise; whereas, in fact, we owe these men sweet fuck all.

Glinner didn't get a mention. Nor did Mr Menno, nor Dennis and Clive...

Graham Linehan is unlikely to get a mention from her (in a positve light at least), he treated her appallingly.

Thanks for that @UtopiaPlanitia

Helen says she burned a lot of political capital defending JKR so it's embarrassing when something like that happens.

I think this is the crux of it for HL and a lot of the lefty feminists. Ultimately what they look like to others wins out and the need to stay in the right circles is more important than actually making a stand. I appreciate HL has done a lot but you just can’t be moderate and actually achieve anything with this issue.

Really articulate!

😂

I really like Helen even though she's not nearly hardline enough for me on the issue. She's a great conversationalist.

He's one of the most successful podcasters. I'm really pleased she's on there. I think it's actually very positive. Despite his cringey hand wringing!

Exactly. She doesn't get wound up. Calmly explaining is going to get more people on side. IMO.

I went to school with Helen Lewis - she's always been highly intelligent.

We don't just need hardliners - we need everyone and we need debate

Totally!

Well said!

This article, on the recent problems with UK Liberalism in trying to protect a liberal society, sums up commentators like Helen Lewis on this issue for me:
https://ugc-assets.mumsnet.com/images/202410/AVBwyCayp8S7KptPdhkTllQigWF19WH48v7OYXdV.jpg

The article is taken from this thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5180604-why-i-read-the-ft?reply=138814783

I nearly swiped this one out of my feed straight away as I subscribe to far too many podcasts to actually get through; I know he's had Helen on before and really don't have the time for him him anymore. Saw 'culture wars' in the blurb and wondered what might come up so kept hold of it. I'll have to listen now.

I like Helen and think her clarity explaining these issues is valuable. She was good on the Witch Trials podcast. Buxton has of course had Contrapoints on this year too and all that 'mutual friend' haw-hawing mocking Glinner (with Theroux was it?) was just awful. I wish he could get it. He is a massive disappointment.

Adam Buxton & John Ronson were wilfully dismissive & unpleasant about women's rights when they discussed the trans issue a few years ago. Also so unkind & disloyal to Glinner who had once been a friend & colleague. I stopped listening to Buxton's podcast because of it. Adam Buxton is obviously recognising that the mood music has changed & wants to reposition himself & is using Helen to do so. His mealy mouthed arse covering intro shows how spineless he is though. He obviously thinks women should only fight for their rights & freedoms if they can be sweet & kind whilst doing so.