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John Cleese and Andrew Graham Dixon

(359 Posts)
Ladyleftfieldlover Thu 11-Nov-21 18:58:47

Andrew Graham Dixon got into trouble at Cambridge University for impersonating Hitler during a talk he gave on art etc. The head of the Student Union said he would let other unions know that they shouldn’t let Graham Dixon speak at their unis. Then, John Cleese, who was also due to speak at Cambridge decided to withdraw before they did it for him. He has also impersonated Hitler. Don’t students like confrontation these days? I didn’t think students were delicate flowers who don’t like their equilibrium unsettled.

Glorianny Mon 27-Jun-22 22:15:19

I don't think saying it is a standard problem is accepting it, but feel free to draw your own conclusions false as they may be, It is saying that it is a threat a lot of women face on a daily basis and that JKR is one amongst many. Why she is singled out as different or someone special I don't know. Nor can all the death threats be connected to trans people they are mostly made by unstable people who choose to use social media to say things they wouldn't say personally. It is a problem but it isn't JKR's problem alone, nor is it a problem caused by the transcommunity. But what happens if you draw attention to the problem faced by more women, who have neither the resources nor the ability, because of their jobs, to protect themselves? You get castigated for using a word and accused of dismissing it. I'm not dismissing it just pointing out that JKR is by no means as special, or the threats made to her as unusual, as some like to pretend. So it isn't trans people doing this it's unstable individuals for all sorts of reasons.
I haven't by the way said get over it. I have questioned if it is more of a problem for a working MP rather than a millionaire

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jun-22 21:17:40

See, this is where I have a problem. On the one hand we're being told but even then (trans) they walk in fear of rejection or even violence every day of their lives. But then we're told that it's standard problems for any women in the public eye now.

So, from these 2 statements, it appears that the trans community are fear of their lives, just going about their daily business and that's a terrible way to live - which it most definitely is. But women who live with receiving death threats on a daily business? Meh. Standard problem. Get over it.
Hmmmm.... I wonder where the distrust and discontent is emanating from?

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jun-22 21:08:41

I was commenting on the article posted which doesn't I think mention death threats

Eh??? See post @ 18.11

Such is the intensity of the debate, Rowling revealed earlier this year that she's had so many death threats she could wallpaper her house with them after trans activists doxxed her (meaning they published her address and personal information on the internet with malicious intent).

Iam64 Mon 27-Jun-22 20:42:38

Death threats are indeed wrong. Describing them as ‘standard problems for any woman in the public eye’ seems to be part of the problem. I’m sure you don’t mean to normalise, or minimise death (or rape) threats to women.

Glorianny Mon 27-Jun-22 20:40:27

And of course MPs have not JKRs financial resources and need to be out and about in public in order to do their job.

Glorianny Mon 27-Jun-22 20:38:59

I was commenting on the article posted which doesn't I think mention death threats.
They are of course wrong but seem to be standard problems for any women in the public eye now.MPs in particular are subjected to them www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/sexist-insults-abuse-death-threats-expect-all-this-and-more-as-a-female-mp

Iam64 Mon 27-Jun-22 19:56:59

Glorianny

No idea if anyone is doing that to JKR she does have her own production company and keeps quite a firm hand on what they do so I can't imagine she isn't able to create any 'art' at all. I don't think it is usual for authors to be involved in the publicity for films made from their material, in fact you rarely see the original author at all. So actually nothing new.

How does this response connect with the death threats? Creating art when experiencing death threats is likely to be more of a challenge I’d have thought.

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jun-22 19:31:59

Well, that's Sky News put back in their place! gringrin

Glorianny Mon 27-Jun-22 18:49:52

No idea if anyone is doing that to JKR she does have her own production company and keeps quite a firm hand on what they do so I can't imagine she isn't able to create any 'art' at all. I don't think it is usual for authors to be involved in the publicity for films made from their material, in fact you rarely see the original author at all. So actually nothing new.

Iam64 Mon 27-Jun-22 18:32:06

I may be lacking in intellectual rigour but honestly, what has JKR ever done to deserve “so many death threats she could wallpaper her house with them after trans activists foxed her (meaning they published her address and personal information on the internet with malicious intent”

That’s one of the things that happened to a friend, in her mid 30’s, Green Councillor. Her ‘crime’ - attending a feminist conference where she joined a workshop looking at self ID and women’s safe spaces. She left Facebook and Twitter after being threatened with being raped to death by my lady penis

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jun-22 18:11:06

For those who claim that there is no cancel culture, read this:

Cast your mind back 25 years. Hanson's MMMbop was number one, Titanic topped the box office, and Tony Blair had just been elected PM.

But perhaps more culturally significant than all three of these 90s moments is the first 500 copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone being published at the end of June 1997.
It would become the third best-selling novel of all time, establishing JK Rowling as one of the world's most loved and best-selling authors; a towering figure in the arts.

But the prolific author's legacy now seems destined to be defined by the culture war sparked by her position on women's rights and gender.
Rowling thinks, in some circumstances, women and girls should have the right to single-sex spaces - prompting accusations of transphobia, which she denies.

The controversy has rendered the author notably absent from anniversary celebrations - as was the case with the recent TV reunion - decisions widely presumed to be driven by the deepening controversy.

Attempting to separate the art from the artist is now apparently a mission for many invested in ensuring Harry Potter continues to be lucrative.

Sky News was invited to a new Mandrakes and Magical Creatures feature at Warner Brothers Studios this week, and such is the effort to distance the brand from the toxicity of the debate around trans rights, Sky News wasn't allowed by the PR to bring up JK Rowling's name in the interview.

Our reporter was interrupted mid-flow and made to redirect the line of questioning.^

When we asked why, the response on email was "JK Rowling is not connected to Warner or Tom Felton, the team felt it was not relevant to the piece"... Not aside from the fact she created Harry Potter and executive produced the films.

(For the record, PRs don't and shouldn't - for all sorts of reasons not least press freedom - dictate Sky News editorial direction.)
So 25 years on, Harry Potter is as popular and profitable as ever and seems unscathed - apparently, as long as you don't mention she who must not be named.

The notion that JK Rowling can or should be cancelled is bizarre to many, but trans woman Nicci Take, who enjoyed reading and watching Harry Potter with her children, told Sky News she is largely just deeply disappointed by it all.
"I am anti-cancel culture, she should be allowed to say what she thinks," says Nicci Take.

Such is the intensity of the debate, Rowling revealed earlier this year that she's had so many death threats she could wallpaper her house with them after trans activists doxxed her (meaning they published her address and personal information on the internet with malicious intent).

Cancelling people who's opinions we don't like? Nope, never happened.

Glorianny Sat 25-Jun-22 12:10:03

Zoejory

Glorianny

Not sure John Cleese would be up for being sniffed anyway Galaxy he seems to be easily offended.

Ooh, John Cleese is all for being offensive. Lots of interesting articles and quotes of him being exasperated by the permanently offended!

Quite funny really isn't it. He's offended because others are offended so he takes his ball and goes home. I suppose it's a form of self no-platforming but it wouldn't work if people really didn't want to hear you anyway, would it?

Zoejory Sat 25-Jun-22 11:06:27

Glorianny

Not sure John Cleese would be up for being sniffed anyway Galaxy he seems to be easily offended.

Ooh, John Cleese is all for being offensive. Lots of interesting articles and quotes of him being exasperated by the permanently offended!

Glorianny Sat 25-Jun-22 10:50:55

Not sure John Cleese would be up for being sniffed anyway Galaxy he seems to be easily offended.

Doodledog Sat 25-Jun-22 10:40:21

Very wise, Galaxy grin

Doodledog Sat 25-Jun-22 10:39:43

There are better ways of telling real leather from fakes than sniffing- that seems rather animalistic and, erm, indiscreet. I couldn’t care less whether my friends use leather, tbh - although vegans usually prefer canvas or other materials to plastic for environmental reasons. It was the ‘all sorts of things’ that intrigued me. For about ten seconds.

Galaxy Sat 25-Jun-22 10:35:02

I tell you what no matter how much I believe in free speech I am not sniffing John Cleese to prove a point.

Glorianny Sat 25-Jun-22 10:20:50

One of the few ways to tell real leather from faux these days, real leather smells different. I'm surprised you didn't know that. Maybe people in your circle have faux leather and just aren't telling you.

Doodledog Fri 24-Jun-22 20:48:19

You've lost me now.

Glorianny Fri 24-Jun-22 20:37:24

Ah I know you smell it!

Doodledog Fri 24-Jun-22 20:22:50

Heavens, no! That would be déclassé.

grin

Glorianny Fri 24-Jun-22 19:38:40

Doodledog

*"Faux"is very popular now for all sorts of things.*

Really? Not in my circles. People usually get the real thing or something entirely different. Fake is a bit naff, but then standards vary.

Oh. Maybe this is another passive aggressive dig? Maybe you could explain what the comment has to do with the subject of free speech.

I don't know I didn't introduce the word.

Lots of faux leather and suede about, must be popular or they wouldn't use it. Is the fact that your circles consider it "naff" supposed to imply some sort of superiority? (Although I do wonder how you know they're not using faux. Do they all go round with labels on things?)

Doodledog Fri 24-Jun-22 17:53:25

"Faux"is very popular now for all sorts of things.

Really? Not in my circles. People usually get the real thing or something entirely different. Fake is a bit naff, but then standards vary.

Oh. Maybe this is another passive aggressive dig? Maybe you could explain what the comment has to do with the subject of free speech.

Doodledog Fri 24-Jun-22 17:49:42

Any one going to explain what they regard as permissible restrictions on free speech and what is unacceptable? And why others can't have different standards?

This has been done over and over. The law does it for us. restrictions on free speech include anything that would incite hatred or criminal behaviour. I would see that as unacceptable too.

People may, of course, have different 'standards' (I prefer the term 'opinions, as it's less passively loaded, but whatever), but they may not enforce them on others. In theory, at least.

Clearly, there is a current trend for those who think they are above the law to disrupt meetings of people whose opinions they dislike and to threaten speakers with violence. AFAIK it is still against the law, but it is part of the trend to undermine the rights of women, so it appears to be going unchallenged by police. I wouldn't encourage students (or any young people) to break the law, however, as who knows when the worm will turn and they could find themselves under arrest and with criminal records.

Galaxy Fri 24-Jun-22 16:45:51

If someone has an enormous following it might be useful to listen to what they are saying if only to have the means to refute it.