Some of you doubtless will be relieved to learn that I have given up on Precious Williams (for now).
Attempts to find any tangible evidence for her claim that she had a relationship with Jon Snow have come to nothing. Emails have passed between us, some of my questions have been ignored, and now she tells me that she can’t trust anyone to report her words accurately. This is a very odd thing to say when one considers that she’s a highly experienced and gifted journalist – one would think she has a voice of her own. And Arcati made itself available to her if actual evidence - as opposed to fervent claims - was furnished.
Recently someone made another claim to me: that Precious Williams and Jon Snow met at a London hotel last week. Some details were outlined, but no tangible evidence was sent. My presumption was (and is) that this was yet another hoax. I emailed Precious with the question: Did you meet with Snow at a London hotel last week? In her reply she ignored the question and simply stated that she had been in London last week and attended a number of meetings before returning to Germany where she currently lives. She did not mention Snow. Why would she reply in this fashion? Why not simply deny it if she had not met him?
I then emailed Jon Snow and asked him: Did you meet with Precious Williams at a London hotel last week? He replied by email: “Madame, so far as I am able to tell, I have never met her and had no awareness of her existence, I think that has been made clear in the reporting thus far and has been accepted by the MOS, best wishes, JS”.
I am probably not alone in thinking this a very oddly worded response, and its meaning lies in an implication. He is not aware of her existence (so presumably he could not have met her in a hotel last week); his formula “so far as I can tell” carries another implication: that his unawareness of her existence is contingent on an ability to tell. I don’t know why he didn’t just say categorically: “I did not meet this woman at a London hotel last week”.
However, his response is in effect a denial and one that must be accepted in the absence of supporting evidence. Jon Snow "does not know a lady called Precious Williams", as his lawyer has asserted.
Now, back to Precious. Yesterday I asked by email again whether she had met Snow at the London hotel. In one of her replies she stated that she did not know what I was talking about and asked me to explain. This in itself was a curious response - could she have forgotten so soon this business of the hotel? So I asked the question again. This time she told me that she could not trust anyone to report her accurately.
I shall not speculate on Precious’ state of mind, her credibility or motives in this bizarre saga except to say that she assured me that she had evidence of this relationship, that a broadsheet was examining it – and I’ve heard nothing since. And that’s where we are.
In the absence of this evidence one must tender sympathy to Jon Snow - and for other reasons, to Precious Williams.
Other Snow/Williams postings - read all about it!
60 comments:
Excellent news, Madame. Now we can return to the more important stuff, such as did Tina Brown really snub me and did Popeye ever have his comical way with Olive Oyl?
When two people are accused of having a rendezvous and neither of them categorically denies it, surely chances are that it is true? How do we know Williams doesn't have evidence? Monica Lewinsky didn't come up with that dress right away, after all: it was her trump card. I bet something comes to light in this case too.
Madame Arcati, will you please stop your saucy nonsense! You have been emailing me all week asking me whether or not I checked into a London hotel "with a man resembling Jon Snow". Then you forwarded emails you'd received from Jon Snow on to me and asked for my comments on Snow's "curious" comments and his alleged failure to "categorically deny" meeting me.
You in fact claimed that two people had emailed you telling you they'd seen me in a London hotel with a man who resembled Snow. Curiously you haven't posted those emails on the blog and nobody but you seems to have even had sight of them. Did anybody really email you any such thing? You are a very mischievous creature.
Because I refused to address your questions you have now given up on me. Hurrah! Your blog is very entertaining but I'd rather you didn't write about me in it. So pleased for you that you now feel able to move on... Congratulations.
Much love, Precious
PS
As far as I can tell, I did not check into a London hotel with a man resembling Jon Snow last week.
I can't help being a little fond of Precious, I think one day she may inspire a movie. It will be titled Precious. It will be a hit.
A correction: I did not forward Jon Snow's emails to you. He sent me just one email and I gave you a precis of what he wrote. There's a difference.
Thank you for your response to the London hotel business - at last! Even if ironic! Easy, wasn't it?
I have emails from someone claiming to have seen you and Snow together which I now have to regard as a hoax. To publish them would of course be defamatory as both you and Snow are liberal with the lawyers.
Here's to you, Ms Williams! Don't let the likes of Arcati get the better of you. S/he's a garbage digger and a stalker. That kind of people deserve one thing: being hung with their own rotten guts!
If you could find any way to find out who s/he is and shut her/him up for good, that would be a blessing.
Madame A
One of your recent, devilish emails to me read:
"When I ask Snow if he'd met you last week, he said he did replied merely that "I do not know so far as I am aware ... a lady called Precious Williams". I think you may see where I am going with this - both of you appear to be engaged in some sort of cloak and dagger game of language; and to the outsider it all seems very strange. It's certainly fascinating..... To say that certain questions are not being answered would be accurate."
I asked you what those unanswered questions were and you replied with some specific questions. I then refused to comment. (In fact I said I wouldn't comment because I no longer trust anyone to accurately report what I say.)
The beauty of "No Comment" is that it can't be turned into some monstrous fabricated quote like "Jon Snow was smoking, and inhaling" or "I thought he was fit for an old guy." Or can it? I do hope not.
Oddly I am growing fond of you Madame Arcati, even though you write such silly and sometimes spiteful things about me on your blog.
Anonymous wrote: 'If you could find any way to find out who s/he is and shut her/him up for good, that would be a blessing.'
Isn't Madame Arcati really Jon Snow?
Thank you Precious, but my account of my dealings with you on this post stand. The question about the hotel is very simple - I can't see what you would lose by admitting or denying it. Instead you made and make a mystery of it.
I can see already that you are adept at twisting things, aren't you? And remember I have many, detailed emails from you which I have chosen not to publish, so don't try your luck by publishing mine.
"The question about the hotel is very simple - I can't see what you would lose by admitting or denying it. Instead you made and make a mystery of it."
You've already seen that I have answered your question (above) and you've even commented on my answer.
<< And remember I have many, detailed emails from you which I have chosen not to publish, so don't try your luck by publishing mine. >>
Oh my Gawd, this is shameless blackmail (no pun intended) ! Are you that kind of person, Madame ? I'd be so disappointed !
Precious, You did reply (above) to the hotel question - and I noted its irony. It reads like a piss-take of Snow's way of phrasing a legalistic denial. In other words it does not seem serious. But if you mean No, just say it.
Another question: Did you stay at the St Martin's Lane Hotel? Just yes or no please.
Blackmail, Duralex? Moi? I am simply stating the law of cause and effect, a law that prevails throughout the universe, I understand. Why, even a blade of grass is the consequence of cause and effect, as is Tina Brown's plagiarism.
Generally, if and when Precious makes public this evidence of a relationship with Snow, I shall give great prominence to it - and then follow up with lessons on how to conduct a media campaign and how to deal with the media when they're on your tail.
I am an amazing repository of benign wisdom.
Precious,
Can I ask you a couple of direct questions, and the reply only needs to be yes or no so you don't need to worry about being misunderstood or misquoted.
1. Did you make up the Mos story about you and Jon Snow?
2. Did the Mos make up the story about you and Jon Snow?
Thanks
...to believe what YOU want, I mean.
Anonymous said...
"Is the relationship between Ms Williams and Mr Snow (if any) any of our business?"
No.
"All this talk trash is ludicrous and would never have happened if the press did their job honestly, that is: applying their talent to what's really important in the world, instead of paying nosy parkers for such a stupid, pointless job."
True.
> Emails have passed between us, some of my questions have been ignored, and now she tells me that she can’t trust anyone to report her words accurately. This is a very odd thing to say when one considers that she’s a highly experienced and gifted journalist
Precisely, she knows her peers and she treats them for what they are worth more often than not. Moreover, why should she trust an anonymous blogger and obviously fake journalist? :-)
What role did al Fayed and the Duke of Edinburgh play in this affair ? Was there any anal probing ?
Dear Lorenzo, once again you appear a-phuttin' and a-fartin', like some unwelcome old banger at a movie drive-in.
You appear to have missed a vital point (so what's new?): Precious' story first appeared in the Mail on Sunday, which is a very big national newspaper full of professionals, some of whom are paid a lot of money. I know that sort of thing easily impresses you.
And yet these professionals felt compelled to publish a full retraction and apology and admit that Precious' story had been a fabrication - I am not going to comment on the rights and wrongs of that. How odd that these pros - these exemplars of journalistic talent - didn't know a dud when they saw one. Or alternatively, were unable to support their story with any evidence. How could this have occurred, Lorenzo? As a pro, give us an insight; or at least give us a guess if you're some sad git with nothing else to do all day.
Goodness, my supposed inadequacies must pale by the side of this mighty MoS organ and its limp performance.
Now, drive off in your rusty old banger - I can give you the address of a friendly scrap yard if you need it. You Italian stallion (ret'd).
Oh, for Gawd's sake! Did you or did you not say that you had given up on Precious Williams? A simple yes or no would suffice.
Prior to running the story MoS staffers swear they saw evidence in the form of emails from Snow to Williams.
The problem was that two MoS hacks swearing - even under oath - that they'd seen the emails, checked the headers, seen they originated from ITN and so on... was not enough to stand up in court.
To fight Snow, the MoS needed to have hard copies of the emails which is why the reporters went back to Berlin to ask Williams for her laptop. They weren't sure whether or not Williams was going to co-operate with them or not but they drew their own conclusions about how co-operative she was likely to be when she told them she saw no reason why she should help them.
Arcati chérie, I just love the followed "road" metaphor (is that correct ? in french, it's "métaphore filée") about Lorenzo !
So much fun on your blog these days !
This can be resolved if Precious could answer the following two questions.
1. Did you make up the MoS story about you and Jon Snow?
2. Did the MoS make up the story about you and Jon Snow?
A simple yes or no will suffice.
> Precious' story first appeared in the Mail on Sunday, which is a very big national newspaper full of professionals, some of whom are paid a lot of money.
Are you insinuating that they're paid to much for the tabloïd shit they sell you, and that they don't deserve their reputation anymore? If so, I agree. As for the rest, see MOS insider's post. Ah poveri noi, journalism is no more what it used to be !
Oh, and I love the road metaphor too! More, more! :-)
I am glad Duralex and Lorenzo like the road metaphor - yes it's a métaphore filée, if you wish, or an extended metaphor, as we may say here in the United Queendom.
I am now going to perform a three-point turn and have myself driven off for some doggin' [a tabloid term] for the evening ... onward, James ....
Liz said...
This can be resolved if Precious could answer the following two questions.
1. Did you make up the MoS story about you and Jon Snow?
2. Did the MoS make up the story about you and Jon Snow?
THERE SHOULD BE A THIRD OPTION IN THIS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST...
3. Did Jon Snow make up the story about never having met Precious Williams?
Snow deserved his 'apology' about as richly as David Dillon deserves to be the MoS's news editor, say MoS sources.
< THERE SHOULD BE A THIRD OPTION IN THIS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST... >
Given the blood-thirsty ticks Precious Williams has to deal with, the one correct answer in all cases is: "f... you!"
<< an extended metaphor, as we may say here in the United Queendom. >>
At least, I've learnt something today.
<< onward, James >>
Ahem... Are you soliloquizing, or is James your personal chauffeur? Hmmmm...
'Now, back to Precious. Yesterday I asked by email again whether she had met Snow at the London hotel. In one of her replies she stated that she did not know what I was talking about and asked me to explain. This in itself was a curious response - could she have forgotten so soon this business of the hotel?'
I have heard reports of her being quite the coke fiend and spliff-head. I think I'd be right in saying that both of these illegal substances affect the short term memory.
'So I asked the question again. This time she told me that she could not trust anyone to report her accurately.'
I think both of the aforementioned substances can bring on bouts of paranoia, also.
'I shall not speculate on Precious’ state of mind..'
Really quite caned, perchance?
This blog is definitely a sewer.
If Precious could answer the couple of easy questions I asked her that would clear up this riddle.
What's the problem with doing that Precious?
Could it be the case that the MoS pestered you, so to get them off your back you told them what they wanted to hear, confident that they wouldn't publish it without your written agreement which you hadn't given?
Liz, feel free to email me.
So what ? Is there anything wrong in having a crush on black girls ? – please, ladies, don't pull the "but he's a married man !" victorian argument, for Chrissake ! :-)
Oh, I almost forgot : what we all want to know now, of course, is if Mr Snow is a good screw !
There is a reason for Snow's veiled language. Snow, insiders say, has been cautious throughout his dalliances with Williams, and "others like her". He has always avoided having his photo taken with any of the black girls he's shagged.
But Snow's aware that evidence may yet come to light and so he is covering all bases. If, as he of course hopes, the matter is not examined any more thoroughly then of course he's laughing. If however, hard evidence of his affair with Williams comes to light, Snow can claim, 'well all I said was that I wasn't AWARE of having met her.'
And of course the other girls who've had dalliances with Snow (I'm told there are quite a few of them, most of them black, a couple of them very much in the public eye...) cannot tell their stories to the papers because what paper wants to be humiliated as the Mail on Sunday were over this story? Snow's recent empty threats to sue, sue, sue... are forcing his other former squeezes to keep their mouths shut.
A factor complicating things further is Williams' own insistence on being an 'unreliable witness.' She's part of the whole cloak and dagger nonsense and I'm beginning to wonder whether Snow has actually paid her to further his cause.
All in all quite sordid.
Sorry I can't email you Precious, I don't have your email addy but if you ask MA to pass yours on to me I'll get back to you.
MA knows who I am.
Liz
x
Mr Curious said:
> All in all quite sordid.
The one sordid thing I see is the contemptible and monstrous witch hunt these people are bearing. It's just unbelievable... unless there's a "political" background to it... that could explain it.
Liz said:
> MA knows who I am.
Madonna! I suppose you also know who she (or he) is, then? Hmmmm... :-)
But let's be serious: do you think Ms Williams will allow Arcati to pass her email on to you? And if Arcati does it without permission, wouldn't Ms Williams instantly know where the betrayal comes from?
Ah, never mind, a good gossipist must never give up. That reminds me of my youth. ;-)
You still with us Lorenzo? Don't let me stop you taking your bat home.
I wouldn't expect MA to pass Precious's email addy to anyone unless Precious emails her and asks her to do so.
MoS insider says something interesting about statements from MoS staffers saying they had seen emails not being enough to stand up in court.
Well yes, saying you've seen something isn't enough, but once you get into the court system you can ask for disclosure of documents from the internet service provider so even if you don't have copies of emails you can get them if you know they exist.
Surprised the MoS legal team hasn't already thought of this but more surprised that if emails exist the MoS reporters didn't get printouts of them at the time when they would have been vital to stand up the story.
Just the facts, Madame!
1. It is agreed upon all round that Snow has been seen out and about in the company of "a young black woman," whom he has introduced as "my friend Precious."
2. The original tip-off re Precious came from the award-winning press agency Ferrari and came to them, reportedly, from somebody within Snow's family.
3. Everybody reportedly agrees that the MoS approached Precious about the story and that the paper had been aware of the affair since early 2006.
4. Jon has much to lose were he to admit the affair and the drug allegations.
5. Precious presumably would have little to gain in making up such a story.
6. Jon reportedly has a "thing" for "leggy black girls" and Precious would physically be his type.
7. If the story were a hoax how would Precious have managed to get the MoS to pursue the story so aggressively? Why would the Mos, according to articles appearing subsequently, have had to work hard to get her to talk to them?
8. The MoS fronted Snow up twice, so he had ample time to think about whether he had shafted Precious or not. Why was he so vague in his responses when fronted up?
Just the facts, Madame.
Thank you Stones. Facts are they?, we shall see. We cannot know it's a fact that Snow introduced a woman to friends as "Precious" because Snow would deny that: and in the absence of corroborative evidence this could just be another mischievous fantasy. So out goes that "fact".
As I said on this posting, the only facts that interest me are those that can be corroborated - and the most obvious way to go about this is for incontrovertible evidence to be presented of a relationship between Snow and Williams.
As I write no such evidence is in the public domain - though supposed emails between Snow and Williams are said to exist and may even be published elsewhere, but these could have been fabricated - easily done. Techies would need to validate them as authentic.
The Ferrari link is news to me - no-one's mentioned that to date to my knowledge - could be a fact, who knows?
Another fact I'm uncertain of is why Snow would have had much to lose by admitting his relationship with Williams if it were true. Cabinet ministers and newspaper editors survive affairs, why shouldn't he? The marijuana thing is something else - he's admitted indulging in his past.
But back to basics: the evidence of an alleged relationship. Once or if it ever sees the light of day, then the story can progress. I'm still waiting.
It's been established Snow was seeing a black woman named Precious. I thought the part that wasn't clear yet was whether Precious Williams was the right Precious. Madame, do try to keep up...
Another fact I'm uncertain of is why Snow would have had much to lose by admitting his relationship with Williams if it were true.
Madame puhleeze! Surely you of all people are not so naive. Or are you on John Snow's payroll? Very suspicious posting from you...
Arcati lost all impartiality, if she ever had any, once Jon Snow emailed her. Once Snow emailed her, Arcati swooned like a 16 year old with a crush and immediately changed her whole stance on the Jon Snow/Precious Williams story. I can reveal that Snow has agreed to write "or whatever" for Arcati but only if she stops insinuating that he is lying about the Williams affair. He has told Arcati he is ready to move on from all that now. Starstruck wishes-she-were-a-journalist Arcati is happy to oblige. Our swooning hostess has gone from questioning Snow's version of events to portraying him as Williams's innocent victim.
"I wouldn't expect MA to pass Precious's email addy to anyone unless Precious emails her and asks her to do so."
Anybody with a brain and an internet browser can locate her email address. Easily. Hint; she's got a website for fuck's sake.
Yes anon, having a brain AND an internet browser I've already done that.
Cheers!
The MoS saw emails Snow sent Williams. As Madame points out, it is possible to fabricate emails. However, that theory would require Williams to a)have fabricated such emails in the vague off chance that the MoS might show up to interview her (remember, she didn't invite the MoS to interview her, we invited ourselves) and b) be tech savvy enough to fabricate very authentic looking emails. For the Precious-Williams-made-it-all-up theory to stand up, she would also have to be an Oscar-worthy actress and possibly the shrewdest spin master (mistress?) the paper's ever come across, since it was us trying to track her down and not the other way around. We spent four weeks just trying to find out her contact information and when we did, she initially refused to speak to us. And then there's the as yet unanswered question of what on earth she'd gain by making it up.
Sorry Madame A, I'm not buying your theory of Williams making the Jon Snow story up.
And for what it's worth, I must reluctantly agree that Madame does seem to be losing her edge. She has done this Snow and Williams story to death and yet revealed absolutely nothing new to us all other than the fact she's very easily swayed by a C-list celebrity newsreader.
From Precious's website:
""I signed up for How to Become a Celebrity Interviewer to meet Precious Williams. I have long read and loved her articles in UK Elle, so it was no surprise how much I enjoyed her class. Precious wasn't afraid to let us know some of the mistakes she'd made and learned from in the past, which made her class all the more encouraging. I'm now signed up as a stringer and have some very exciting interviews with singers and actors already lined up! Meeting Precious definitely gave me both the inspiration and the confidence to try out this new world of celebrity interviews." -- Katrina Lawrence, beauty & lifestyle writer
"Precious Williams is a wonderful mentor. I spent the past two years writing a chick lit novel set in Manhattan, and her classes on Writing About Dating & Relationships and Celebrity Interviewing helped me get back to writing shorter pieces -- and get them published! Her tips helped me land a weekly newspaper column writing profiles of noteworthy people in New England. I've also had success with articles on The New York Times best-selling authors and domestic diva Martha Stewart. The great thing about her classes is that while you're learning, she makes you laugh." -- Noelle Ashley, author & columnist
Liz, what was Precious's response?
Anon,
Her email addy doesn't work.
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
coaching.precious@preciouswilliams.com
The website says her email address is precious@preciouswilliams.com
Thanks Anon, I misread it. I'll give it another go to that address.
Interesting how people don't read carefully ... poor saps.
At no stage have I claimed that Precious Williams has made up her relationship with Jon Snow.
What I said is that she has to date failed to prove it. Whether she proves it is another question. Anyone can claim to be an "MoS insider" - welcome to Hoaxers' Paradise.
And as for Mr Curious ... read Mr Spurious.
Now, carry on with the show .... I am posting this comment on the main site.
"And for what it's worth, I must reluctantly agree that Madame does seem to be losing her edge. She has done this Snow and Williams story to death and yet revealed absolutely nothing new to us all other than the fact she's very easily swayed by a C-list celebrity newsreader."
I couldn't agree more. Site is becoming all lame-ass foreplay and no orgasm. Where's the juice? If you're gonna write about Snow and Williams get them to interview each other or something. That would be interesting.
Why do so many of us care about who's allegedly shagged who?
I don't know, why don't you put your brain to the test and offer a learned answer instead of dressing up statements as questions - your chance to shine, sugar plum.
Post a Comment