The President and Cecilia in happier times
My prolific - but sometimes curiously absent and demented - commenter "Duralex" has lectured Arcati endlessly on how the French do not concern themselves with the sex lives of their governing and celebrity classes. What a fuss he has made about my interest in the goings-on of the high-ups! The French, he has claimed, are soooooooooooo above that sort of thing. He must therefore be most aggrieved by the French media's unexpected and uninhibited fascination with the cock-cunting antics of President Nicolas Sarkozy. Indeed a tell-all book, Cecilia by Anna Bitton, about his cunt-cocking ex-wife, is just out after a failed injunction application. "Sex, diamonds and rivalry swirl" in this torrid bitch swamp, if we are to believe Reuters.
The agency adds: "Adding new spice to the unfolding tale, one magazine, Gala, said Sarkozy had offered the same kind of pink, heart-shaped, diamond ring to new girlfriend Carla Bruni as his ex-wife Cecilia had been seen wearing only a few months ago." Ooh dear, is that dirty washing I see hanging out of the Élysée Palace?
At last, France has succumbed to the tabloid sensibility (it had already actually but allowed its elitest media to protect its extra-marital cock-cunting establishment) - I fear Duralex may have to relocate. I hear Zimbabwe knows what to do with intrusive journalists. Reuters is running some soundbites from French book customers - one is Alain who says: "I think someone in the public eye should expect his private life be exposed so they should expect the publication of any problems."*
I could have scripted these words myself.
*Babel Fish translates thus: "je pense quelqu'un dans l'oeil public devrait prévoir que sa vie privée soit exposée ainsi ils devraient s'attendre à la publication de tous les problèmes."
4 comments:
Touché, Madame.
no, more like 'le fait a accompli'...
She is very beautiful.
<< My prolific - but sometimes curiously absent and demented - commenter "Duralex" >>
Demented, moi ? Beneath my rhetoric I’m as cold as a snake and as sharp as a slaughter’s knife. I thought you already knew.
<< has lectured Arcati endlessly on how the French do not concern themselves with the sex lives of their governing and celebrity classes. What a fuss he has made about my interest in the goings-on of the high-ups! The French, he has claimed, are soooooooooooo above that sort of thing. >>
Oh, did I say so, really ? Well, let me see. Here is all I could find :
http://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2007/05/lord-browne-international-outing-market.html
I said : "Such "outings" as Lord Browne's or Peter Mandelson's wouldn't be possible in the French influenced area, for example, where homosexuality is not an issue. Do you know that the mayor of Paris is openly gay, and constantly re-elected? I might be wrong, but my bet is that no French tabloid would be interested in publishing the kind of "revelations" Jeff Chevalier sold to the Mail on Sunday. Homophobia is a big taboo in the French media. A positive taboo, for once. ” (08/05/2007)
http://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2007/05/arcatis-birthday-and-kevin-spacey.html
I just said : “In the French area, no one cares about that sort of stuff.”
Which you enthusiastically interpreted and elaborated as follows : “In France, the appearance of not caring about such matters is probably more important than the expression of any interest in other people's sex lives – the old culture is above such things.” (09/06/2007)
Your words, chéri, not mine.
So no, I never said anything of the sort. The context of my statements was totally different from the one we are presently talking about. Back then the discussion was about the typically Anglo-Saxon preoccupation with who is gay or not among public persons, and the way your media use to fuel that kind of speculation. I never said the French are not interested in “the sex lives of their governing and celebrity classes”. I just said they are not prejudiced about their sexual orientation, which is not the same thing at all.
<< He must therefore be most aggrieved by the French media's unexpected and uninhibited fascination with the cock-cunting antics of President Nicolas Sarkozy. >>
I can’t figure out why you’re calling out to me about this topic. My first language and literary culture are French, OK, but I’m Canadian and I don’t know much about French political life. Besides, I suppose that caring about the king’s (or whatever you call him) love life is something quite common all over the world. It’s natural curiosity, but unlike you I wouldn’t state it’s a sign of deep political conscience and maturity. I’d rather say it’s a sign of… ah, in informal French we say “ringardise” (a ridiculous traditionalism).
What I personally find more significant and interesting than this is that suddenly, the French president has become a valuable gossip topic in the Anglo-Saxon tabs and internet blogs. Maudit, even Perez Hilton is talking at length and peddling wild rumors about Mr Sarkozy’s relationship with Carla Bruni ! This is truly unbelievable !
<< At last, France has succumbed to the tabloid sensibility (it had already actually but allowed its elitest media to protect its extra-marital cock-cunting establishment) >>
Mmmm. I remember some juicy stories about Giscard’s and Mitterrand’s escapades. And as far as I know, Sarko’s affair with Carla is in no way extra-marital. He’s officially divorced and so is she.
<< Reuters is running some soundbites from French book customers - one is Alain who says: "I think someone in the public eye should expect his private life be exposed so they should expect the publication of any problems." I could have scripted these words myself. >>
Well, as they use to say it comes with the territory. But in Mr. Sarkozy's case it seems to be part of the territory, and I’m afraid the French are not very happy about it. For the media are one thing, but the people’s opinion is a whole other story. Just read the comments on Perez Hilton, many of them come from French readers, and they are pretty steep. I also hear Sarkozy’s popularity is sinking in the polls. So yes, just as you say : the French finally grow up. But a bit too late…
Post a Comment