I recall Mr Dale back in 2013 receiving a police caution after scuffling with a pensioner on Brighton seafront. Apparently, the old codger had dared to wave an anti-nuke banner in the vicinity of Mr Dale's author Damian McBride, prompting the sort of behaviour that Theresa May roundly condemns when the cameras are pointing at her and she's thinking of life beyond the Home Office.
Plainly Mr Dale has no keen ear for humour, camp or otherwise: indeed, to observe him on news chat shows, hangdog face composed in stoicism, is to re-experience Clement Freud but without the jokes (and beard). Then one day recently his eye fell upon Roger's review of a Dusty Springfield book in the Spectator. He was so appalled that he withdrew his company's book contract offer to Roger.
I emailed Roger with my commiserations, asking him what he made of all this. Here's his (slightly redacted) reply, from Austria:
"I wrote a perfectly fine piece on Dusty Springfield, inter alia making the joke that lezzos all have big chins the better to go bobbing for apples - and this cunt Iain Dale, a man of whom I had never previously heard, comes out of the woodwork accusing me of all sorts! And me the biographer of Charles Hawtrey and the world expert on camp comics!
"What I hate about the man is his egotistical desire to be morally superior - no sense of humour, hence of proportion, like those Welsh language fanatics I always poke fun at and who foam at the mouth when teased.
16 comments:
The thing about the Internet is that you can pretty much say what you like on it. True some people have got into trouble but I guess Mr Lewis will get away with his homophobic rant about Lesbians and with his abuse of Iain Dale. And the owner of this blog will get away with his silly comments as well. It's just too easy to trade in abuse. More difficult is to criticise politely. So Lewis and Arcati don't do it. #FAIL
No, you cannot pretty much say what you like on the internet any more than you can write what you like in a newspaper. There are however many types and degrees of abuse and humour and it is perfectly possible to distinguish one thing from another where there's the will. Any familiarity with Lewis' work establishes him as a comic misanthrope with scarcely a good word for anyone (including himself) - the absurdly exaggerated abuse, comically turned (though perhaps not to everyone's taste or experience) is one small clue as to intent.
Evelyn Waugh used to be asked to contribute pieces in 'his usual style'. It was understood where he was coming from. Likewise with Lewis.
If you like to think that Lewis is capable of a 'homophobic rant' then you really need to get in more and start reading. Properly.
I do not have an opinion as to whether Lewis is capable of a homophobic rant. It is not a matter of opinion. The insults to Lesbians were just that. Not comic at all. Vile.
You should be concerned with whether Roger Lewis is capable of a homophobic rant. That's the point.
I am the first to admit the vaginal qualities of Sussex plod yet all I get on my blogges are death threats from neo nazis (Norfolk Constabulary). Obviously I am going wrong somewhere. Julie Burchill is 103.
Part of the problem is the calibre of publishers. Many of them don't read hence Mr Iain Dale's inability to distinguish what's from what. In any case it's hard to understand why he took an interest in Roger Lewis in the first place. A glance at Dale's Biteback, which incidentally is linked to Robson Books which brought out the Dusty Springfield book you mention, reveals a taste for literal fact and humourless anecdote. Scarcely Lewis!
Career politicians are awful people. Failed career politicians like Dale are even worse.
Iain Dale is awfully pompous. One for Madame's famed bidets, darling.
I so agree with Louis Barfe. Mr Dale is a bitter (lemon?) soul, forever wondering what might have been if only he'd been exactly what Britain needs at this time of peril - another Tory cunt MP.
Is it homophobic of me to point out that Dale is a homosexual so perhaps a little over-sensitive on the topic? I followed the link to his blog and was alarmed to see that the first reader comment mentions something about "handbags at dawn". Is this not a response of dubious attitude? The reader has resorted to stereotype because the topic is same-sex. You see, we can all play this game of casting stones.
But do lesbians have Desperate Dan chins? That's the question.
Whatever happened to Farah Damji?
Very eccentric Blog this !
Makes a change, doesn't it, sugar.
This is so effing funny!!
@scheerbart
I know quite a few lesbians and now that I think about them most do have quite firm chins.
But all of them?. Perhaps Mr Lewis is merely guilty of exaggeration.
I could be wrong though and will investigate further.
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