tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306431132024-03-07T07:33:21.913+00:00Madame ArcatiI'm back but keep it quietMadame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.comBlogger1835125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-23486808438942274502020-10-13T14:12:00.003+01:002020-10-13T14:12:52.666+01:00Spooky! BBC Radio's ghostly duplication of title<p>I was most excited to learn this morning that BBC Radio 4 is running a new series entitled <i>A Natural History of Ghosts</i>, hosted by someone called Kirsty Logan - a name fresh to my synaptic leaps as are her profoundly politically correct and therefore fashionable vowel sounds. </p><p>Naturally, I assumed this was a series based on Roger Clarke's classic book, <i>A Natural History of Ghosts</i> - until I visited the BBC website and discovered no mention of Mr Clarke. I cannot comment on the content of Kirsty's show, but thematically the radio show (like Clarke's book) takes us into the realm of the afterlife - with the twist of a distancing cultural history approach which usually means you don't have to believe in ghosts to appropriate some of the spookiness while maintaining one's treasured reason.</p><p>The coincidence of titles is most unfortunate, though these things do happen. And we must try not to jump to conclusions. However, I was dismayed to learn via Twitter that Mr Clarke had no knowledge of the Radio 4 show. Later, I spotted a Twitter exchange between him and Logan in which she denied knowledge of his book and offered an assurance that she had not used any of his material for her show.</p><p>This claim was then seemingly thrown into question by an Arcatiste who noticed that back in 2016 Logan had listed Roger's ghost book as one of her faves (last but one on the list):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Q6AFWCZJNNuHKY6MLO2VQ0YJqti_LzImeCR-3wbPGFFP-pKJB9ylLsCq4RY-k4O2dVCjQgU8Bwif8OoY9ybHvLH6x4WiHj9KDjhPBxKBnKm2EpMSDgqxh4IZLxlNByTcwcW-g/s1131/Kirsty+Logan+best+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Q6AFWCZJNNuHKY6MLO2VQ0YJqti_LzImeCR-3wbPGFFP-pKJB9ylLsCq4RY-k4O2dVCjQgU8Bwif8OoY9ybHvLH6x4WiHj9KDjhPBxKBnKm2EpMSDgqxh4IZLxlNByTcwcW-g/s320/Kirsty+Logan+best+books.jpg" /></a></div>Doubtless this slipped her memory - well read people are wont to forget all the titles they digest even if some titles are more memorable than others. I do it all the time, or so I am told.<div><br /></div><div>I am confident that BBC Radio 4 will do the right thing and run a series by Roger Clarke on <i>A Natural History of Ghosts</i>, unless they can think of a good reason why not. Alternatively alter the title of Logan's show.</div><div><p>Buy Roger's book here (a brilliant book):</p><p>https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141048085/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdb_btf_t1_x_l7yHFb0NF3B3F</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qzfsgPsmsKYdGhq4-cBOkK_h-X58XS7PCX7GrtSAVAjUD3a8UNUXeBgjrnnfRc3QNANQFEhFwdyXD-Cj_R5fTFYmx5BBRWA83KQsa_IO0lV7qUfEMirL4fowF6WY6pqG_kpOdA/s327/Natural+History+of+Ghosts.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qzfsgPsmsKYdGhq4-cBOkK_h-X58XS7PCX7GrtSAVAjUD3a8UNUXeBgjrnnfRc3QNANQFEhFwdyXD-Cj_R5fTFYmx5BBRWA83KQsa_IO0lV7qUfEMirL4fowF6WY6pqG_kpOdA/s320/Natural+History+of+Ghosts.webp" /></a></div><p><br /></p></div>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-21718584143257363942020-08-21T18:47:00.006+01:002020-08-21T18:57:21.902+01:00Farah Damji is rearrested in Dublin - as an Icelandic!<p>Farah Damji - variously described as a "serial fraudster" and "convicted stalker" - has been rearrested in Dublin after absconding from justice during her last London trial in July of this year. </p><p>She was up for breaching a restraining order arising from an earlier conviction for stalking. She was sentenced in her absence. Judge Michael Gledhill has indicated that he wants her brought back before him for breaching bail conditions even though he now works in Oxford.</p><p>According to <i><a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/serial-fraudster-on-the-run-from-uk-authorities-is-arrested-in-dublin-1.4332524">The Irish Times</a>,</i> she was apprehended by the police last Monday and taken before the High Court in Dublin and remanded in custody. She is expected to be extradited shortly. The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau claim she was passing herself off an as Icelandic national and fake IDs and credit cards were found at her apartment, it is reported.</p><p>Oh dear Farah, if true. You never learn. Same old baloney over and over again. <i>Yawny!</i></p><p>In happier times (or were they?) Farah had the honour of interviewing Madame Arcati (see <a href="https://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2016/12/madame-arcati-uncut.html">here</a>). Madame is perfectly prepared to give even the incorrigible the chance to see the light, though she is often disappointed. </p><p>Of late, while in prison or on the run or whatever (hard to keep up), Farah "helped to" start up <i>The View Magazine </i>for "women in the criminal justice system". She even persuaded the painfully modish George The Poet to contribute. In this <a href="https://theasianwriter.co.uk/2020/05/20/life-in-prison-time-for-a-new-point-of-view/">piece</a>, she describes life in prison as "grey and boring" so it is curious that she seems so keen to make return visits to the clink. Prison governors, she writes, couldn't run a corner shop which is one reason why recidivism is no high, hers especially no doubt. </p><p>One gets the impression that she thinks she would make an excellent prisoner-governor. What a great movie idea. Who should play Farah?</p><p>In other matters, I am still wondering who it was who waged a campaign against this site some years back. I make no allegation for now but Madame Arcati is an unforgiving opponent. Cross my path and prepare to become roadkill, in the figurative sense of course. I have a list of suspects and I will be avenged.</p><p>Here is poppet Farah advertising <i>The View</i> on YouTube. infamy, in-for-me...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bw0WiEivh8c" width="320" youtube-src-id="Bw0WiEivh8c"></iframe></div><p><br /></p>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-82735836973114936512020-08-19T17:23:00.002+01:002020-08-19T17:23:25.480+01:00Made Arcati self-identifies as....<p>Darlings, so good to be back, though you never know with me. Not much has changed since I kicked off this blog in 2006, except the dramatis personae of moments. Old foes have swanned away or waned while others stay in post like stuck turds before strike of prunes - Francis Wheen at <i>Private Eye,</i> Camilla Long and India Knight at <i>The Sunday Times</i>, et al. My ex-permanent fiancee Molly Parkin still reigns in Chelsea but we are no longer an item or even an 'item'. Duncan Fallowell is awaking to the joys of electronic publishing - and where is Roger Lewis? I must get another story out of him, Farah Damji is now on the run in Ireland, eluding an arrest warrant - I had no idea she stalked ex-fucks or rejectionist fucks and am astonished people still fall for her self-laundering campaigning scams. Give yourself up poppet and place yet another burden on the public purse.</p><p>The big theme <i>du jour </i>(for five more minutes) is gender fluidity. Naturally, Madame Arcati is ahead of the curve. Back in 2006 and onwards, a number of readerly cocks and cunts asked Madame who she really was, not just the identity behind the living legend, but her sex. It was noted that there was a certain "aggression" in my prose, out of kilter with the scented female stereotype in plaid skirt, which could only jar in the minds of those yet to sample Julie Burchill's work. I seemed butch yet decorous of form and awfully capable on a bicycle. And of course I commune with the dead and the 'dead' - such as Jonathan King who frankly should be knighted. The preoccupations of the playground never really entirely leave us - all too apparent in the media and now social media.</p><p>I defy categorisation in the way angels cannot be sexed, even if their names suggest a cock or cunt or both. I belong to your cultural dreams, dear; a figment of someone's imagination, dashing up and down the gender-labelling theremin without touching, posing as this or that depending on intent or whim. Yes, I am a self-identified idea - this is what a self-identified idea looks like. Moi.</p><p>Now run along and play boys and girls or b*ys and g*rls in your homes and offices, making a cult of your genitalia, whether cis, trans or cobblers. Fantasy has its place, such as here. But not there for the most part.</p>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-66321253822500776922020-08-13T16:52:00.006+01:002020-08-14T11:02:48.918+01:00What Lady Colin learnt of Boris after she sued him<p>I do adore Lady Colin Campbell's regular chat shows from her drawing room at Goring Castle. In her latest video, now hosted by son Misha after Croatian aristocrat Prince Leo unaccountably took off, she talks about the time back in the Noughties when she successfully sued Boris Johnson. </p><p>He was then editor of <i>The Spectator</i> magazine and had characteristically failed to stop his columnist Taki writing something defamatory of Lady C. You can listen to her story below. But two things are striking about her recollections. The first is that after she sent Boris "an excoriating three-page letter" which touched upon one of Boris' then ongoing extra-marital affairs - he was married to Marina - a spy at the magazine told her that he reacted to her insults in a most amazing way: instead of denouncing her he said to colleagues that the magazine should hire her as a columnist because she was such a good writer. Lady C recounts that this impressed her and suggested that he was a man who despite many personal flaws could "think outside the box". Consequently, she thought he'd be suitable for Number 10 when years later he fought to become PM.</p><p>Fast forward to an intriguing moment after Lady C won substantial damages and costs against <i>The Spec: </i>she was at the grand French Brasserie Zedel in London with a party that included her two sons Misha and Dima. Boris was also there with Marina and at some point he got up and with no hint of rancour introduced himself to Lady C and her sons. Charm itself. This also impressed her. A mark of "character" and "gumption" she observes. </p><p>Given this level of gumption, I fear Boris will be PM for longer than anyone can imagine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fyLGDKOqXWQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="fyLGDKOqXWQ"></iframe></div><p><br /></p>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-16548799436532408742020-08-13T11:46:00.000+01:002020-08-13T11:53:35.654+01:00Julie Burchill joins Twitter - at last!<p>Madame Arcati is delighted to see that Julie Burchill has joined Twitter at long last. Its brevity and range suit it to guerrilla warfare and instant reaction - as well as the occasional schmooze. In the old days this site relied on Google spiders and a few darlings in the media to mention me when I fed them a tale or two. Now I have only to post something and link it to social media and Arcatistes flood in like sewage.</p><p>Dame Julie (why not?) is to be found at the charmingly named @boozeAndFagz page. Her current post has to do with the peculiar India Knight, her even more peculiar partner Eric Joyce and the silence of mainstream media on the subject of his recent conviction for what the BBC calls "a child sex offence". Read Burchill's piece <a href="https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/08/12/the-silence-of-the-hacks/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-91258908852096940172020-08-12T13:50:00.002+01:002020-08-13T11:55:35.595+01:00Susan Penhaligon: two poems<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for Susan Penhaligon" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></p><p>Darling Susan Penhaligon (a delightful Cancerian; I sooo attract crabs these days...) has honoured us with two more poems, both utterly lovely. I especially adore <i>The Cremation (St Ives).</i> One of my all-time TV drama series favourites is her <i>Bouquet of Barbed Wire </i>from the '70s, and many will fondly recall her in <i>A Fine Romance </i>that ran in the '80s. I really do think an enterprising publisher should collect Susan's poems and put them out. If you wish to show your appreciation, leave a comment below. Don't be cheap and just go back to the fucking social media. </p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><b>With Apologies to Jenny Joseph</b><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Now I'm seventy I shall not wear purple,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I have no need for satin slippers,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">my red hat will sit snug on my highlighted hair<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and I shall only sometimes wear it.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I will giggle much, much more.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I shall love all young people and<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">pass my wisdom as voodoo,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">it is they who will press alarm bells.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I shall not hoard pens and beer mats or regrets<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and I will sit down frequently,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">not brandy stoked or pavement squatted,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">but comfy and content with a lit stove.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I will not eat three pounds of sausages<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">or wear terrible shirts but grow peppers<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">in a pot on my windowsill<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and if I spit it will only be to polish them.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I shall choose the moment to say fuck<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">with exquisite precision.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">But Jenny Joseph you are right,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I will pick flowers in the rain<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><i>2019</i><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><b>The cremation (St Ives)</b><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I am down near the weathered rocks again,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">by surf, the smell of surf, the ceaseless, black<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">souled cry of gulls and my mother,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">my mother, in the sea filled house of memories.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">She has gone,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">swept in a pod caressed with flowers.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">We played 'That's entertainment'<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I saw her dancing, her arms waving like a swimmer<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">making sure she was watched.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I walk the cobbled streets without her,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">a map stapled to my childhood,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">each crease has been explored,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">each fold examined,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">and there is the sloping beach as I remembered,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">the smell of Blue Grass perfumed her bag<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">propped up against a basket full of pasties<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">with a check rug, rough against our baby skin.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The harbour beach for tea,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">we were raised with sand in our stomachs.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The sea, the sea, my mother and the sea,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I am formed by its stones and lashing waves<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">as moody as my mother and her painful love.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I am not easily here.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I know the tides are forever,<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">but she is not.</div>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-66521453629121171312020-08-03T11:27:00.005+01:002020-08-13T16:16:39.787+01:00Madame Arcati's virtual background beach reads 2020<font face="georgia">How sad that Lorraine Candy has lost her job at <i>The Sunday Times</i>. That'll teach her to cross astrologers and me in particular. Now, who are my top people right now? I am fickle and quickly fall out of love, so make the most of my kindness, bitches.</font><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">My summer read authors are as follows (set against a Covid-19-averse virtual background beach in my boudoir):<br /></font><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia" style="background-color: white;">1.<b> Lady Colin Campbell.</b> Now known popularly as Lady C and Georgie to her friends. Riding high with her <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meghan-Harry-Lady-Colin-Campbell/dp/1916131719/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Meghan+and+Harry&qid=1596447983&sr=8-3">Meghan and Harry book</a> and posting marvellous YouTube chat shows hosted by Prince Leo von Breithen-Thurn - who I am given to understand seeks a wife. Lady C thinks it a good idea that he marry a royal cousin, but animal husbandry advises against genetic localism. Listen to Madame. Lady C's verbal assaults on rapidly souring <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog-this.g?n=Chatting+with+Lady+C(olin+Campbell)+-+Fallout+from+Press+Attacks,+Creeps...&source=youtube&b=%3Ciframe+width%3D%22480%22+height%3D%22270%22+src%3D%22https://www.youtube.com/embed/cjlq6JZBj_c%22+frameborder%3D%220%22+allow%3D%22accelerometer;+autoplay;+encrypted-media;+gyroscope;+picture-in-picture%22+allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E&eurl=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cjlq6JZBj_c/maxresdefault.jpg" target="_blank">Philip Schofield </a>(or "His Majesty of the Closet", as Georgie refers to him, cruelly) are sublime. Incidentally, Georgie plans to sue the <i>Daily Mirror </i>over some stories it ran.</font></div><div><font face="georgia" style="background-color: white;"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia" style="background-color: white;">2. <b>Duncan Fallowell.</b> A perennial favourite of mine. Thanks to him I have no need to travel to New Zealand. My carbon footprint is in intact. Do buy his new novel <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/LONDON-PARIS-NEW-YORK-precarious-ebook/dp/B088TVF3L9/ref=tmm_kin_title_sr?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1596385385&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><i>LONDON PARIS NEW YORK: a precarious tale</i>.</a> You won't find a better writer, though Will Self fancies himself.</font></div><div><font face="georgia" style="background-color: white;"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><span style="background-color: white;">3. <b>Roger Clarke.</b> A master of mists and energies in empty spaces, aka ghosts. The Anna Wintour of spectral fashion trends, poppets, though far, far brainier. Headless ghosts are no longer in vogue apparently. Do read his fab book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-History-Ghosts-Years-Hunting/dp/0141048085/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=A+Natural+History+of+ghosts&qid=1596447726&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>A Natural History of Ghosts</i></a>. Perfect as nights start to lengthen. And then re-read. </span> </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><font face="georgia">4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">André Leon Talley. </span>His memoir <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chiffon-Trenches-Andr%C3%A9-Leon-Talley/dp/0593129253">The Chiffon Trenches</a></i> is bitter and therefore divine. He bangs many nails into the coffin of American <i>Vogue </i>editor and former ally Anna Wintour, to add to all the others. Indeed, she is starting to resemble Pinhead in <i>Hellraiser</i>. She'll be great in one of the franchise horror sequels. No script to learn. As for Andr</font><span style="font-family: georgia;">é, well, let's just say he writes as he speaks. I suspect his memoir was gossiped into a dictaphone.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">5. <b>Lyndsy Spence</b>. I can't wait to read her <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maria-Callas-Woman-Behind-Legend/dp/0815412282/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Maria+Callas+Lyndsy+spence&qid=1596449238&sr=8-4">Maria Callas</a> biography. Her Insta account is a dedication to the book-in-progress and I am intrigued to learn that the opera diva was so into astrology. While you're waiting why not read another of Lyndsy's biographies, such as <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mrs-Guinness-Spence/dp/0750970510/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Mrs+Guinness&qid=1596449614&sr=8-1">Mrs Guinness: The Rise and Fall of Diana Mitford, the Thirties Socialite</a></i>. It enraged Daphne Guinness for some reason so it's worth finding out why. Zebra-haired Daph designs and sings - a duet with Nicky Haslam should be expedited. But put away the cut crystal first.</span></div></div>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-84309332073928148082020-06-30T11:35:00.004+01:002020-08-02T17:02:13.909+01:00Shelley von Strunckel stars no longer at The Sunday Times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59o-y14BZx_qKnPq-O9GukT417BGgca_uSm8MBHOVqNIesz094MS7nHTBiUv2btT_Jsa0boJnFCkiDhTya3PO1dLEkCGOxloQ2EYan8a7KgXtAdRPRK8Sxrbf2Nx4xx5IzOpYpw/s377/Shelley+von+Strunckel+pic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="250" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59o-y14BZx_qKnPq-O9GukT417BGgca_uSm8MBHOVqNIesz094MS7nHTBiUv2btT_Jsa0boJnFCkiDhTya3PO1dLEkCGOxloQ2EYan8a7KgXtAdRPRK8Sxrbf2Nx4xx5IzOpYpw/w170-h256/Shelley+von+Strunckel+pic.jpg" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><font size="2">Shelley von Strunckel</font></b><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>PS to this post: Lorraine Candy has been fired from <i>The Sunday Times</i>. One can only hope someone saw sense and removed this dreadful secular and pop-psycho cliche.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have only to turn my back on the world for a few years and look what happens. Trump and Johnson get to power, Earth is locked down by pandemic and...Shelley von Strunckel parts company with <i>The Sunday Times</i>! This last happening is perhaps the worst to bear. Sufficient to stir Madame Arcati from her afterlife boudoir - and yes, uniquely I am able to reconnect the mortal coil. At will.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">For those of you unacquainted with the divine Shelley, she was until last Sunday the astrologer to the above newspaper. One Saturn Return-ago (approximately 28 years), editor Andrew Neil - formerly aka Brillo - had a revelation: his newspaper needed Shelley and her horoscope column. A Uranian-style inspiration. Sleekly spiritual, Californian, honey-voiced (useful for the phonelines), opera-loving, versed in all things astrological and blessed with a reassuring answer to just about everything, Shelley was and remains the high-end media counterweight to darling Russell Grant who had already cleaned up from the TV and tabs mass markets.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Before either's ascendancy, the late Patric (no k, darling) <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-patric-walker-1576878.html" target="_blank">Walker</a> ruled the media astro-world. Then e-coli reportedly finished him off. It was rumoured he had murdered his <i>Harpers & Queen</i> predecessor Helene Hoskins ('Celeste') by booting her down a staircase. A very Baby Jane-sort of thing to do. I was prepared to believe it. In Hell, he now tells me that this was a joke. Legend has it that Shelley was his chosen heir apparent and that he was instrumental in getting her the <i>ST</i> gig. Patric neither confirms nor denies - he is such a tease. He won't even tell me if he ever went to bed with actor Richard Chamberlain. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">So, who knows? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Quite why Shelley is no longer at <i>The Sunday Times</i> can only be guessed at. It seems odd that after three decades as one of the publication's go-to fixtures, she was seen off with a two-word "final column" in the intro as the only indication of her defenestration. The column ran in the After Eight Mint-thin <i>Sunday Times Style </i>magazine and somehow survived the ambient flow of narcissistic and self-regarding drivel that populates the supplement. Only people lacking style could treat it as any kind of inspiration to keep up. But at least Shelley was there to encourage readers to rest their ego-driven anxieties and tip-toe into expansive cosmic reflection for a minute or two. You never know, such tentative trips can turn into productive voyages. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Without Shelley, <i>Style </i>is now the fully-fledged monoculture for scented boo-hoo mirroring that only its editor could dream of. Speaking of whom, if the <i>Style </i>editor Lorraine Candy is so antipathetic to astrology (do we imagine that she fought hard to save the column?) why not relocate it to another part of the newspaper bundle? It is the abiding habit of many editors to turn their publications into self-extensions with all the usual prejudices, assumptions and lack of curiosity.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> Occasionally, an editor is found with an open mind, a sense of adventure and an awareness of life beyond the parochial. Not here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Ironic really when you consider that astrology is big among <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/28/astrology-in-the-age-of-uncertainty" target="_blank">monied millennials</a>. Odd that <i>Style</i> can't keep up. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">To stay in touch with Shelley, visit her <a href="https://www.shelleyvonstrunckel.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.</span></div>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-81444719384311840662020-06-16T20:27:00.001+01:002020-06-16T20:27:25.189+01:00Solar Eclipse 21 June 2020: UK, US and Trump<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kRDZrVSIUk0" width="480"></iframe>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-64178805451524641282018-12-28T22:40:00.001+00:002018-12-28T22:42:16.547+00:00Kevin Spacey is hugged by a Steph<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzbsFWyIyakv9gy72E0O2-UUA42G-d3nCVCt2uA5WvwdK-pd5antNq-mG1kl4AbjogeAgH59uylcfZfY0dSGyEMvLAcUyYh2KOyPbh-1Ji-qHgeHMkbBSkTMmDcsDVpRnWIhn-Q/s1600/Spacey+and+Steph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="128" data-original-width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzbsFWyIyakv9gy72E0O2-UUA42G-d3nCVCt2uA5WvwdK-pd5antNq-mG1kl4AbjogeAgH59uylcfZfY0dSGyEMvLAcUyYh2KOyPbh-1Ji-qHgeHMkbBSkTMmDcsDVpRnWIhn-Q/s1600/Spacey+and+Steph.jpg" /></a></div>
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Aw...Kevin Spacey with his former sister-in-law Stephanie Mastini, once married to his brother Randy. It was your dear darling Madame Arcati who years ago told the world of Spacey's proactive sex life of the young men variety. The stories I could tell. I do have to laugh about the Old Vic bitch now fainting at the thought that Spacey's cock quivered in the presence of spunk incarnate. Do fuck off. I have most fascinating transcripts on this topic. Chauffeur deary! I hope Spacey's career is revived. He is just another daft old queen who thought he could kid kidders. He is guilty of nothing much.</div>
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Stephanie's blog is worth visiting. You lazy complacent bastards.<a href="https://stephmastini.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> https://stephmastini.blogspot.com/</a>.</div>
Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-78930982975854063762018-12-08T19:04:00.001+00:002018-12-08T19:05:47.306+00:00Madame Arcati's song of the year: LP - When I'm Over YouLP - utterly divine dearies. Her love life - fuck me!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q02Tll6N3bY" width="480"></iframe>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-64486066824622717672018-11-20T19:24:00.000+00:002018-11-21T19:00:17.282+00:00John Ford is, er, coming. Oh - hello Tina!The frightfully delightful John Ford, former blagger/hacker extraordinaire for <i>The Sunday Times</i>, will shortly be paying a visit to my psychic parlour and naming names on the astral plane.<br />
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Meanwhile, another tale from the phone hacking annals, at the <i>Sunday Mirror</i> under Tina Weaver, disgraced former editor.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9_plE-OCnQ" width="480"></iframe>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-7314872684565771072018-09-19T18:55:00.000+01:002018-10-26T20:28:02.240+01:00Madame Arcati: Why were my online knickers rummaged in?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1OLYFqlbvtICKBNjv53QS1PGTh3tTye9w7Ycph0v1e6Dfwopz6n38-OdI0DFkPYvRryR1jiLXhYpduiZbATcDs6_KgIUyrNdJyIpxqd2o-WDeoOn9Twfr0VJQ0Bv6sjOGoPWOQ/s1600/Rutherford2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1OLYFqlbvtICKBNjv53QS1PGTh3tTye9w7Ycph0v1e6Dfwopz6n38-OdI0DFkPYvRryR1jiLXhYpduiZbATcDs6_KgIUyrNdJyIpxqd2o-WDeoOn9Twfr0VJQ0Bv6sjOGoPWOQ/s320/Rutherford2.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
Thought I'd gone away did you? In your dreams, hybrid bitches and bastards. I have been summoned to life by a most peculiar revelation. Madame Arcati's online knickers were rummaged in. Or to put it in your prosaic terms, someone illegally broke into the Madame Arcati email account for reasons yet to be ascertained. Sometime in 2007 or thereabouts.<br />
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People familiar with the world of Arcati will be used to surprises. So here's another. The person who rummaged about in my online knickers is a man called John Ford. He was a private investigator seasoned in the dark arts of blagging - conning his way past the underpaid lumps employed to protect our privacy in various organisations in order to gain access to confidential data, such as contained in bank or email accounts. His principal hirer was <i>The Sunday Times</i> - and if you need further education, this piece in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/mar/07/i-was-nothing-more-than-a-common-thief-master-of-fleet-streets-dark-arts-reveals-trade-secrets" target="_blank">Guardian</a> is a good starting point.<br />
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This is a scandal rumbling under. Mainstream media are sitting on the vibrating spin dryer of this tale of shame and, for all I know, deriving much pleasuring from the experience, with eyes wide shut. Many, many famous people were blagged, claims Ford. Some are well known - Cherie Blair, John Prescott, for starters. Perhaps as I compose this little post they are talking to their lawyers. Who knows but they?<br />
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<i>The Sunday Times</i> answers that it is a delver of Plutonic proportions, a digger for dirt without a stain, that's done nothing wrong but ferret for the truth within the law. One hopes so! I wonder what truth was sought in Madame Arcati's online knickers? Especially after I ran a story or two back in 2007 which may have embarrassed certain lifers on the newspaper. Well, in the absence of facts, one is compelled to speculate. What was Madame Arcati to anyone much?<br />
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But back to Mr Ford. Ordinarily, I would bring down a curse upon his head and home - people familiar with this blog know its history and what untold damage it has done to transgressors, bullies and cheats. Instead Mr Ford and Madame Arcati have become buddies. I don't quite yet understand the nature of his spiritual or medical epiphany but at some point he saw the light and the error of his ways. He turned against his old muckers at <i>The Sunday Times</i> and elsewhere and spilled with documentary evidence. Google it. It's not on the dark web. <br />
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Oh, news to you is it? You need to get in more - read this <a href="https://www.byline.com/project/76/article/2204" target="_blank">cunties</a>, or this <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-conman-for-murdochs-newspaper-empire-confesses-data-theft-operation-hit-pms-beatles-and-mi6" target="_blank">filth</a>.<br />
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Quite what Madame Arcati does next in terms of legal reaction remains to be seen. May be something, may be nothing. After all, there are much bigger fish to fry, aren't there Hacked Off? Even in the world of lawyers, the celebrity values of <i>Hello!</i> hold sway. But shortly, Madame will be talking with John Ford.<br />
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Meantime, meet Mr Ford:<br />
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<br />Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-1154528672173552442018-01-18T16:14:00.000+00:002018-01-18T16:14:02.667+00:00Spacey: the Clinton lureSo, two months after the Unite for the Future gala concert (see posting below), at which Spacey showed some interest in Art Garfunkel's male employee X, Spacey phoned the young man - "What are you doing tomorrow tonight? Do you want to hang out with me and Bill Clinton at the U2 gig?"<br />
Spacey knew exactly what effect that would have; he drops names like there's no tomorrow.<br />
X couldn't say no to that invitation.Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-32890435733115543452018-01-18T16:13:00.002+00:002018-01-18T16:13:37.880+00:00Stephanie Mastini: Ignore Odiferous Tacoma aroma<b>Dear Madame,</b> <br />
Pay no attention to the Odoriferous Tacoma aroma behind the curtain...(BAAL) ... they have been hugging too many trees and eating the mushrooms.<br />
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I am proud to have played a bit part on your lovingly scandalous site. I love penises, gossip, mayhem, critics ... and delight in your candor!<br />
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Here's wishing you an undoubtedly coveted second year ... you are a delightful mentor (:.<br />
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I am sipping that Cristal I have been saving for your firework display! You have inspired many; pissed off a few ... (ha-ha) ... and brought color into many a dull life.<br />
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Remember BAAL (big asses are losers) - it's not nice to fool with Mother (Madame) nature!! <br />
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Keep all those personas a-coming ANON!<br />
Luv you MA x<br />
Happy Birthday once again to you!!<br />
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StephMadame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-15710632943121280322018-01-18T16:13:00.001+00:002018-01-18T16:13:21.817+00:00Kevin Spacey's ex-sister-in-law: Part 2Stephanie has written a further response to the Randy Fowler interview on this site - the letter is unedited:<br />
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<i>..an epilogue..<br />I liken this to Anna Nicole's adamant refusal to reveal who the father of her child is...Pandora's box, you are correct! but what is in the box that needs to be competely emptied is my platform. From my view point, I get the dark feeling that the "anonymous" comments in this blog is Kevin speaking through them..literally. (I am not saying I know for sure, and I am only speculating that this is alledgingly a possibility..it is a free speech country)<br /><br />Why wouldn't he want to help his brother..make a statement and be family. This quiet violent storm has been brewing for too long (even when I was Randy's wife) and all Randy wants to do is tell the truth..he has never smeared his brother's name; so why after all these years can't he admit there was a photo of Hitler on his parents mantlepiece (I saw it) for a small but significant example.(I only bring this up to support what Randy has stated before about his childhood) and Randy is certainly not twisting the truths.)<br /><br />to reiterate ..the only reason Randy, wrote this book is to exorcise other vitim's demons and perhaps be a voice for halting, possibly,potential victims. Another point I would like to add is that Randy did not want to involve his ill mother, so he waited until now to come forward (he bears no blame)...I have NEVER come forth before, but now I am saying "enough"..I too, am a victim of family abuse and it is a long road..<br /><br />If Kevin acknowlged that his brother is on a positive crusade wouldn't his presence of support help all the female,children and yes, male victims be saved from the emotional and physical distress this disease ignites..Kevin's support(voice)could save so many. Kevin invoves himself in so many other charities, so why not stand up and support this cause that he knows first hand? I truly hope a positive connection will assimilate soon.<br />stephanie </i>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-30700176048346451382018-01-18T16:12:00.002+00:002018-01-18T16:12:50.827+00:00Randy Fowler - 'Leave my bro Kevin Spacey alone!'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo8jEUiZa95epeReLA6wRESfmihA66oMeXoAgvIgEyV7QGMmI3bIrTauEIkkE3Cf5MtNp5rjZJknlcTcqjdMh8cTEKzHCVfNadpW-WFQvF5Zat0hdC2nyfaPtcTUNW5JfgcSbPQ/s1600-h/Spacey.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119374254622959874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo8jEUiZa95epeReLA6wRESfmihA66oMeXoAgvIgEyV7QGMmI3bIrTauEIkkE3Cf5MtNp5rjZJknlcTcqjdMh8cTEKzHCVfNadpW-WFQvF5Zat0hdC2nyfaPtcTUNW5JfgcSbPQ/s400/Spacey.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
<i>Kevin Spacey's brother Randy Fowler has launched a vicious attack on Madame Arcati ...</i><br />
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I agreed to do an interview earlier this year with Madame Arcati hoping to set the record straight concerning my brother Kevin Spacey. It seems to have no good at all. This web site seems to be driven by rumors and half truths.<br />
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It’s also sad to see that you continue to look for ways to frame Kevin Spacey as gay, who cares? I don’t. What difference does it really make to your life? Does this make him less worthy of a little respect and privacy concerning his private life.<br />
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You people need to get a life and focus on something that’s important to this planet rather than being consumed with Kevin’s sexuality.<br />
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How would you like it if someone did a poll on all of you for being so cruel and delusional for having such empty hearts?<br />
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As one famous person once said: “He who is without sin cast the first stone” You people seem to have an entire truck load of stones just ready to dump on Kevin. STOP IT !!<br />
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What’s extremely disturbing to me is you continue to egg on Stephanie for a juicy comment from her to drive this article. Have you no decency for her or yourself? I think not.<br />
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{Dear Kevin, I’m sorry that people can’t look at you for the wonderful acting you have given us these past twenty five years. Instead they continue to feed the world large bags bull shit about you and your private life. I feel they all need many years of serious therapy. However I can relate, they have done the same thing to me over the last four years concerning my biography about the after effects of child abuse. Oh how they love to twist the truth to suit their own needs.}<br />
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I know by me posting this comment I’m inviting the mental masturbation to flow freely from the mouths of the dazed and confused. Unfortunately the comments won’t be from the better half of humanity.<br />
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<b>Sincerely with love<br />Randy B. Fowler</b><br />
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Madame Arcati responds: <i>Thank you for your letter Randy. No one's trying to "frame your brother as gay"; anything that I report is from people who have worked very closely with him - but his homosexuality is essentially unimportant. What is interesting - and you yourself highlighted this point in your interview with me - is that he has lied about his family and even now puts up smokescreens. You yourself told me that Kevin has borrowed events from your own life and presented them as his own. I quite admire Spacey's fans for their resilient defence of their idol and delight in playing my part in sharpening their wits.</i><br />
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To read Randy's letter on Kevin's bio-theft, <a href="http://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2007/02/spaceys-brother-rebuts-film-stars.html">click here</a><br />
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Randy Fowler's interview with Madame Arcati, <a href="http://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2007/02/randy-fowler-im-proud-of-my-brother.html">click here</a>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-4289933864926526682018-01-18T16:12:00.000+00:002018-01-18T16:12:19.676+00:00Kevin Spacey - back in the movies!In a predictable volte face, Kevin Spacey has now decided that movies are still important to him and he will return as Lex Luthor in <i>Superman: Man Of Steel</i>, as foreseen by your reliable media clairvoyante only a few weeks ago. Feel free to send me your pathetic attempts at apology.<br />
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Remember how I laughed at Spacey's claim a few weeks ago that he'd be shifting his focus on theatre production, away from movies - "I don't care about my personal acting career any more. I'm done with it" - that's what he actually said in an interview with ITV's <i>London Tonight</i>. Subsequently <i>The Times</i> reported that the actor had used the word "retirement" (from film acting) in the interview - this he denies in a phone chat with <i>Daily Variety</i> - "Theater is the No 1 thing in my life. But I love movies and will continue to make movies when I can," he says now. It's a more sensible mantra.<br />
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But my God! You mean to say one of the most prestigious of the dead tree media, in the world, made up a quote? Oh my! I never thought I'd see the day. I think <i>The Times</i> should consider suing him for libel. I'm sure he'll have more sense than bother the Press Complaints Commission - an organisation of toothless, methane emitters, lunchers extraordinaire and corrupt scrotes, full of anecdotes shared with the drunk fantasists who edit our nation's dead tree sheets.<br />
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More troubling is the news that Spacey is appearing in Nick Moran's <i>Telstar</i>, all about '60s record mogul Joe Meek. Is that the song of a turkey farm ringing in my ears? The last time Moran had the misfortune of encountering Arcati (in Cannes) I nearly destroyed his career and certainly earned him the eternal enmity of Vinnie Jones - one of my finer minor moments. I won't go into the details now.<br />
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Meanwhile, Spacey is so up his movie career, he's got two other films coming out in the next few months - <i>Fred Claus</i> (more turkey song) and Robert Luketic's <i>21</i>, in which he plays an MIT professor who teaches his students to count cards. Never mind, <i>Superman</i> will keep the popcorn hot.<br />
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His Lex Luthor brings out the inner camp that resides with him, as Stanislavsky might say.Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-1154444015592287942018-01-18T16:11:00.003+00:002018-01-18T16:11:25.907+00:00Spacey: Randy's best wishesA message from Randy Fowler on his website (see below)<br />
<i>Happy Birthday Kevin (July 26), I truly hope you have a wonderful day filled with wild parties and good friends by your side who love you as much as I do. Call me sometime, I know you're a busy guy, I would love to talk with you. With love from your Brother, Randy</i>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-47016444154985346742018-01-18T16:11:00.001+00:002018-01-18T16:11:08.149+00:00Who's she calling Madame Batshit?Am I to understand that Francine Mastini has referred to her own sister Stephanie Mastini (the ex-sister-in-law of the double Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey) as "Madame Batshit"<b>*</b> on her website? This is indeed a grave matter, for plainly the Madame bit is a sly dig at Steph's presence on Madame Arcati. I hope that Madame Arcati can control her temper and does not feel compelled to wage a terrible and merciless war on this person. <br />
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Francine can't be all bad though for I see someone called Thom Ryng, an author of occult literature, is in love with her and maybe her fiance: among other things he's an "Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict at St. Martin's Abbey in Lacey, Washington"; and he's written a poem to Francine which ends with the lines:<br />
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<i>Let others dream their<br />Lives in parking lots;<br />Seek with me the sea. </i><br />
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To read the tender poem <a href="http://www.thomryng.com/francine.htm">click here</a><br />
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To acquaint yourself with Francine <a href="http://jaynefury.livejournal.com/">click here</a><br />
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Madame Arcati truly immerses herself in the lives of others. Aren't you impressed?<br />
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<i><b>*</b>I am informed that Francine has now removed the Batshit reference. I shall take it for granted in future that any comment she leaves here will be in her own name.</i>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-17512448374458293742018-01-18T16:10:00.003+00:002018-01-18T16:10:50.052+00:00Kevin Spacey meets a very important person<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXHnU7Jn6fHRgnwyHO7KvIfY8rb_Yl2zF0yNAJw9WWJykeJaio91y1wQUiD_HDg2D1HPlOmdMfot7Eqo4S2oB0sEXx0DST937ajuqaV8F7jZrUqXoDlS_V2lyU2lgAaY3b6EdHg/s1600-h/Spacey.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114137826200709234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXHnU7Jn6fHRgnwyHO7KvIfY8rb_Yl2zF0yNAJw9WWJykeJaio91y1wQUiD_HDg2D1HPlOmdMfot7Eqo4S2oB0sEXx0DST937ajuqaV8F7jZrUqXoDlS_V2lyU2lgAaY3b6EdHg/s400/Spacey.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
Kevin Spacey finds time for a three hour meeting/dinner with Jesus-loving Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the presidential palace in Caracas (yesterday), yet is elusive to his lovely brother Randy Fowler who has not even received a Christmas card from him in years. Follow the labels for the full and exclusive family story behind the man who should be called Kevin Fowler.Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-18096348298701783222018-01-18T16:10:00.001+00:002018-01-18T16:10:23.465+00:00Spacey: 'Help Randy fight sex abuse!'<i>Kevin Spacey's former sister-in-law, Stephanie, has responded again to various comments - here she eloquently describes the trauma associated with sexual abuse, pertinent to Kevin's brother Randy Fowler who was raped repeatedly by his father. Both Randy and Stephanie feel that Kevin should join his name with theirs in raising awareness of sexual abuse of all forms in order to help disinhibit victims from reporting the crime to the police and authorities. </i><br />
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First a response to Fanny Hill..you profess that I shoudn't air my dirty laundry, yet the name Fanny Hill is synonymous with her memoirs of "pleasure"...she "aired out" more than her dirty laundry. No, this isn't a "pleasurable" subject, but someone needs to speak out. It's not going to go away...especially on the internet.<br />
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Paedophilia, rape, abuse of any kind is not an enjoyable topic to discuss but it has only been of late that women and men are getting on the bandwagon and telling their story. <br />
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Do you have any idea what a woman has to go through just to report a rape (or man, whether gay or heterosexual?}. Victims hide the truth because of fear that they might have instigated or enticed the act.. while their life is being scutinized and torn apart...they are told they shouldn't speak out because of anything in their past..what? How does that relate to the act itself?<br />
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But the laws don't protect the victims! Is it to break them down and get more white collar crimes on the court docket? SO MANY VICTIMS OF ABUSE are encouraged by the law to "let it go". Oh, you let your neighbor in didn't you? Yes, but, how could they know his intention was rape while their daughter lay sleeping in the next room? Would you scream and have your child witness possibly be involved also? But "you let him in", so it's your fault.<br />
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These stories go on everyday and destroy families. The laws should be changed. There are men out there that are abused by women and embarrassed to come forward ..YES, it is horrible and we shove it under the carpet. Sweep it all away..and you wonder why there are so many drug companies making a fortune on anti-depressants.<br />
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If I had been raped by my father [as was my ex-husband Randy Fowler], I would have been scared to death to tell anyone, because he was a well-known community man. I have seen it happen so many times. So, no, I am not going to stop. I will stop when I see some money being raised for the victims who can't afford to go to court and nail these SOB's. It all trickles down if it is not stopped or talked about..that is why we need more public awareness of this pervasive problem. Victims should not be put through more abuse because they were brave enough to come forward.<br />
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This is Randy's purpose, and since we did open up "pandora's box" than let's see how we can fill it up...my wish is an outpouring of celebrities to raise awareness and funds for programs. That is why I came "out"...<br />
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Kevin has washed his hands of this forum. I can see a world-wide awareness campaign and Kevin you CAN help your brother get the word out without revealing your personal life, if that is what you are worried about..ignorance is not bliss...Randy has not been quixotic...he IS addressing his past for practical reasons ... and maybe Kevin might not like Randy, but does he like the knowledge that Randy hid his malteatment and many suffered because of it? <br />
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By not addressing his brother for years he has been holding the key that could unlock the fear of others to speak out.Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-25983124265644645442018-01-18T16:09:00.001+00:002018-01-18T16:09:53.548+00:00Stephanie Mastini and Kevin Spacey at homeFrom Stephanie Mastini's forthcoming memoirs (<i>click picture for large view</i>)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrVMQgmBgc1Usn7kwZLtOVwEETl0v5b4gNT9kP3BP-8XBasJA1NjHGKdJ1eLncHrWgqnW9VdWsACH37DZ3TwKwTbMo6JmpX5ykC80ygp3IooQqUJfwRvXS1_hr9ZldI1oy8NBFQ/s1600-h/kevinandstephframed.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152079729773961314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrVMQgmBgc1Usn7kwZLtOVwEETl0v5b4gNT9kP3BP-8XBasJA1NjHGKdJ1eLncHrWgqnW9VdWsACH37DZ3TwKwTbMo6JmpX5ykC80ygp3IooQqUJfwRvXS1_hr9ZldI1oy8NBFQ/s400/kevinandstephframed.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-62423889662252161502017-11-06T20:36:00.002+00:002017-11-06T20:48:50.013+00:00Kevin Spacey assassinates the memory of Gore VidalThe assholes who castigated Madame back in 2006-08 for daring to suggest that Sir Kevin Spacey might be not quite the unblemished cultural icon of cine-lore - well, where are they now? In a post-blogging world, the word-skimmers have moved on, probably to Anita Brookner's novels. Boo hoo!<br />
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But it is Gore Vidal we should think of today - even in his long-gone mode, cinema continues to blight him as it did in life. He wrote much of <i>Ben Hur</i> yet somehow didn't make the credits. <i>Myra Breckinridge</i> - oh dear, Raquel Welch was never going to make the crossovers from biological female to literary trans-female to movie faux male with dildo unleashed: a turkey. And who can forget <i>Gore Vidal's Caligula</i> which became just <i>Caligula</i> after a porno director was hauled aboard by Bob Guccione, and suddenly the likes of Helen Mirren and Peter O'Toole were wet-lip pouting for the toga'd money shots. Gore left in a huff.<br />
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And now again! Sir Kevin was due to play Gore in biopic movie <i>Gore</i>. Netflix has canned it because of all the Spacey cock-cocking stuff. I hadn't realised that the movie was in post-production: in other words, it's actually made. This is most tantalising. And very Vidalian. There Gore is, in sight of cinematic glory, and then ... well, what happened?<br />
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For the memory of Gore Vidal this is a disaster. Sadly his books alone will be insufficient to propel him for eternity. <i>Myra</i> reads like a period novel these days, the US history novels are too commercial, <i>Creation</i> is, well, forget it; and the essays, though gorgeous, are no more than intellectual disco. The Spacey movie, however, held much promise: because Spacey was a two Oscar-winning god, assured posthumous celebration while movies still matter, his legend would scoop up so-so Vidal into a timeless oeuvre, fascinating whole new publics who'd scarcely read a word of his. Vidal was far too clever to be truly popular and not quite gifted enough to find a foothold on our souls.The quotable quote anthologies will do their best to keep him among our footnotes. Spacey was the essential preservative, now spoilt. <br />
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Even in his addled state Truman Capote could make the killer point about his enemies, as he did on Vidal: "See, Gore has literally never written a masterpiece. Now, even J.D.
Salinger has written a masterpiece of a kind. Flannery O'Connor wrote a
masterpiece or two. Hemingway did. Faulkner did. Scott Fitzgerald did.
Norman [Mailer] never has. We could go on and on, but he has not done the one
essential thing: he has not written an un-forgettable book or a book
that was the turning point in either his or anybody else's life."Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30643113.post-29245930246080724742017-11-05T19:03:00.001+00:002017-11-05T19:03:29.914+00:00A Kevin Spacey ex-sister-in-law writes ....Stephanie, a former sister-in-law of actor Kevin Spacey (the last ex-wife of Randy Fowler), has written to Arcati, I think in response to some reader comments on my interview with Randy. I am putting up her letter unedited:<br />
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<i>First, Randy is a loving, giving man. His eccentricities are his emblem..he isn't perfect but he has come a long way in his painstaking journey..there is an omnificent, yet humble glow that surrounds him...That is who Randy is. Randy gives his all to anyone that he feels can benefit from his past ghosts..<br /><br />Having met Kevin, I can affirm that he feels superior in many ways to his sister and brother and he shields himself so well as a character actor.. I am an artist and I too can express myself in my paintings..This is what Kevin does...Randy was my muse when we were married. He is creative, patient and kind and yes, flamboyant.that is what I love about him..now if his brother can't express any feelings towards his blood brother than I believe it is because he immerses himself in his roles, so to avoid the truth..<br /><br />We all have skeletons..It is where we take them, that defines who we are..I think it was brave of Randy to reveal what I myself was privy to for many years..I feel sad that Kevin is so cold ...<br /><br />I believe that Randy is equally if more talented than his brother...he is reaching out by writing this book to "victims" and hopefully preventing the unspeakable acts that were perpetuated on him..that is Randy's true purpose. I am sure of this as sure as the veracity of Randy's painstaking chronicle...walk in someone else's shoes before judging them...I have...some first hand insight from his(last)ex-wife...</i><br />
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Stephanie<br />
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<i><b>See below for my interview with Randy Fowler and a link to his website.</b> </i>Madame Arcatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823823014493798116noreply@blogger.com24