89. Dribs and Drabs

ALIBHAI-BROWN v AMIS.

At a slow time for news - and I include the resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell - Martin Amis managed to get himself named and pictured on the front page of The Independent simply by pissing off Yasmin Alibhai - Brown. (Surely not a recommended course of action for any but the most supremely arrogant man.) I would as soon seek serious trouble with my Leader.
Mr. Amis had allegedly made remarks of a Muslim baiting/hating nature which were seized upon by Ms. Alibhai-Brown - who can be quite touchy where such matters are concerned - and she roasted him in her newspaper column.
His reply, in which he blamed Professor Terry Eagleton, a Manchester University colleague, for misrepresenting his views, ("The anti-Muslim measures he says I 'advocated' I merely adumbrated..." Christ!) proclaimed his innocence in a weirdly conciliatory and condescending letter which became the biggest news in The Independent on a slow Friday.
Anyway, since both Ms. Alibhai - Brown and Mr. Amis are featured in Wikipedia, where their differences are mentioned, I will remark only that Yasmin A - B, for all her tendency to professional indignation, remains high on my list of respected people and that I have read none of Martin Amis's work because - to paraphrase Spike Milligan - he wouldn't read any of mine.
Further comment would be superfluous.

THE WEAKEST LINK (POLITICAL SPECIAL)

Ming, why Chris?
He has attracted a bunch of supporters determined to undermine my leadership.
Chris, why Ming?
How can anyone take seriously a man who pronounces his name like a Chinese dynasty? Anyway, it's my turn.
Nick, why Ming?
Well, he's old enough to have founded a Chinese dynasty. He's had his time. The party needs a new image.
So this is not just the back-stabbing treachery of a colourless bunch of juniors?
No...no...no...
Ming, you are the weakest link. Goodbye.

DEBORAH KERR.

The actress Deborah Kerr died on the 16th October aged 86. She was the most (six times) nominated film star never to actually win an Oscar. In her seventies she received an honorary Oscar, a just reward for a beautiful, talented leading lady who over the years carried many, often less deserving, co-stars to glory.
I wonder whether she minded always being remembered for From Here To Eternity?
Surely not.
She was wonderful in it.

WHAT A SILLY PROFESSOR.

Professor James Watson, a 79-year-old geneticist and Nobel Prize winner, has caused one helluva furore with his much publicized view that black people are less intelligent than their white counterparts.
What a silly professor he is.
I wouldn't care if he had found incontrovertible proof of his theory, his silliness lies in the shouting of it from the roof tops.
The grievance brigade, nooses in hand, have rushed to the attack of course.
Better him than me.
That having been said, I feel I should still defend our (fast diminishing) right to free speech.
But then I am too old and cynical to be much influenced by anyone's scientific, religious, or political opinion.
I long ago realized that had I been born with half the brains and talent of a Paul Robeson or a Lord Leary Constantine I would have made far more of my life.
And no redneck in America or snotty little London hotel manager would have objected to my colour.
Well they don't when you're white.

SPORT.

The cat Shadow came into the kitchen and, by way of making conversation, I said: "Haven't heard much from you lately."
He gave me a questioning look.
"Well you generally have some comment on the sport," I added. "But we've had the England soccer and rugger games and Lewis Hamilton's Formula One championship bid and you haven't said a thing."
He turned about and exited, cat flap, kitchen door.
"Know what you mean," I shouted as the flap swung shut behind him.