Danny Baker has tweeted that he hopes the members of Lewisham council get the same cancer he has if they enforce a move for Millwall FC. What a nasty man.
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Baron Harkonnen says
I like Danny Baker but if that statement is true…….
Johnny Concheroo says
The Tweet was:
I hereby bring a hex down on @LewishamCouncil & Renewal their greasy vampiric partners. May you be ill. May you have cancer as I had cancer.
Not a very clever thing to say, but speaking as someone who lost both parents to cancer, I can’t say I found it particularly offensive. It was obviously tongue-in-cheek and he was probably pissed. People get offended too easily these days.
As the Brothers Gibb once told us: It’s only words.
Bingo Little says
Agree with this.
It’s not a very pleasant thing to say, but we’ve all said stupid things, I’m sure.
SteveT says
This is the World we live in unfortunately. Last week Andy Kershaw had the temerity to question the fake grief that people were displaying over the sudden death of George Michael. All of a sudden he became the cunt of all cunts.
We are not allowed a view that differs from the masses. Lets all follow them over the cliff like lemmings. Unbelievable.
SteveT says
Just to be clear on this – I read this post in order and replied before reading Clive’s post below. I had the chance to delete my post but chose not to because I wanted to explain that I wasn’t condoning Danny Baker’s comments but was questioning the trend that we all get upset about all manner of things.
For what its worth his comments are unpleasant but doubt they were meant and i am sure if he had the chance to redact or modify them he would. My daughters boyfriend had an argument with a mate a couple of months ago and the ‘mate’ said ‘I hope all your family get cancer and die’. The day after making this ridiculous comment my daughters boyfriends Nan was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer. Pretty sure the perpetrator of the comment wished he never made it. Its life but not sure it warrants a burning at the stake as some would advocate.
Gary says
While I agree that there seems to be a tendency to exaggerate the offensiveness of others these days, there’s also a consequential tendency to exaggerate the degree of offence taken. There’s a massive difference between mentioning on a site like this that someone’s been a bit of a twat and being genuinely outraged. Andy Kershaw didn’t become the cunt of all cunts – he said something twattish and it was commented on. I doubt anyone was riled enough to do any more than comment here. We could, of course, ignore twattish comments from celebs, but that’d just mean one less interesting thing to talk about.
SteveT says
Hi Gary. I don’t recall seeing any comments on here about Kershaw but got into a shit storm on Facebook because I argued that I understood his comment. For me its the thin edge of the wedge – if we accept this as being normal we may just as well withdraw free speech.
Gary says
I’m with you Mr T. The dullest argument in any discussion is that there should be no discussion.
Bingo Little says
I think people are entitled to be offended, but – ultimately – it’s important to bear in mind that Baker is a professional gobshite who churns out thousands of tweets a year, and who has simply got this one wrong. I doubt he seriously wishes cancer on anyone, and I imagine he’s just chucking it about for emphasis. It’s a juvenile, ill judged comment, and I’m sure if he could take it back he probably would. Also, it’s a throwaway remark on twitter, a platform which essentially challenges its users to be as emphatic and over the top as possible in exchange for attention.
Finally, i’ll confess that this week I made a similarly ill judged joke about imagining Nigel Farage’s death during sex. I didn’t literally mean it, and it wasn’t my finest hour (although it got a laugh). I would hate someone to judge me on that, as I’m sure we’d all hate to be judged on our lesser moments.
What I’m saying is that it was a bloody stupid thing for Baker to say, but it’s not worth getting outraged over, and we should learn from Jabba the Hutt by saving our rancour for when it’s really merited.
minibreakfast says
Just to clarify, were you imagining Farage ‘dying while he was having sex’, or ‘imagining Farage dying’ while YOU were having sex (presumably to heighten the pleasure)?
Wait – were you both there?
Bingo Little says
I was simultaneously having sex and imagining Farage dying during intercourse. Usually as a result of a polar bear attack.
Whatever gets me through the night… s’alright…
Tiggerlion says
Great idea for managing premature ejaculation! Thank you, Bingo.
Vincent says
yes, but for some, it might cause spontaneous ejaculation. Nowt so strange… not here, of course 😉
Bingo Little says
The important thing is to try not to picture it….. Farage, deeply engaged in the throes, his face a death mask grimace of mixed ecstasy and self loathing, his flabby grey flesh slick with sweat and glistening in the moonlight. His whispered entreaties to his partner: “Sprechen sie deutsche? Sprechen sie deutsche?”, as his union jack boxer shorts pool around his besocked ankles and he approaches breaking point.
The polar bear stumbling into the back garden, lifting its nostrils to the night air and sniffing, its fur already matted with the blood and viscera of Paul Nuttall. Framed by garden gnomes and multiple sheds, nature’s most brutal killing machine rears wildly onto its hind legs, its senses heightened by raw, molten bloodlust, its savage appetites not yet sated.
Inside the house, Farage pauses, sensing movement behind him…
Oh god, I’m going to have to stop there.
Moose the Mooche says
A petit mort – wait, that’s French! Not having that!
Mike_H says
It wasn’t just the fake grief he was slagging though, was it.
I’m inclined to think it’s undignified to publicly speak ill of the dead, unless it’s someone who is really worthy of approbrium.
Think what you like about whoever or whatever you like, but sometimes it’s fitting to just keep it buttoned.
Clive says
I have the same cancer he has and I find it offensive as I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. A lot of people (many here) sent him best wishes and prayers when he was having treatment, to then wish it upon someone else rather than spreading the love is appalling. Yes it’s only words, but so are these.
Friar says
Only words got Brexit through and got Trump elected president though Johnny. Let’s not pretend they’re just air. It all contributes to a nasty climate IMO and I don’t mind people being called out when they’re arseholes.
Johnny Concheroo says
I’m not defending the comments, btw. No point in getting offended by a stupid remark on Twitter is all I’m saying.
As we know, football fans do talk an awful lot of partisan shit in relation to their chosen teams.
Friar says
Yeah fair enough. But I can understand why Clive is offended and I think he’s got a right to be.
Johnny Concheroo says
Yes, point taken.
James EB says
The Brothers Gibb? They will always be Les Tosseurs to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdvfmGPDVkk
nickduvet says
I think they did exactly the right thing there. Clive Anderson was being a c**t.
Black Celebration says
Completely agree. CA totally misjudged the situation and you can tell he was shocked and flustered by their exit.
There was a clip (possibly Live Aid) of Radio 1 DJ Mike Smith with the Gibbs on a couch, who had decided, as a treat for the viewers, to perform an impromptu Jive Talking. As it goes on, Smith turns to the camera and urges the viewers to call in and pledge money in order to stop the Gibbs singing.
James EB says
For that show being a c*nt was Clive Anderson’s schtick (unless you were Peter Cook).
Carl says
Isn’t that Clive Anderson’s general schtick?
Friar says
Completely get why that would upset you Clive. It’s in very bad taste even if you’re not affected by cancer. But I can’t say I’m surprised, the bloke has always struck me as a prick.
andielou says
Yes, this.
Bezzie mates with Chris Evans, the Daz Doorstep Challenge in the 90s, the awful hair, specs & gut combo, the pomposity, now this bollock-spouting… But he’s inexplicably well-loved round these parts so I’d better turn it in.
Harry Tufnell says
Can’t help thinking that had it been Clarkson or Hammond that had tweeted this, the Afterword and probably the whole internet would have exploded. But it was Danny Baker, and he was “probably” a bit pissed, so that’s ok….
badartdog says
awful tweet. humourless. unthinking. self aggrandising. when did he become so … entitled?
Johnny Concheroo says
Danny can be something of a gobshite on Twitter. Enthusiastically Hail Fellow Well Met with his showbiz chums, while studiously ignoring his army of sycophantic pleb followers.
Clive says
Never looked at his tweets before but now I have they don’t make me think of the same person on the radio. Seems to like a drink.
Johnny Concheroo says
Quite. His late night tweets are often a little wayward.
Tiggerlion says
Over something so trivial as a football ground! Oh dear.
Johnny Concheroo says
That’s the lad culture for you. They do take their football a little too seriously
Carl says
It’s wider than “a football ground”.
It is about the provision of facilities for sport in the community associated with the Millwall ground and surrounding area and the way that former officers of the council are associated with an offshore company and appear to be conducting deals with a lack of transparency, the chief executive making decisions, the current mayor having to recuse himself because of connections with an associated company.
The whole thing stinks.
Millwall Land Grab
This quote is from the above link to The Guardian:
Until now concerns over the Millwall land-grab have centred on the council’s historic relationship with the offshore developers Renewal. Renewal’s chief executive is a former Lewisham officer and colleague of the current Lewisham chief executive, Barry Quirk, an unelected official best known locally for being paid more pro rata than the prime minister for working a three day week. In another bizarre twist Renewal was also set up and originality part-owned by the previous Labour mayor of Lewisham, Dave Sullivan. Sullivan has stated he no longer has any part in the company, which is owned by two anonymous offshore trusts based in the Isle Of Man and the British Virgin Islands.
Tiggerlion says
Local Authority Housing Committees have always involved cloaks and daggers. Nothing new here in what I note to be a Labour Council.
Mike_H says
Labour councillors who are up to no good never seem to be as clever as dodgy Conservative and LibDem councillors at covering their tracks.
Bastards all.
Leicester Bangs says
I’ve no feelings about Danny Baker either way, but isn’t the tendency towards overheated statements part of his boyish, everyfan appeal? He used to come out with these amazing facts in his Radio London show that when I checked them later turned out to be wildly exaggerated.
Gatz says
And part of his act. When he was on that jungle show his introductory speech to camera went something like, ‘I’m sometimes wrong, sometimes right, but always certain!’ Of course that was designed to stoke up viewers’ expectation of confrontation, but it’s pretty accurate too.
I like Danny, but thought he would have been smart enough not to go that low.
Gary says
“always certain” – That’s a trait I really don’t like in people. I have a couple of friends who are like that. Anything they are told is either confirmation of what they already knew or idiocy to be contradicted; but never is it something to be considered, reflected upon, weighed up. I think Bertrand Russell’s famous assertion that “the whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts” really rings true.
Mike_H says
He’s entertaining to see or hear for a while in full flow, but I doubt I’d enjoy his company in more than short bursts.
Constantly holding court. I bet nobody else is allowed to get a word in unless they are already cronies or there’s something in it for Danny.
I read the first volume of his autobiography and found it interesting and amusing but discovered that I thought quite a bit less of him afterwards. I have the second volume, but don’t feel much inclination to read it.
Black Celebration says
I do like Danny but the second book felt a bit like a bit of a rush job.
fortuneight says
The “sometimes right, sometimes wrong, always certain” was something he and Danny Kelly would routinely trumpet on their footie podcast. Around music and sport it can be entertaining. Less so when it strays into other parts of life.
fortuneight says
Baker can be very funny, and he can be a first class pundit. Trouble is, the thing that makes him stand out from the rest – a willingness to go against the grain, to say the things others hesitate to say – also become the thing that make him such an arse. During the Euros the ratio of tweets that were funny compared to naked bile and rancor fell to the point where I stopped following him.
What’s going on in Lewisham is shabby (and I say that as a West Ham fan) but not for the first time he’s lost the plot.
nogbad says
He’s my favourite broadcaster – but this was either mind-in-neutral, mouth-in-third OR after the pint of no return.
This sort of ill-judged comment takes people’s eye off of the activities of some fairly transparent hand in the till merchants, which is the real story here.
Vulpes Vulpes says
There has never been a less appropriate medium for anything of consequence than Twitter.
pencilsqueezer says
The medium of sheet music for Mahavishnu Orchestra songs springs to mind.
Sewer Robot says
🤚
Colin H says
Funnily enough I HAVE the official Mahavishnu Orchestra sheet music… 🙂
Junior Wells says
You’d get your money’s worth in ink Colin
deramdaze says
Local councils have a habit of building on things that the general public actually rather like.
Pubs, football grounds, cinemas, theatres, lidos, greyhound stadiums, dancehalls; they always seem the first to go.
The list of such amenities in East London that have been lost in the post-war wars is astounding.
And this ground is less than 25 years old. Great forward planning, Lewisham!
Moose the Mooche says
These things tend to be in good locations. Valuable land -> brown envelopes… why else do people get involved in local politics?
deramdaze says
Funny thing is, if you walk from (if memory serves) Surrey Docks tube, you’re walking for about half-an-hour past fields to get to the place.
All the time, of course, desperately pretending to be a Millwall fan.
SteveT says
Lidos? Do any still exist? Remember them as a kid. Great Fun.
Carl says
There are three I know of still in use in London: Gospel Oak (abutting Hampstead Heath); Hackney Fields and Tooting Bec.
I prefer swimming in Hampstead Ponds to the Gospel Oak lido.
ip33 says
Saltdean Lido (Brighton) is being refurbished as we speak. If we were speaking tomorrow and not quarter to nine on a Sunday night.
GCU Grey Area says
Excellent book on lidos. I love 20s and 30s design.
http://www.playedinbritain.co.uk/books/liquid-assets.php
There’s quite a few still going.
Moose the Mooche says
We should deffo have one in Hull, purely because of the way we would say it.
Lahh-derrr.
PS. Liquid Assets? Hurr.
And Eurrghhh.
Kaisfatdad says
I lived for several years of my earlyish childhood living in Saltdean. The Lido is rather gorgeous: like something out of an Agatha Christie movie.
Mike_H says
Ruislip Lido is still going.
nickduvet says
and the best thing about that is it has its own little railway running through the woods around the perimeter
retropath2 says
I believe the Pells is still going strong.
Years of pleasure there as a lad.
http://www.pellspool.org.uk/welcome
muffler says
Pells is indeed still going strong – closed for winter now of course , but even in high summer it contains the coldest water known to humanity. Is it a lido though rather than just an open air pool , or is that all a lido is?
retropath2 says
It is in the book of Lidos, so yes, just doesn’t have all the fancy surrounding architecture, unless that chap in a leather thong still attends.
You a local lad, @muffler?
muffler says
Local-ish. Live in Brighton but spend a lot of time in Lewes due to kids’ school and friends and a fondness for The Rooks.
Locust says
Great, I’ve learned a new word today!
I’d never heard the term lido before – yes, the Italian original, but not the English use of it.
I wonder, @Kaisfatdad; would Eriksdalsbadet (the outdoor part of it of course) be a lido in English? How about my neighbourhood’s Vanadisbadet? Are there different terms used depending on if it’s free or if you have to pay to get in?
Sniffity says
You’ve never been incognito down the Lido?
When they were playing your tune by the pale moon?
(And you liked The Strand?)
Kaisfatdad says
That is an excellent question @Locust and one that deserves a thread of its own.
Johnny Concheroo says
Boz Scaggs – Lido Shuffle