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Saturday 9 June 2018

Arise Dame Emma

It is weird how the honours system always manages to rope in people who discredit the whole business. Perhaps it has become so profoundly discredited that nobody notices. To my mind the latest unworthy recipient is Emma Thompson, possibly the most vacuous voice in public affairs...

...hmm - on second thoughts vacuous voices make up a viciously contested field. One of the most vacuous voices in public affairs will have to do - the field is too crowded for further refinement.

A few years ago Jim Broadbent had this to say about honours.

“I’m not that comfortable with actors receiving honours, partly because I think they ought to go to those who really help others,” he says. “Besides, I like the idea of actors not being part of the Establishment. We’re vagabonds and rogues, and we’re not a part of the authorities and Establishment, really. If you mix the two together, things get blurry.”

But of course Emma Thompson is neither vagabond nor rogue. She is a part of the authorities and Establishment, really. That's the point of the honour.

5 comments:

Sam Vega said...

She has always seemed to me to be a silly woman. She has a silly face. If she tries to be "deep" and engaged with the real world then it just looks like an actress playing a part: "silly woman pretending not to be silly". My guess is that she was seen to look silly at an early age, and people suggested she try acting.

wiggiatlarge said...

I am always straight to the bit where it says "for services to" which in most cases means earning a living, funny old world when earning a living and often a very good living is deserving of enoblement.
I am obviously completely out of step in my thinking on this as this year as in all years people who don't do a good job receive awards and honours.

Demetrius said...

I am still waiting for my Distinguished Skiving Order for idleness beyond description. Must go, make my excuses please.

Scrobs. said...

Luvvies always slobber over other luvvies, so this is no exception.

Worthless gong anyway if 'awarded' to someone who hasn't really contributed much except where it helps her 'career'. Wasn't she the bird in 'Peter's friends', or was that someone-or-other...

Monkey's aren't really being given in this household!

A K Haart said...

Sam - I like it - "silly woman pretending not to be silly".

Wiggia - and politicians who don't do a good job often end up in the Lords.

Demetrius - can't make your excuses I'm already elsewhere.

Scrobs - she was the bird in 'Peter's friends' but I had to look that up. Sounds like luvvies slobbering over luvvies again. It's what they do.