Whale of a time
Thursday, December 10, 2009 I have just been interviewed by James Whale on LBC. Whale wants to extend the smoking ban outside public buildings although in Whale's world he would allow indoor smoking rooms staffed by smokers - which is nice of him.
As you can imagine it was quite a feisty debate although it was hard to take him too seriously. The interesting thing was, although we were meant to be discussing an extension to the ban we ended up discussing amendments to the ban.
I am now off to a champagne-fuelled reception in Westminster where smokers will not only be welcome but will be positively encouraged to indulge their nicotine habit in the adjoining garden.
I wonder what James Whale would say about that?
Update: Simon Thomas quite rightly corrects my post above. James Whale is on LBC not Radio London. Oops!
Simon Clark
I was delighted to have a long chat last night with James Walton, occasional TV critic on the Daily Telegraph, editor of the critically acclaimed Faber Book of Smoking, and presenter of the musical quiz All The Way From Memphis (now, sadly, decommissioned by Radio 4).
ATWFM was of course named after the Mott the Hoople song of the same name and it turned out that James and I had something else in common (other than an interest in tobacco). We both went to Hammersmith Apollo for the Mott reunion gigs in October (which I wrote about HERE).
Worryingly, we both seemed to know every review off by heart - even the more obscure ones by people like David Quantick in magazines such as Mojo. We even began to discuss the set list, something I have never done with anyone, ever.
We also discussed the issue of standing or sitting. James likes to stand at concerts. I prefer to sit. (It has nothing to do with my age. I have always preferred sitting!)
Eventually I was dragged away to talk about more prosaic issues (global warming, Conservative health policy, Tiger Woods). Curiously, I don't recall any of those conversations.
Reader Comments (1)
James Whale is on LBC. LBC during recent times has become an out and out government mouthpiece. Pretty well all their advertising is government propaganda and their presenters put forward the government line even more strongly than the BBC. Every authoritarian ban or new law restricting people's choice is lauded to the rooftops, particularly by Whale and the mid-morning presenter James O'Brien.
This week during the brief periods I have listened before I turn off in disgust I have heard pro smoking ban, pro 20 mph speed limits, pro the pre budget report, MP's expenses sanitised and dismissed as trivial plus the usual assortment of holier than thou stuff on global warming, racism and sexism. It's a shame because LBC used to be a great station, doubt that I'll bother tuning in at all if things carry on as now. O'Brien is the most annoying, excitable and irritating as he squeaks his way through a pro government agenda. I don't know if they've been taken over recently but something there has definately changed for the worse.