Friday
May012009
Frank Skinner on the smoking ban
Friday, May 1, 2009 Chris Snowdon, whose book Velvet Glove, Iron Fist: A History of Anti-Smoking will be published next month, has drawn my attention to the Radio 4 programme Heresy "which challenges established ideas and questions received wisdom".
This week's programme included some debate about the smoking ban. Panellists included comedians Frank Skinner and Arthur Smith so it was quite entertaining. You can listen to it for another four days HERE. It starts approximately 11 minutes 50 seconds in.
Reader Comments (11)
Frank Skinner. Poor sod. Non-drinker and non-smoker.
Good on Frank for softening his stance.
Note the woman on the panel and the disgusting woman in the audience. I wonder if there is a connection.
Well I think that was quite good. By the way, on my new computer, so you will stop having a rest and get more of me again. Can anyone tell me how to reset it so that I don't have to type 'shift2' to get @ and 'shift@' to get "
I can cope but it interrupts my equalibrium.
In the course of the programme, Arthur Smith said:
"If you're a smoker - and I'm SORRY to report that I am.....................etc etc"
Simple Suggestion from me to ALL smokers:
STOP BLOODY WELL APOLOGISING (P-L-E-A-S-E)!!!!
Being a devotee of La Diva Nicotina does NOT automatically imply a taste for Paedophilia, Urban Terrorism, Wife-Beating, Dolphin-Slaying.............or the music of Britney Spears.
This faux-humility in the face of State-sanctioned intolerance only makes the Antis' case even stronger: it confirms their view that we RECOGNISE that we are, after all, just weak little 'addicts' who NEED to be driven towards Smokefree Salvation.
MY (admittedly inelegant) response to the irksome query "Do YOU smoke ?" is:
"Yes, I bloody well DO - since SOMEONE has to pay the £8 BILLION annual drug bill of the NHS- and YOU aren't helping, are you, you sanctimonious little prick ?"
(NB: I would modify that retort when addressing a lady, naturally)
That is usually sufficient either to a) shut them up completely, or b) stimulate a Really Interesting Conversation.
So what did Frank Skinner have to say? Not all of us have broadband connections which allow us to click the link and listen/watch.
Not that I care very much what Frank Skinner thinks/doesn't think. But it would help those of us who can't watch/listen to these things if some sort of indication of what he and other people did/did not think, said/did not say.
I think the woman who chaired it, is the multi talented Vicky Coren. She is a smoker and has written articles in the Guardian and Observer defending us. Vicky is the daughter of the late Alan Coren and brother of Giles, they are all writers.
Vicky is also a great poker player and won the European title in 2006, winning £500,000.
As a smoker and poker player she ticks all my boxes, shame she is going out with I think, Neil Channing a professional poker player.
The thinking mans crumpet for sure.
http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/victoria-coren/
Martin V - I totally agree. I was thinking about that myself only today (I listened to it late last night in a "I'm tired but bring on the wine no work tomorrow" state). Not long after the ban started I realised that I had been apologetic about smoking for years. Margot on here is one of the people who made me realise what I was doing, thanks Margot. My first major move in breaking this disgusting habit (apologising) was to submit a picture of me pontificating with cigarette in hand for a website I contribute to (nothing to do with smoking).
http://www.espana-resort.com/officalstalkers.html
A particularly unfunny discussion between a bunch of pretentious luvvies in order to produce a few cheap (canned?) laughs. How can this ill advised ban that has resulted in the loss of 1000s of pubs and clubs, tens of 1000s of jobs, millions of people's freedoms/social lives and which is based on lies and propaganda, be remotely funny?
"My first major move in breaking this disgusting habit (apologising)....."
Bravo to you, Timbone - in recognising your weakness !
I gave it up a long time ago - but I still get the OCCASIONAL urge.
I find that a quick glance at the small photo of Patricia Hewitt - which I have about me at all times - keeps me on the Right Track, though.
The first few weeks are always the hardest - but it DOES get easier, believe me.
We'll postpone the therapy for now - or it's Britney in a padded cell for YOU !!
Smoking is Disgusting!
Not like Intolerance, Selfishness, and Hatred.
Thank god we've eliminated the smell of cigarette smoke in pubs, only to replace it with the vile, putrid stench of bigotry.
Your ancestors sacrificed so much to preserve your rights and freedoms in the face of dictatorship, yet here you are simply handing over your freedoms because you do not have the strength to fight for your rights.
Those who will not fight for their rights, who grudgingly accept their fate, those apathetic, complacent descendants of the once proud, strong British people.......deserve to be oppressed.......unless you grow some balls.
Dieter -
VERY, VERY, well said !
Welcome to the Resistance !
But we haven't really 'handed over' our freedoms: they were 'handed over' first by the ghastly Ted Heath to the fledgeling European Union - along with our wonderfully abundant fishing grounds.
Since then, they've been progressively filched from us by said 'European Union'- with the connivance of our cynical, ignorant 'representatives.'
And if those cuddly neo-Nazi Greens ever get their way - God help us all !
Ende gut, alles gut ?
Let's hope so.........but it may take some time.