Easily the best thing that has happened to me recently was being called a warthog on TV by Charlie Brooker. At least that’s what I heard from people who’d seen Newswipe (BBC4 — http://is.gd/vztj). But it turned out I was just one of a number of hacks illustrating a point about opinion pieces written by people ‘grinning like idiots, or looking constipated, or pulling embarrassing warthog scowls’.
I worship Brooker. You might not have heard of him because he writes for the Guardian, but he has been doing more TV of late — ScreenWipe, then Newswipe always worth catching, because it’s so pungent with loathing for the medium.
It’s a privilege granted very few of us to be able to crap on our professions from within. No matter how free a spirit you are, there are certain rules you have to obey: headmasters can’t do pills or go clubbing; policemen have to make out like it’s nice and fun being asked directions by members of the public; TV people are obliged to act as if their careers are worthwhile and they still have standards.
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