Saw Paul Nicholls. Again. For, like, the 10th time. STOP STALKING ME AND MY FAMILY! That goes for you too, Duncan-from-Blue.


He may be the lone In America actor without an Oscar nomination, but my boy Paddy Considine appears to have a main part in the Russell Crowe/Ron Howard production, Cinderella Man. There was gossip that he turned down the detective part that Benjamin Bratt is playing in Catwoman, which earns him even more respect from me for his evident skill of picking roles incredibly carefully. So here’s hoping that Cinderella Man turns out to be be okay, despite ‘Schmaltz-meister General’ Ron Howard’s presence. And there is another film with Pawel Pawlikowski coming up, which has me really looking forward to a film for the first time in ages.


Currently enjoying ’O’ by Damien Rice. Took a risk while worrying that it would be a bit cutesy and lightweight, like Ryan Adams’s Gold turned out to be, but damn, it doesn’t half get under your skin. Straightforward and incredibly lovely.

I am going to batter those charity clipboard people senseless. The ones in Reading haven’t been around very long, so they’re hideously enthusiastic and unused to dealing with the seasoned London worker who has done the clipboard slalom for over 3 years now. Two of them separately ran from the other side of the street to intercept me today. Resulting in an even more forceful “NO, thank you,” than I normally proffer. Three years ago, there was a different charity in Wimbledon every day, puzzled as to why people were ignoring them. They all finally realised that the market was possibly flooded, so cooled it off a bit. Reading is just starting on this downward spiral, so people are happily stopping to talk to them at the moment.

I had to admire and laugh the other day at finally encountering a charity mugger in London who actually used the line, “Can you spare a minute for the orphans in Africa dying....?” I took even greater delight in shouting “No!” this time, especially as it was about 10m from my place of work.

I still haven’t got up the gall to say “Yes, when I’m earning as much as you.” Today brought me pretty close to it, though.

I’ve happened across Broadcasting Standards Commission reports during random searches a few times, but this time had a bit more of a thorough read over the last couple of months...

All complaints not upheld by the BSC:

From the what-exactly-were-they-expecting file:
• ER: graphic depiction of injuries.
• V Graham Norton: tasteless content.
• Real Sex: sexual content
• Porn: A Family Business: sexual content
• That’ll Teach ‘Em: exploitation of children
• Trailer for Casualty: excessive depiction of injuries

A wish for a fuller explanation:
• Morning Glory with Pete & Geoff on Virgin Radio: offensive incitement to break David Blaine’s will
• EastEnders: animal cruelty (okay, I looked it up, it was the demise of Shirley’s cat by the hands of evil Gavin)
• Newsround: nudity

And ones that just make me giggle:
• Scott Mills: homophobic remarks.
• Top of The Pops: offensive and suggestive dancing.
• Richard & Judy, accused of sexual and racist content:
“Channel 4 said the comment by Paul O’Grady that he was married to a Portuguese lesbian was a fact.”

Quotes from an old bitch of a tutor:

When especially pissed off with our crapness: “If I was not contractually obliged to be teaching you, I would be in L.A. working on the design of The Scorpion King”. (Us: Well, go then. I’m sure The Rock would appreciate your talents far more than we do.)

“We would have designed the costumes for Gladiator but The Mummy Returns overran.” (Hence my glee when Gladiator won Oscars for design)

On Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves: “Kevin was so sweet. [crap American accent] “Oh, Annie, you’re so wonderful”. We kept making his skirt shorter and shorter. You can see it in the film.”

Unfortunately, we were working on an opera set in the Middle Ages, so every sentence she uttered started off with “On Robin Hood, we....”

(The “we” is her and her husband; the husband being the actual costume designer, she being credited as his assistant. Ha.)