British writer and journalist.
‘Shamed TV entertainer’ – as he was re-Christened by the British press – Michael Barrymore’s new autobiography ‘Awight Now: Setting the Record Straight’ has just been published by Simon & Schuster. I’ve yet to see a copy, but the title and the blurb, the publicity, the large publisher behind it… Read More »Michael Barrymore’s Big Brother Comeback
Poor Mark Latham, the former leader of the Australian Labour Party, isn’t happy with the state of Australian manhood. Like so many things, it isn’t as good or as big or as satisfying as it used to be. In his new book (curiously titled ’A Conga Line of Suckholes’) he… Read More »‘Metrosexual Knobs’ – Can They Satisfy?
Gordon Brown, Labour’s leader-in-waiting, can’t win the next election. This week’s address to the Labour Party Conference might as well have been his speech conceding victory to David Cameron. Why is Gordie such a liability? Not because of the disdainful verdict of dodgy Newsnight focus groups, or his recent impatient… Read More »Gordon Isn’t a Moron – But He’s a Terrible Liar
(Originally appeared on the Guardian’s ‘Comment is Free’ as ‘Long live the metrosexual!’ ) More evidence that reports of the ‘death’ of my Frankenstein monster with perfect skin, the metrosexual, have been greatly exaggerated. In Europe and the UK at least, it seems he’s alive and looking very well indeed in his lovely new eyeliner –… Read More »How ‘Big Brother’ is Giving Boys Big Tits
by Mark Simpson (Originally appeared on Salon.com, April 2003) It’s tough growing up British. Not just for all the obvious Austin Powers-esque reasons, such as our medieval dentistry, endemic mold problems and epidemic dandruff, but for something much more existential. The British are great and enthusiastic believers in Original Sin.… Read More »Why Doesn’t America Love Robbie Williams? When He Love-Hates Himself So?