Achilles, Alexander, Jason, Odysseus – the fabulous scrapping, rutting warriors of the Ancient World fulfil every boy’s own fantasy. Now, says Mark Simpson, Oliver Stone’s Alexander and the recent crop of ‘epics’ confirms that Hollywood has abolished heroes – past and present. (Originally appeared Independent on Sunday, 19 December 2004)… Read More »Epic Illusions and Metrowarriors
This month’s Out magazine includes a feature by yours truly on my visit to Montreal in April to see the biggest, baddest, ballsiest Ultimate Fighting Championship event ever. UFC, for those who aren’t in the know, or unaccountably uninterested in seeing fit, near-naked men grappling and grunting, is the cage-fighting… Read More »Ultimate Pillowbiting – How Gay is MMA?
Why does the love story of Hadrian and Antinous seem so contemporary? Mark Simpson argues we’re all pagans now. (Originally appeared in the Independent on Sunday, 09/06/2002) OF ALL THE MEN who wore the purple of Rome, Hadrian seems the most ‘modern’, the most sympathetic and the most tasteful. This second-century… Read More »Antinous: The Very First Pop Idol
Madonna interviewed with this month’s Elle magazine, excerpted this week in the Daily Mail under the headline ‘My amazing sex-life‘. Apparently hubby Guy has encouraged her to be more feminine. Madge said: “I think I’ve been honing and finessing my feminine side. I’ve always been very comfortable with my masculine… Read More »Madonna and Guy – An Old Fashioned Celeb Couple
The white rapper Eminem is overweight, addicted to drugs, suffering attacks of pneumonia, struggling with a heart condition, is a virtual recluse surrounded by parasitic hangers on and can’t write any new music, according to The Sun and his estranged mother’s new book. Worst of all, Marshall Mathers, now aged 35 is ‘spotty’ eats… Read More »Eminem: His Majesty the Baby