Maybe this commenter to Charlie Brooker’s latest column about Ascot hats is a trifle overinvolved. But is he right, is the thrill gone?
supercereal
Jun 23 08, 02:20am (about 7 hours ago)
I’m actually really disappointed in you, I used to look forward to getting the guardian every Monday just to read your column, I’ve been a fan for a long time, since I was working a crappy minimum wage job in a newsagents putting myself through college and on my break I’d read your column on the back of G2 with the yellow cartoon, it was really witty and insightful with original ideas. I got into the Guardian because of you and now I get it every day. I live in Ireland and don’t get whatever channel screenwipe is on, so I tracked all the episodes down online and really like them, I don’t buy papers on weekends, but I track down your screenburn column online, that’s how I got into the guardian website last year and now I check it every time I’m online.
It’s two o’clock in the morning, and the only reason I’m online is to see your column before it’s in tomorrow’s paper.
I’m not just a casual reader, I’m a big fan, I was really happy for you when you got upgraded to a proper column inside G2….the reason I’m telling you and the whole internet this, the reason I registered just to post this comment, is so that you know I’m not just some dickhead taking potshots, like just saying something like [Charlie you silly monkey, i like hats, LOL, u are gay.]
I couldn’t give a fucking toss about hats, and to be honest I really don’t care what you think about them. Your columns have gotten progressively worse over the last few months, you’re just getting god damned lazy, so shape up or shut up cos it’s just depressing, you were one of the ones who told it like it is, you were one of the good ones, but now you’ve become one of the mob of tittering twats you despise, you don’t seem to have anything original to say any more. I won’t ever pick up the paper on a Monday with any sort of expectations of any kind about your column, I’ll still read it…along with the rest of the paper, but I won’t turn to that page in G2 first or I won’t be disappointed when they have a stand-in, you’re just another boring columnist with nothing to say…that’s all I have to say really. You’ve probably realised this the same as I have, you know deep down that you don’t have it any more, that you’re just phoning it in. You know when you write a bad column and you don’t need a stranger like me to tell you.
That’s all, just to let you know you lost a fan, I’m sure I’m not the only one, I’m not trying to be harsh so you’ll kill yourself in the bath with a lady razor or anything, I just feel that I’m not alone in this opinion and had to say something, I wanted to do it earlier but I couldn’t give you any more chances, I nearly did it last week (what a pile of balls) but this week was the last straw…bye.
Was it? Was it really? Was it really?
I came across Brooker’s loopy, Mr Angry viciousness through TVGohome. He has said what we all think but lack the eloquence to say about the crap being fed to us by the media, like a foul-mouthed suburban Chomsky but without the charm and with even stupider hair. Brilliant. Now he’s become what he despises, a lazy insider who phones it in for a fee. Yes, I know that’s always been his schtick, but when did he start believing in it?
I suppose this is all part of the accelerated lifecycle of writer stroke tv personalities in the New Media. How long has Brooker been a cult? About five years, all told, including the 2 years or so bubbling under online, and reaching a high point with Nathan Barley.In meeja whore terms that’s ancient. Ah well, live by the sword….
There’ll be another Angry Hip Young Person along in a minute anyway. Next!
