Monthly Archives: December 2007

The willies

Posted on December 31, 2007 by Charles Lambert

The extraordinary Phil Cool does Terry Wogan. The real Terry Wogan. If anyone has a copy of Phil Cool doing Ronald Reagan (that’s right: the real Ronald Reagan), I hope they let me know.

Posted in phil cool | 1 Comment

A creative spring

Posted on December 31, 2007 by Charles Lambert

In his Terminal note to Maurice, EM Forster writes that the novel was the direct result of a visit in 1913 to the ‘socialist and Whitmannic poet’ Edward Carpenter at Millthorpe. Forster comments: It must have been on my second … Continue reading →

Posted in em forster, gay | Leave a comment

Bad manners

Posted on December 30, 2007 by Charles Lambert

It might not have been the most stomach-turning thing I saw this year, but it came close. Travelling to Rome by train a few weeks ago, I watched the youngish smartly-dressed woman on the seat opposite me carefully twist a … Continue reading →

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Words are also actions

Posted on December 30, 2007 by Charles Lambert

I saw two films on TV over Christmas that touched me deeply, in different ways. The first was The Motorcycle Diaries by Walter Salles, based on the journals kept by Che Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado during a life-changing … Continue reading →

Posted in education, em forster, gay | Leave a comment

Father(s) Christmas

Posted on December 26, 2007 by Charles Lambert

A little disturbing to see the sleigh-born benefactor himself accompanied by his smaller, but otherwise identical daemon, rather like Austin Powers with Mini Me. Still, at least he isn’t dangling from a glittering rope outside the bedroom window, like most … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Christmas roast

Posted on December 24, 2007 by Charles Lambert

The British press has been titillated these past few days over the pre-Christmas party organised by Manchester United players. It started off chastely enough, with drag queens and lap dancing, but subsequently adjourned to a hotel, entirely booked for the … Continue reading →

Posted in celebrity, kay sexton, porn | 2 Comments

Health

Posted on December 20, 2007 by Charles Lambert

There’s an interesting piece today by Peter Popham, the Independent’s Rome correspondent, about his experiences with the Italian health system. Under an unnecessarily gloomy headline (Thinking of travelling to Italy for treatment? I would think again), the article kicks off … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, language | 3 Comments

Starving Makes it Fat

Posted on December 19, 2007 by Charles Lambert

If you’re feeling peckish for something throught-provoking and slightly creepy, try Kay Sexton’s fabulous new story on East of the Web. It’s called Starving Makes it Fat and it’s a cracker (a high-fibre, low-fat cracker, naturally).

Posted in east of the web, kay sexton, writing | 2 Comments

More of the same old religious shite

Posted on December 18, 2007 by Charles Lambert

It’s barely worth commenting on the fact that the centre-left majority on Rome was yesterday unable to approve either of two motions to grant some sort of legitimacy to civil unions. Neither would have made any difference but, given that … Continue reading →

Posted in bigotry, gay, politics, religion, vatican, very dark cave | 5 Comments

Combs, poodles, sunglasses, white silk scarves

Posted on December 16, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Franco Zeffirelli, ageing film director, thinks the Pope needs a makeover, according to a short but sadly riveting piece in today’s Independent. Apparently, Eggs Benedict is too cold and too showy. Unlike cuddly, downbeat Franco. Borges described the Malvinas war … Continue reading →

Posted in pope, vatican, zeffirelli | 2 Comments