Something's gotta give ...

... and something has.

I'm not going to comment on John Sargeant after this post anymore. There's got to be a line drawn at some point, and I think tonight is the point. But I can't let him go without saying something about the way he's left.

It's all over the news, all over the blogs; John Sargeant has quit Stirctly.

I have to say that I am quite shocked, and I've just watched the hour long It Takes Two special and should imagine that the entire viewing public has spontaneously combusted, either at James' comments, or Johns'!

These are my thoughts:
- John wasn't a particularly good dancer. I wished during the early weeks he'd stop smirking like the cat who had got the cream.
- John seems to be a bit arrogant, and many of his answers tonight were trite and glib.
- James' statement that John's decision was the worst thing that could have happened was overstated, but I agree with him. Actually Kate Garraway managed to say exactly what James had said, only much more eloquently.
- My own, honest, opinion on John's departure is that it was the easy way out. He's been talking all along about the rules of the game and how the judges don't seem to know them, but if he was abiding by the rules, he would have stayed until he was voted out. And if that meant he won the entire competition, then so be it. I wouldn't have liked it, but I would have dealt with it.

I really hope Kristina is invited back for another series. She's a fantastic dancer, and makes a valuable contribution to the show. I also think John's behaviour towards her on I.T.T. when she was visibly upset was a bit off - he didn't seem to mind that much (in public at least) that his partner was in tears beside him. Having said that, however, he does remind me of my father in that respect!

I've also been really shocked by the comments on the BBC forum. Claudia's been getting a lot of stick, and there are a lot of people demanding the money back that they spent on voting for him. That's just silly - would they have asked for the money back if John had been voted out properly?

Anyway, enough is enough. No more talking about John any more. There are six fantastic dancers all competing for the final now, and there's barely anything to choose between them. Time to focus on those that are still in.

Brain meltdown at important moments

Is there ever a good time to open your mouth and say something so totally wrong that it quite takes away your standing as 'literary brain of the village' or some such title?

The answer to that is probably no, although I would imagine there are better times than others to open mouth before fully engaging brain, as Stuck in a Book shows on his last post.

I too, have had more than my fair share of brain freezes, although thankfully I can't remember most of them, and even more thankfully, friends from Uni don't read this blog, so can't post on the comments to remind me (and the world) of them.

However, in honour of Simon's escapade I will share two of my most embarrassing moments.

Firstly: Picture if you will a classroom. A level English, and me up front because I worship the ground my teacher walks on (we're good friends now actually, but that's beside the point). One day, during a routine class, she quotes a famous bit of Shakespeare, and asks what its from. My hand shoots up, and when asked for the answer, I say with COMPLETE assurance, because no way can I have got this wrong - 'All's Well That Ends Well'
Cue withering glance from favourite teacher, and the question goes to someone else. Turns out it was 'As You Like It' - which we'd JUST been talking about.

Secondly: Later in life (but not much) during first class in second semester of first year, our tutor decides to ask us why we've chosen to do this subject (English and American Literature) and forbids us to say 'uuuh, it's cos I like books'. I have my answer all prepared, and launch into long story about how on Christmas eve our family have a tradition of getting a book from the tree. 'Dad' I say blithely 'puts the tree under the books ...' and thus seal my fate in the eyes of this particular tutor that I am a blithering idiot and not worth the paper I write my essays on. He later (in third year) gives me thirds for every piece of work I do in an entire semester, which means I get a 2:2 instead of a 2:1. Bah!

I am sure there are other moments when my brain has failed me from appearing knowledgeable and University worthy, but like I said, I can't remember them ... and I rather hope it stays that way!

Some publishers need their heads testing

The world assumes that you can't judge a book by its cover, but unless you plan on standing in a bookshop and reading the first chapter right there, there is little else that can tempt you to buy the book. Covers matter and that's all there is to it.

I was browsing in Borders yesterday, trying not to get too tempted, because it's abundantly clear with my overloaded bookcases that I DON'T need any more books, when I came across this book:

Only, it wasn't this cover that caused me to stop and almost swear out loud. It was this one:


What on earth? Who thinks it's a good idea to have a picture of Kiera Knightly on the front cover of a biography? I was less than happy when they decided to plaster her all over copies of Pride and Prejudice, but that was because I thought the film was so dreadful, and also because somehow publishers were thinking it was the only way to get certain people to buy the book. My annoyance then was personal.

This, by contrast, annoys my underlying biographer's nature. This book is about an actual, physical woman, and what right have publishers got to put Kiera Knightly on the cover, thereby confusing people and demeaning the Duchess herself? Could they have not just put 'Now a Major Film' on the original book? And what on earth is that Dianaesque 'There were three people in her marriage' strapline? Is that the best film producers could come up with?

I think I need a lie down.

Heathcliffe's dead.

Ok, so we all know that a certain Prime Minister has likened himself to a certain wild Bronte hero (if a murdering, manipulative brute can be called a hero of course), but it amuses me to see that it was on this day in 1989 that the definitive Heathcliffe - Laurence Olivier - died. Some things are just too strange to be coincidences.

I'm sure this is being asked around the blogs, but given the amount of mockery Mr Brown has created for himself, who else can we liken him to? I think he's more of a Mr Collins character myself .... what do you think?