Interesting how many of the same pieces you noticed as the Gawker piece from last year https://www.gawker.com/media/adrian-chiles-does-not-miss. Excited to see more entries in this series! As you note, it's Chiles self awareness but also his openness to others and knowing, intelligent inanity that makes the columns so compelling. I have no idea what he's like as a broadcaster but I imagine those same qualities make good programming too.
I instinctively thought of Deborah Ross. This is pretty weird because I haven't read a column of hers for maybe a decade--I wonder if she has moved somewhere paywally. Hang on [uses search engine]. She now regularly does TV/film for the Spectator. I have a feeling I "don't like" the Spectator and maybe you don't either. But in the 90s/00s Ross had a column in the Independent that I loved. So if you were up to doing a historical column review, then hey pesto.
Today's post was excellent. I thought I wouldn't enjoy Adrian Chiles's column and now you have made me want to read it!
Was expecting Arch mockery... or ironic appreciation - but the warmth and affection for an unaffected man with a platform he is happily bewildered by is welcomed. Thanks for this, we need to recognise a slow griftless genuineness that is seldom seen in the world x
Interesting how many of the same pieces you noticed as the Gawker piece from last year https://www.gawker.com/media/adrian-chiles-does-not-miss. Excited to see more entries in this series! As you note, it's Chiles self awareness but also his openness to others and knowing, intelligent inanity that makes the columns so compelling. I have no idea what he's like as a broadcaster but I imagine those same qualities make good programming too.
This is just glorious, J. Instant subscribe (and the first thing to ever make me read one of his cols!)
I instinctively thought of Deborah Ross. This is pretty weird because I haven't read a column of hers for maybe a decade--I wonder if she has moved somewhere paywally. Hang on [uses search engine]. She now regularly does TV/film for the Spectator. I have a feeling I "don't like" the Spectator and maybe you don't either. But in the 90s/00s Ross had a column in the Independent that I loved. So if you were up to doing a historical column review, then hey pesto.
Today's post was excellent. I thought I wouldn't enjoy Adrian Chiles's column and now you have made me want to read it!
Was expecting Arch mockery... or ironic appreciation - but the warmth and affection for an unaffected man with a platform he is happily bewildered by is welcomed. Thanks for this, we need to recognise a slow griftless genuineness that is seldom seen in the world x
Thank you. It always brightens my day when I read Adrian’s columns. Thanks also for this great idea of writing about a columnist. It’s brilliant