Critics and fans can be weird "I want you to continue doing exactly what it was about the thing I first discovered about you that I found interesting and liked. I will consider you not continuing to that as an act of personal betrayal, and will bang on endlessly to the world about it."

Luke Haines@lukehaines.bsky.social · yesterday

Copping flak from the rock grandads today. I don't write those old angsty Auteurs songs anymore. I was 25. I'm 58. I do what I want. Do you? Still scrapping it out for 200 words and £50? If you like the old angsty stuff you could get into BBR - like the kids (200 mil streams and counting, dad)

Nods.

Well, this sounds unutterably grim.

‘I want to be ripped to shreds’: writers flock to MFAs - but does it breed elitist literature?

Thousands of budding US novelists enlist in courses each year, hoping to gain credentials that often influence who gets published

theguardian.com

Bede's World! Bede's World! Party time! Venerable!

"A.i." makes money for billionaires and gives c-suite incompetents and private equity goons an excuse to fire people. It doesn't actually help anyone else - it just obligates people to work faster and do a sloppier, shittier, more dehumanizing job.

Philosophers used to moan about the assumption that things are only real if you could measure them. But honestly that’s a lot better than the assumption now that things are only real if you can monetise them.

"Everything is just data so we can computer it" has broken so many brains I swear

"You should never speak ill of the dead!" Historians:

Wayne's World: I Was Not Aware Of That

Alt: Wayne's World: I Was Not Aware Of That

static.klipy.com

Kate Watson@loreandordure.com · 3y ago

Once again for those at the back: ‘Don’t speak ill of the dead’ is about your great aunt Elsie, who liked a long gin with a short tonic at elevenses, and blew your inheritance money betting on the horses. Speaking ill of absolute monsters is a moral obligation, actually.

Scrappy Doo

Son of Bengt@sonofbengt.bsky.social · 2d ago

Apropos of nothing...let's just assume Paddington takes people to the escalator that goes up Who takes them to the one that goes the other direction? Edd the Duck?

Jimmy Cricket's death didn't raise a single news flash alert. Yet he had a papal knighthood for his charity work. William Caulfield called him "one of the most generous and lovely people to work with", while comedian Ted Robbins said he was "one of the last great comics"

Slow fucking handclap to the Reform voters who wanted to know “where the money goes”. Now you know.

Josiah Mortimer@josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 2d ago

Two more donations to Reform UK are under the spotlight as they came from figures closely involved in a major North East construction project the Reform-led council now helps to oversee... Latest for @bylinetimes.bsky.social bylinetimes.com/2026/08/04/r...

Worth keeping in mind that the individuals shouting the loudest at us to be 'fair' and venerate Rod Liddle never have any hesitation in posthumously kicking anyone they did not agree with, usually on the basis of a falsehood as opposed to a long litany of what they actually wrote too.

Steady ladies

When hacks talk about a hack being 'hilarious' and you think, 'If you ever heard any actual comedy you'd fucking burst.'

Strong aviators game there, Peter. #CallMyBluff

What would be the definition now I wonder? #CallMyBluff #BBCFour

You can tell it's the 80s. Frank's hair is looking less First Doctor/latter day Blair than it was in Patrick's day #CallMyBluff

Brilliant letter from Stuart Thompson to Jeremy Clarkson about his comments that benefit claimants should write weekly thank you letters to tax payers detailing how they spend their benefits each week.

Tonight’s show is bought to you by the colour brown #CallMyBluff #ComboverHour

No poncing around on backstory or inserts. Just crack on with answering proper questions #Mastermind

I see that Call My Bluff is returning to BBC4 tonight #ComboverHour (combover half hour doesn’t half the right ring to it)

A fucking beret, really, mate?

What the FUCK is Amol wearing? #UniversityChallenge

A lot of people today talking about an awful person who died but i want to make everyone aware of a good person who died: Northern Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket, who you should all look up if you don’t know. 10/10 all around wife guy, dad, granddad, and just a generally solid person

How can 15 points be a combined winning #Mastermind heat score? What kind of country is this now?

Request for anyone who has a copy of #TerryPratchett #SmallGods that is more recent than my Corgi 1993 paperback. Page 248 says as below, but I feel there may be a typographical error and ‘God’ should be in the plural. Has that one been carried over to later editions, I am wondering? #Discworld

It strikes me that some of the very unpleasant things people are saying about the late Rod Liddle are somewhat kinder than many of his columns.

Life lessons for today: would you rather be remembered like Jimmy Cricket, or Rod Liddle? It's not hard to answer is it?

LF Lightning-Barugh@cheeseford.bsky.social · 2d ago

I know a lot of people who knew Jimmy Cricket, and they all say he was as lovely as you'd imagine and hope.

"He brought so much laughter and happiness to countless audiences". Comedian Jimmy Cricket has died aged 80. www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/...

Jimmy Cricket dies aged 80 - British Comedy Guide

James Mulgrew, the comedian who performed as Jimmy Cricket, has died after a short illness.

comedy.co.uk