Whatever you may think of him, Tony Parsons’ comparison of Charles Saatchi to Ian Brady is beyond offensive
Yesterday, the former host of a Channel 4 show named Big Mouth, Tony Parsons, compared Charles Saatchi to child murderer Ian Brady in a Daily Mirror column titled: “Men who deserve no mercy”.
The Steeple Times asks television producer and host Nick Oram: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
The willingness to change and learning from my mistakes.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
North Korea – Kim Jong-un bromance with Dennis Rodman.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
Not seeing my family often enough.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
To be even happier… If that’s even possible
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
Overleveraging and margin calls were the undoing of the big banks. Too big to fail? … Or not (as the case turned out).
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“With all due respect”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I believe in offering benevolent goodwill towards the needy and suffering. I support the Children’s Miracle Network.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Can you hear me now?!?
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
My besties.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
Having a picnic on a lawn eating surf ‘n’ turf.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Noon.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A martini on the rocks. Slightly dirty.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
My own. They’re all with my favorite people.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My mom.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Sleeping on crisp clean cool white bed sheets.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
Superman.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
My car. A Porsche 911 Carrera.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I grew up on a farm. Well, almost.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Pictures of family and friends.
Nick Oram is an American television producer and host. He is also well known as a spinning class teacher. His “rides” have helped shape the bodies of Justin Timberlake, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Wahlberg, Alicia Keys, Kelly Ripa, Katy Perry, Nicole Kidman, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Ashley Tisdale, Paris Hilton and Carmen Electra.
View his official website here.
Like his Facebook page here and follow him on Twitter here.
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The Steeple Times asks Matthew Gilpin, the creator of Gilpin’s Gin: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Creativity: The only thing that endures.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Stay jolly. However bad things get being grumpy is rarely the answer.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
Most TV celebrities from my childhood. Allegedly…
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
The rites of passage of youth – which get fewer as you get older. And my father – if he were alive today we’d be having a lot of fun.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
A long and happy life with my wife Kristina, although some wealth would be nice as well.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
Banks aren’t real, money isn’t real. We are all living on the back of a giant cosmic turtle standing on the back of another turtle, and it’s turtles all the way down.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“No offence mate, but…”
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Yes, it does begin at home but don’t kid yourself… I like to support smaller charities that make a real local difference such as the Ibiza Preservation Fund, Friends of the Lake District, the South of England Agricultural Society and Oriel College.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
I suspect the use of explosives is best left to the military. Never take a phone into a meeting.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Great friends old and new and some people from the bar and restaurant trade – these guys know how to party.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
An extensive tasting menu at El Bulli. They would have to rebuild and reopen especially which might take a while to arrange. Oh well…
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Midnight.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A very dry Gibson made with Gilpin’s Gin with a glass of extra onions on the side.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
My old friend Alexander Hope. Something to do with getting great people, great wines and great food all in one room and lighting the fuse… I gave him a small laser projector for his birthday so things are going to get even better…
Who is the most positive person you know?
Jonny Jeffery of the “jonnydoesdinner” blog radiates positivity and is an amazing cook and host.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Buying second-hand laboratory equipment from eBay. Don’t tell my wife about the centrifuge in the basement.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
St. Sebastian. Bring it on!
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
A 1969 Aston Martin DBS Vantage. If they could bottle that smell I’d buy it.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I once won five “Gold Runs” on Blockbusters. Bob Holness was very funny by the way. Arguably my greatest achievement to date.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Mostly wedding invitations.
Matthew Gilpin is the creator of Gilpin’s Gin, a gin distilled in London using water from the Holy Well Spring at Cartmel in Cumbria. He is a graduate of Oxford University and has also worked as a barrister and a specialist in securities and investment funds.
View the official website for Gilpin’s Gin at: http://www.gilpinsgin.com
Follow Gilpin’s Gin on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/GilpinsLondon
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter at: http://thesteepletimes.com/subscribe
In 2013, this Danish-British former Liberal Democrat author and presenter stated: “The Duchess of Cambridge lacks a single [relevant] opinion”. The nation were far from impressed. “Toxic Toksvig”, as some refer to her, is a Cambridge educated lesbian and mother of three whose works number Hitler’s Canary and Heroines & Harridans. She started her career on the appropriately named Motormouth and once stated: “When I see comedian – and ‘comedienne’, of course I hate it – I think ‘Oh, really?’ because I think of myself as a writer and broadcaster”. Miaow!
This witty Northern comedian began his career as deputy headmaster at Caton Primary School in Lancashire. Best known as the host of Bullseye between 1981 and 1985, Bowen’s back in the limelight as many suggest he’s a lookalike of the new Pope. His BBC Radio Lancashire show was axed in 1999 after he referred to a guest as a “nig-nog” and in 2003 he launched a stand-up comedy DVD named You Can’t Tell These Anymore. Nothing, however, will ever “Beat a Bit of Bully!”
This dynamic American television personality and author was one of the first women to work in “hard news” and is best known for having hosted the Today show, the ABC Evening News, The View and 20/20. She grew up “in awe” of the famous people her father, a Broadway producer and nightclub owner, introduced her to, has been married four times to three different men and got chicken pox after ‘kissing’ actor Frank Langella at a New Year’s Eve party in Miami in 2012. Walters has interviewed everyone from Fidel Castro to Michael Jackson, but her March 1999 feature on Monica Lewinsky, watched by a record 74 million viewers, is indeed one for the history books. When she asked her subject: “What will you tell your children when you have them?”, Lewinsky replied: “Mommy made a big mistake”. At that point, Walters ended the show by stating: “And that is the understatement of the year”.
This child star has morphed via a stint on the Disney Channel and in boy band ‘N Sync into an internationally known singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, dancer and businessman. (more…)
This Californian became a child star to help solve the financial woes of his family. He excelled in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and received a $15 million cheque for Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Aside from acting, he’s been in relationships with Carey Mulligan, Isabel Lucas and Megan Fox but it is bar brawls that seem to form a staple of his existence. LaBeouf was questioned by the Los Angeles Police Department after one at the Mad Bull’s Tavern in February 2011, thrown out of another called the Cinema Public House in Vancouver in October 2011 and lost his hat during another at the Hobgoblin in London, SE14 in November 2012. We somehow doubt this wild child will be transforming into a reformed citizen any time soon but we’re also betting his career will rocket.
The daughter of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber lives in New York and is a contributor to MSNBC. Her Single Girl’s Guide was published in both the UK and America and her debut show Touched… For The Very First Time was a mighty success in the West End in 2009. Described as a “petite polymath,” Imogen Lloyd Webber digitally published The Twitter Diaries in May 2012. Turning tweets into a novel, this co-written e-book has been lauded as: “Bridget Jones tries social networking.”
The Savage Nation radio host calls himself an “independent-minded individualist” who “fits no stereotype.” (more…)