chickerinoDOTcom

tumble-log » What to do if you don't want to talk to someone

Back to chickerinodotcom Written on 19-May-2008 by chickerino

Some excellent advice from Charlie Brooker about avoiding conversations about road-works or the weather:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/may/19/guardiancolumnists

I particularly like this:

"... the best and most entertaining option is one I read about in a Penn & Teller book several years ago. It goes like this. Turn to your unwanted companion at the first opportunity, and explain to them that you have a condition which makes you sleep with your eyes open. It's harmless, you say, but it can be quite creepy - so you're taking the opportunity to warn them in advance so they don't freak out later. Then you sit back in your chair and silently wait a while. After about 10 minutes, slowly loll your head sideways toward them, keeping your eyes wide open the whole time, and stay there, staring at the side of their face, for as long as possible. They'll be far too weirded out to utter a word. Brilliant."

Then again some might say he's just a miserable c***. Make up your own mind. Liking the banter in the comments.

Post to Facebook

Send to a friend

Tags: taxi, bored, charlie brooker, not talking

Comments

written on 22-May-2008

paulsari [http://www.webjam.com/paulsari] says:

The number of (insulting) critiques in the comments strikes one as remarkable.
One does not see the gain, for example, from "attacking bores like this is that you are setting yourself up to be attacked".
Would the easy riposte to them not just be: "Apply for your own job as a newspaper columnist, then write your own column"?
A friend of mine dislikes much journalism in The Guardian and jests to not even get him started on the self-rigthteousness of Guardian readers ...
written on 23-May-2008

chickerino says:

Or alternatively start a blog on Webjam. For 'tis the future!

It was a pretty dour column by old Brooker but he's got a permanent pardon in my book since he wrote 'Nathan Barley' - which should elevate anyone to legendary status!
written on 23-May-2008

paulsari [http://www.webjam.com/paulsari] says:

Indeed.

Ah! I didn't realise that link. Pardoned forever.

I was not convinced by that article because he said it would be rude not to respond, but apparently it's OK to write an insulting article the next day. Moreover, if he pulls the "Oh well, the cabbie won't see it" then that's vulgar for the assumption that his readership consists of middle class professionals (even he's 99.9% stat. correct).

I liked the Livingstone vs. Boris article by him before though.

And I think it's an important note from my side to say that I don't think that all Guardian readers are up themselves despite that potential implication in my message. It's more around 45% I reckon :-)
written on 24-May-2008

svenmoose says:

Charlie Brooker is capable of being a very funny man, he sometimes misses the mark but i couldnt agree more, sometimes it's necessary to amuse yourself at the cost of others when you're so bored you're thinking about what it would be like to release a set of badgers into the house of lords.. hehehe i guess it's got to be done from time to time..

Name:
Email (will not be published):
Website URL:
Comment:
Subscribe to comments?
Security code:

Page navigation

tumble-log » What to do if you don't want to talk to someone

Comments

Leave a Comment

Advertisements