Manifesto
It’s one Ellen of an ending for queen of woke culture
I HAVE to admit it is more than satisfying to watch the wokey left lot eat their young. Grab the popcorn because it’s a modern-day equivalent of the Roman Colosseum. This week two of the most vocal and sanctimonious leading ladies of America’s cancel culture bore witness to what they have unleashed on others – getting their comeuppance.
In what was a saving grace exercise of monumental proportions, Ellen DeGeneres announced that her eponymous daytime show was to end after 19 seasons.
Now, I’m no Ellen fan, and with millions in the bank, money isn’t the driving force behind her ambition. No it’s legacy that is most treasured at this stage of her decades-long career. Which is why it is most curious that Ellen called time on her chat show just one season short of reaching the illustrious number of 20 seasons.
Her decision to end her show comes mere months after there were accusations that, off camera, the daytime star was not quite the egalitarian she claimed to be.
Claims of diva-like and bullying behaviour were in stark contrast to her public persona where she had copyrighted the ‘be kind’ mantra as her own invaluable cash-making commodity. Ellen daily besieged us all to be more ‘de-generous’ of spirit. I mean, if you can be anyone in this world Be Ellen.
Ellen, of course, cried coincidence; production pastures anew beckoned, not the slump in viewers as the show struggled when three producers were fired amid accusations of a toxic workplace.
Then there was the other side of ugly with model Chrissy Teigen, an example of real beauty indeed coming from within.
Chrissy, the wife of singer John Legend, has long since positioned herself as the holier-than-thou queen of cancel culture. She led many a charge against others whose opinions jarred with hers and, like Ellen, banged on and on for us all to be nice.
This week some past utterings of Teigen resurfaced that revealed the cruel face behind the nice façade. Tweets and messages were unearthed from a decade ago, which showed Chrissy telling then 16-yearold TV personality Courtney Stodden to take her own life. She also hurled insulting barbs at Lindsay Lohan, who was at the time in the throes of addiction. And there was a litany of other abusive messages from Chrissy before she embraced kindness. She, of course, repented (after superstore Target began removing her goods) and said she was profoundly ashamed and sorry. And while atonement is always welcome there are simply some things that you can’t apologise your way out of.
Cruise’s tantrum’s too little too late
ACTOR Tom Cruise this week threw a tantrum of Hollywood proportions when he returned his three Golden Globe Awards in protest at the lack of diversity in the annual gong-giving ceremony.
Tom’s standing on principle smacks more of standing on ceremony and is more about jumping on the diversity bandwagon than a true display of solidarity for his excluded acting fellows.
Surely Cruise, who has enjoyed a 40-year glittering career in movies, was aware of a dearth of diversity in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association - the organisers of the Globes. Cruise’s jumping up and down on the issue screams attention-seeking, rather than altruism.
UK shames us in its love of animals
IT’S all too seldom that animals have a victory but this week UK prime minister Boris Johnson formally put them on a statutory footing. In a swathe of measures aimed at protecting animal rights the British government unveiled an Animal Action Plan that formally recognised animals as sentient beings in UK law for the first time.
Announcing the measures he said: ‘We are a nation of animal lovers and we’re the first country in the world to pass animal welfare laws. Our action plan for animal welfare will deliver on our manifesto commitment to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening, prohibit keeping primates as pets, and bring in new laws to tackle puppy smuggling. As an independent nation, we are now able to go further than ever to build on our excellent track record.’
The UK’s plan to protect animals should be lauded and their example followed. But to our great shame the Green Party, which trades on being on the side of animals, showed itself as nothing but a sellout since taking a seat at the table.
Pippa Hackett, the junior minister for agriculture, not only didn’t stay true to her promise, she also betrayed all animals when she signed off on increasing funding to the greyhound industry, which has been proved beyond cruel to dogs. So once again the UK’s glory is our nation’s shame.
Let’s sing Lesley’s praises this week
SPEAKING of national pride and glory, singer Lesley Roy is set to take to the Eurovision stage this week and is hoping to reclaim our place in the songbook records. This year marks 29 years since Linda Martin won with Why Me but in the years since our Eurovision star has waned. So as Lesley sings in Rotterdam let’s all get behind the Dublin singer as we can all do with a little lift.
West’s silence over Gaza’s fate shocking
THE silence and inaction from the ‘leader of the free world’ and the majority of democratic nations on the horrific bombings in Gaza is deafening and sickening.
The gut-wrenching images of innocent, tear-drenched children left desolate amid the ruins of the tiny strip of land they call home is beyond heartbreaking.
While both Israel and Palestine are aggressors, the reality on the ground in Gaza is that the might of the Israeli state has been unleashed in a torrent of bombs, fire and bullets against a nation of displaced peoples. And while Gaza burns, Joe Biden and the rest of Western World watch and do little more than issue empty words of condemnation, assigning blame to both sides. These are children and babies who are crying out loud for help. Such sympathy I’m sure will fail to reach the ears of the innocents amid the noise of death and destruction.