Ordinary Gweilo

Spike is still trying to “add value” to the articles it reprints from The Spectator magazine. The current issue contains a piece about Will Self which will probably make little sense to most people in Hong Kong given that it is largely about how many magazines articles he writes and TV programmes he appears on:

Unlike other literary grandees, he’s game for more or less anything. It’s hard to imagine, say, Doris Lessing showing up alongside Melinda Messenger on [talent show] Shooting Stars , or Julian Barnes being quizzed by Paul Merton on Room 101.

A sub-editor has helpfully added the description of Shooting Stars for Hong Kong readers who will probably have never seen the program (I don’t think it’s ever been shown here). The problem is that Shooting Stars is actually a comedy game show hosted by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, not a talent show. What about Room 101, then, guys, is that one of those shows about renovating your house?

They also changed “tube” to “London Underground”. Good grief.