Hugh Grant on the Leveson Inquiry

[fred quimby]

It's not that hard. If you sell stories about your private life to the media, don't be surprised when the media noses into and reports on your private life. Simples.

[eFestivals]

Well I wouldn't know and I don't think I want to know...

I am not looking to defend Terry really (you can't defend the indefensible) but I do think there is more examples of celebs who have been abused by the media than ones who really have it coming.

I saw that Garry Flitcroft (ex Blackburn captain) gave evidence earlier.

He got an injunction to stop a paper publishing that he'd cheated on his wife. But when he got that injunction he made sure that the injunction included something along the lines of "one of the Premiership's most famous players", which of course was totally untrue. He'd barely even registered in the minds of footie fans, and the wider public had no idea who he was.

Anyway, because of that 'famous' line, the other papers were dead keen to expose him, and eventually the injunction was overturned and he was exposed - far more than would have happened if he'd let the initial story run, because for most people it was a non-story.

So who was abusing who in this case? Whatever Flitcroft might say about it now, it doesn't take a cynic to think that Flitcroft was trying to use the scenario he found himself in to raise his public profile.

I just find it uncomfortable that they have been using unlawful means like phone hacking and then when they totally victimise someone for making mistakes most other people make every day. Cheating on your wife is crap, but while the media destroys the man who has cheated there is usually a wife and kids also getting a kick in, and the media doesn't give a rats arse about them. Its just horrible.

and its all fuelled by the public want for this garbage and the pain it puts on the family...

I'm not defending phone hacking, and i'm not saying that slebs should be fair game just because they're famous.

But many slebs take the piss to a far greater extent in regard to the law than the papers have ever managed thru hacking and the like.

For example: Giggs, and Clarkson. Both were granted 'super injunctions' on the basis of telling the court that they were being blackmailed by an ex. Far enough on the surface.

But in neither case was a criminal complaint made about the alleged blackmail, yet the high court granted their injunction request on the basis of that alleged blackmail anyway.

In the case of Giggs, there was no blackmail, there was only a man who was caught with his pants down wanting to gag the press, and to use the press to damage another person's reputation with lies in a way that he felt it would be unfair to happen to himself with truth.

In the case of Clarkson there might have been blackmail (I don't know either way), but that was never what it was about otherwise where was the criminal complaint? And Clarkson backed down only because he was too stingy to follow thru with paying for what he'd started - his view is that the legal system should have picked up the costs of his action because he was being blackmailed, despite the fact that he'd made no formal complaint about being blackmailed (let alone provided any evidence of what he alleged) for the legal system to work from.

[kaosmark2]

So if someone takes a paid interview then everything following that is fair game ?

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I just find it all strange that the media are the only villains in this. I think the readers of these rags should be holding their heads in shame.

[russycarps]

At what point did the Dowlers court the press?

[russycarps]

I just find it all strange that the media are the only villains in this. I think the readers of these rags should be holding their heads in shame.

[fred quimby]

I think the readers of these rags should be holding their heads in shame.

[russycarps]

true

been going on forever though, it's no modern thing. It appears we like a little bit of gossip about the famous. Only time I ever see it is if I pick up a metro on the bus on the way to work.

[fred quimby]

actually, I've just hacked your phone and note the last call you made was renewing your subscription to Heat magazine

GET HIM EVERYONE!

[russycarps]

Damn you and your clever ways. Lucky you didn't find the bath me as a baby and towel me dry with wire wool call. That would have not been good

[fred quimby]

You are Peter Dow and I claim my £5

[eFestivals]

something to do with expectations of how you might respond...?

maybe?

yeah probably. There's a lot of huge twats about that prefer to take aim at the messenger, and who are too stupid to realise that their gun is only loaded with blanks.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

In the middle of all this kerfuffle I just wonder;

What would Jade have done?

[fred quimby]

something to do with expectations of how you might respond...?

maybe?

[russycarps]

there wasn't a word of what Hugh Grant said that even vaguely implied he was comparing his situation to Millie Dowler. He also does next to no press/publicity. He helps the producers to promote a film. How does that equate to him being 'fair game' for unlimited intrusion. How about the mother of his child, is she fair game. How about the baby?

I have no reason to defend Hugh Grant, I'm defending what he says. The fact that it's Hugh Grant is irrelevant to me

[russycarps]

He's mentioned the case loads of times, but I've never heard him make any comparisons with him and the case. Any quotes handy?

[fred quimby]

mouth of a whopping great hypocrite.

[fred quimby]

he talked about his case, and also mentioned the Dowlers case.

That's enough for me.

[russycarps]

Why his he a hypocrite? you obviously follow his life so i wonder why the statement

[russycarps]

You are a Sun reader and I claim my £5

[russycarps]

my exact thoughts. Typical 'tabloid' responses

[russycarps]

If you'd heard what Grant was saying, he continually talked down his own personal situation, saying it was tittle-tattle. Talking about the same things in an interview isn't the same as comparing them.

You'd make a top tabloid journo

[russycarps]

I couldn't care less about Hugh Grant. I'm not a fan of any sort. I respect what he's saying on this subject... intrusion by the press.

If you let what is being said to be clouded by who's saying it, then you stop listening

[russycarps]

I don't think it is about revenge. Everything he says implies nothing of the sort.

Edited November 22, 2011 by russycarps

[fred quimby]

it's just a shame they are tarnished by hypocrisy