Category Archives: current affairs

Anders Breivik: Metro-Psycho

When I first saw the images of Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Breivik, the ones he had so helpfully included in his press pack that accompanied his ‘manifesto’, two thoughts immediately popped into my net-addled head: a) They look photoshopped. Especially the soft-focus glamour one in the Lacoste jumper with the collar turned up b) The ‘action …

August 3, 2011 – 3:46 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs, masculinity, metrosexy | Tagged , , , , | Comments (7)

Army Dreamers: A Backwards Salute to Recruitment Films

by Mark Simpson, The Guardian As a boy growing up in the 1960s and 70s I was raised to fight The Second World War all over again. Airfix models. Commando comics. Air tattoos in June. Watching The Battle of Britain and The Longest Day on telly with my dad, just so I’d know what to do …

August 11, 2010 – 4:30 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs, journalism, masculinity, popular culture, review | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

I Agree With Alex

By Mark Simpson So the Scots Nationalist Party has failed in its court action to force the BBC to include their leader Alex Salmond in the final TV leaders’ debate. Everyone south of the border working in politics and the media seems to be very much agreed that this was the ‘right’ outcome. Except for …

April 28, 2010 – 6:43 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs, politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (9)

Crims Ain’t Wot They Used To Be

Mark Simpson on the way public information films about policing and justice throw an arresting light on our recent past The London Times Some trace the demise of the British way of life to the day when RAC patrolmen stopped saluting. In fact, as Police and Thieves, a marvellous two-DVD collection of historical documentaries on …

February 13, 2010 – 1:21 am | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs, film | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Trysexuality — It’s Just For Girls

Last Sunday’s News of The World carried a ‘JORDAN’S LOVER BOMBSHELL’ expose on Jordan’s ‘hunky cage fighter boyfriend’ Alex Reid.  What was the bombshell?  He’s sexually open-minded. ‘“I’M TRY-SEXUAL: JORDAN’S MAN SAYS “I’LL TRY ANYTHING ONCE!’”’ was the shocking headline for the two page spread. The piece, cobbled together from interviews with ex-friends, and some snaps of him …

October 14, 2009 – 3:53 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs, masculinity, metrosexual | Tagged , , , | Comments (63)

Let’s Be Civil: Gay Marriage Isn’t The End of the Rainbow

by Mark Simpson (A shorter version originally appeared on Guardian CIF November 2, 2008) “It’s better to marry than burn with passion,” declared St Paul. But now marriage itself seems to have become a burning issue — or at least, gay marriage. The re-banning of gay marriage in California earlier this month with the passage of …

December 5, 2008 – 5:17 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in article, commentary, current affairs, journalism, metrosexual, popular culture, sex | Tagged , , , , | Comments (38)

Beijing Beckham

I’m still in shock after watching the handover to the London Olympics in Beijing. Please tell me it was a bad dream and that on your goggle-box you saw something much less horrifying. The Mayor of London Boris Johnson looked like he’d put on his worst suit — sorry, someone else’s worst suit — and …

August 27, 2008 – 12:07 am | By Mark Simpson | Posted in Beckham, commentary, current affairs | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

Larry Craig Found Not Guilty!

Well, not quite. But almost. Someone arrested in the same sting, using the same entrapment who decided to fight the charge — as Craig now wishes he had done — has been acquitted. Somehow I doubt this news story will get much coverage, because as everyone knows that Craig is GUILTY! and GAY! and a HYPOCRITE!, …

March 13, 2008 – 2:08 am | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

Larry Craig fights on — and best of British to him

Larry Craig has decided not to resign from the Senate after all and vowed to fight on, despite a judge’s rejection of his attempt to withdraw his guilty plea to the ‘disorderly conduct’ charge levelled at him after his arrest in that airport men’s room. ‘[the judge] rejected that as a good reason to withdraw the …

October 7, 2007 – 3:01 pm | By Mark Simpson | Posted in commentary, current affairs | Comments Off

Bin Laden’s Metro Makeover Betrays His Whereabouts

Retrosexuality Islamic stylee — which until recently was possibly the only un-ironic or non-fashion-accessorised kind of retrosexuality left — seems to be in a bad way in the Islamic heartland. Medievalism just isn’t what it used to be. Yesterday’s London Times carries a news feature on what’s termed “Pakistan’s metrosexual revolution”. The local Mullahs’ fatwahs on …

September 25, 2007 – 12:38 am | By Mark Simpson | Posted in Beckham, commentary, current affairs, masculinity, metrosexual | Comments Off