Willi's Guide to Glitz and Glamour 1.1

Welcome along to the inaugral edition of 'Willi's Guide to Glitz and Glamour', this blog's commentary on the world of media and entertainment. This won't be an appreciation or review of the latest Doctor Who episode or update on who I think will win Celebrity Big Brother though they may get a mention. I'll be focusing on a variety of stories breaking in the realms of TV, radio, cinema and literature though I'm going to try and avoid being too sensationalist. I'll try. It is titled 'glitz and glamour' after all.

BBC Radio 5Live has a collection of trading faces in early 2010. Richard Bacon, who has strenuously denied being a contestant in the next Celeb BB, will be taking the mid-afternoon slot previously occupied by Simon Mayo who will take up presenting duties on Radio 2's drivetime show. Bacon may be seen as a somewhat downmarket replacement for an afternoon position, especially compared to the informative and effortless Mayo, however he has built up a strong niche following. Presenting 5Live's weeknight evening slot, his 'Special Half Hour' before the show's close is probably the type of item best reserved for a late-night cult following rather than a serious mainstream programme. It will be interesting to hear how Bacon presents serious news stories and whether he will steer away from his love of celebrity culture, no matter how tongue in cheek this may be.

Meanwhile I notice that hard-boiled invesitagtor Donal MacIntrye has been presenting Up All Night. Is Rhod Sharp on holiday? I'd only known about Donal through the investigative pieces that were shown on TV before listening to a similar programme of his on 5Live that is broadcast on Sunday evenings. The last few evenings he's been hosting Up All Night and whilst he may not be in the same calibre as Mr. Sharp, it'll be interesting to see how his sound develops fronting a lengthy show with plenty of air-time to fill.

Switching to TV and Eastenders was a predictable ratings hit over the holiday period. No doubt the main contributing factor was the festive cheer afforded to it's long suffering viewers (I count myself as one of them) through the murder of the villainous Archie Mitchell. Those 11 million or so who tuned in must have leapt with delight as the bust of Queen Victoria was thrust upon everyone's favourite TV sociopath. The inquest resembles the famous Simpsons 'Who Shot Mr. Burns' double-bill with nearly everyone in Walford having a valid reason to eradicate the blight of Archie Mitchell. From the blackmailed Ian Beale, hoping that wife Jayne wouldn't find the sex-tape made with Archie's woman scorned, Janine Butcher, to lovely Bradley whose hopelessly mis-matched love interest (Stacey) is pregnant by the poisionous pensioner. I really can't recall when the two slept together! Working in an environment littered with cheap magazines, anxious to ruin and reveal all of the soap storylines, it's not often too difficult to disseminate from their crude title headlines what is going to happen. I'm desperately trying to keep my eyes firmly on the floor in an attempt to not succumb to temptation of spoiling months of viewing.

My parents are traditional types and every week they have delivered their copy of the Radio Times which throughout the years I've also taken an interest in. Having moved away, the only time I will buy a television guide is at Christmas when I purchase the aforementioned publication. RT has become incredibly self-congratulatory when describing it's Christmas issue as 'legendary' though to a degree I cannot argue with this boast. Christmas is THE time of year when television supposedly comes into its own and we're treated to a concentration of new drama, comedy, entertainment and film that is generally much higher than at any other time. So holding the thick wedge that is the RT Christmas edition and turning it's pages, I am often captivated and full of anticipation. However I have bought into this hype for the last couple of years and never really found that any of the tele-visual 'gems' held my attention once I'd switched on. Despite my best intentions, the RT's pages are soon overlooked.

I'm not particularly a fan of current sitcoms (though I will admit the guilty pleasure of liking Miranda. Is that wrong?) so their Christmas specials hold no sway with me. Plus I can't be bothered to sit through three hours of countdowns involving 'xyz of the decade' with inane contributions from people desperate to have their fifteen minutes of fame. So I switched back to my radio. Now, I know I've mentioned 5Live already but I shall do again. One of the more startling events in the Christmas broadcasting schedule that I tuned into was the documentary piece entitled James, My Alcoholic Friend with likeable posho and former tennis player, Annabel Croft. It was Christmas Eve and venturng back towards the Home Counties along a bitterly cold M25, I pondered that this was a slightly bizarre early evening Christmas item, especially since I'd been previously listening to other stations pontificating on the usual fluff and who's bought the wife what and 'how are your last minute preparations for the big day going?'

The premise was that Croft had spent ten days sleeping rough in London (oh, the poor lamb, you must be thinking) and met James, a down on his luck fellow who had all the usual addictions. Obviously taken in by the chap, apparently a linguist who spoke five languages, count 'em, therefore he must be the right sort, she endeavours to trace him and see how he is getting on having heard of his descent into alcoholism when they initially met. The journey, sincere enough, is the typical trawl through the streets surrounded by the more undeserving poor and zombie-like creatures who regail a shocked Croft with stories of how James had taken their drink money and spent it on himself. Attempts at tracking James down were proving fruitless and I was beginning to wonder how many more junctions I could pass listening to the endless throng of people tell a distraught Annabel Croft that a man who used all his money to buy drink, ripped off his mates and had even been spotted with two black eyes, could well have passed away.

As it turned out, he wasn't dead and had been staying at a rehabilitation centre in Weston-Super-Mare. As his condition improved, we began to learn more about how his life as a Spanish rep and the constant pressure of forcing people to be happy and have a good time had been the forerunner to his own problems. Eventually, Croft and James go to visit his parents in Scotland and James tries to re-establish contact with his children. Despite criticism that the show became over-dramatised, long-winded and perhaps even slightly patronising, I thought it was a refreshing listen. It cut through the Christmas cheese and encroached upon the darker underbelly of the season.

That's it for now. Next week I'll be taking a look at more of what we can expect in the new year and examining what's making the entertainment headlines. Celebrity BB starts next week. Can I resist?

Focus on 2010: New Structure for the 'Collected Thoughts'

Hi everyone,

As mentioned in a previous post, there are going to be a few changes round here. The Collected Thoughts is to have a new structure which will be reviewed periodically to ensure I'm providing the content people wish to read. News, entertainment, arts and culture and of course, Wycombe Wanderers F.C are all to be 'sectioned' as it were, with regular publication guidelines rather than the random assortment of articles that have been in place so far. So here is a quick run-down on what you can expect to see from the new year onwards. You may detect a theme in the section titles...

Willi's Wycombe

Publication frequency: Every two-three weeks.

Similar to the existing Wycombe Wanderers blogs, there will be an updated blog every two-three weeks focusing on all things WWFC. I'll be giving the exile's perspective on the results, performances, transfers and goings on at the club throughout the season.

Willi's Guide to Glitz and Glamour

Publication frequency: Weekly.

Every week, I'll be providing a brief overview and commentary on what's caught my eye in the world of entertainment. Featuring insights into TV, film and radio, this is the alternative enterainment blog, not the musings of a reviewer or telly addict. I'll be following the shows, stories and people who shape contemporary entertainment.

Willi's News Review

Publication frequency: Weekly

A weekly condensed commentary on the news stories that have hit the headlines locally (to Bournemouth), nationally (UK) and globally. The main stories will be covered as well as some that you may have missed.

WilliWycombe; A Cultural Odyssey

Publication frequency: Monthly

Once a month, there will be an article focusing on a specific arts and culture theme, figure or story. Spanning the worlds of music, language, literature, travel etc, these feature pieces will aim to cover the whole cultural tapestry.

There we have it, the Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special will enjoy a structural overhaul in the comings weeks. I've very much enjoyed writing the blog in 2009 after a somewhat long hiatus in 2008 however it had become a disorganised mish-mash of various subjects and themes. Also, I'm hoping to get a monthly 'best of the blog' podcast up and running. I welcome any contributions, ideas, music that anyone may wish to provide. In the meantime, watch this space and happy reading.

WilliWycombe

All Work and No Play for Wycombe Wanderers At Christmas

The traditional Christmas fixtures are something uniquely special in England with most other European leagues opting for a mid-season break. The prospect of up to three games in a week over the holiday period is something many fans across the country savour. The schedule for Wycombe Wanderers will be no less intense with a Boxing Day trip to face Yeovil Town followed just two days later by a crucial home tie against fellow relegation battlers, Brighton & Hove Albion. The trio of matches is completed by the visit of an illustrious and upwardly mobile Norwich City side, managed by former Blues boss, Paul Lambert.

Since beating Stockport at home a few weeks ago, Wycombe haven't quite pushed on as well as they would have wished. With Stockport facing a continued financial crisis and looking doomed, one of Wycombe's big relegation rivals Tranmere rejuvenated and a whole melee of teams above all taking points from one another, it's vital that Wycombe make up ground over the next week. Following their last victory, Wycombe went down 1-0 at Carlisle United and drew 2-2 at home with Oldham Athletic. The Blues will be especially frustrated with the Oldham result and the other ramifications that have followed the game. It all seemed to be going so well when John Akinde finally found the net in his second loan spell at the club and put the Blues 1-0 up. Akinde was then sent off for elbowing Oldham defender Sean Gregan and will now miss the Christmas programme. Matt Harrold's penalty salvaged a late draw however last year's top scorer still appears to be struggling in coming to terms with League One football.

Akinde's absence may prove a blessing for Jon Paul-Pittman who could finally receive a run of games though he'll need the assistance of Harrold and the creative influences of Kevin Betsy and Matt Phillips to provide him with adequate service. Certainly the next two matches could be considered 'six-pointers' and hopefully a good result against Yeovil will be the catalyst that finally propels Wycombe out of the relegation zone as they head into the new year.

Merry Christmas from the 'Collected Thoughts'

Dear readers,

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from the Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special! Look out for some exciting changes to the blog in 2010 with many articles being syndicated through ezines.com as well (TBC). In the coming weeks, I'll be reformatting the content so that it's in clearly defined sections such as ones for news opinion, entertainment and of course, the Wycombe Wanderers section too. Hopefully this will make content easier to find and maybe even a add a touch of professionalism rather than having just the random assortment of pieces I'd assembled whilst experimenting with the blog. Don't forget, you can follow me on twitter too, just look up 'williwycombe' and if you ever feel the need to get in touch by email, simply drop me a line to willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk. I hope you've enjoyed reading this blog in its embryonic form and if you have any hints or suggestions you'd like to make then as always, I'd love to hear from you.

WilliWycombe

Great Expectations of the Celebrity Kind

Let's face it. Famous people are filth, aren't they? We hero-worship them, buy the merchandise they endorse, line their pockets and some people (see Tiger Woods' 'transgressions') even take their adoration of celebrity further and sleep with the buggers. Or get choked by them (see Ronnie Wood and young Russian lover). Yes, this past week has hopefully proved once and for all that famous people are a bunch of overpaid, egotistical maniacs. They seem to care little for the consequences of their actions (unless they get caught) and they have all the nasty failings we do, sometimes being even more exaggerated than your average Joe.

But they can still cheat on the wife, pass around 17 year old fans like sexual trophies and exhibit all manner of deviant behavior and we'll still fawn over them. It might take a while but as long as they have a wily PR team and don't 'do an OJ' or a 'Gary Glitter', we'll forgive them. After all, they're only human like the rest of us and it's their other talents that we admire them for. Basically, you can be a womanising (Clinton, Ashley Cole, Woods), woman beating (Tyson, Ronnie Wood) cretin but we'll view these flaws as quirks that merely re-affirm our shared humanity.

Of course, it's ridiculous to assume that those in the limelight are the moral bastions of society. Indeed, in their high pressure environments coupled with the sense of power they exude, they're probably more likely to fall foul of a multitude of sins. So why are we always so surprised when a figure we've awarded celebrity status is found to be less than perfect? We like to believe that somehow famous people, talented famous people at least, can provide the mythical role models we aspire to be whilst retaining a position of moral cleanliness.

The obvious truth is that celebrity indiscretions mirror those of the 'real world' and the great expectations we have, whilst perhaps being noble in intention, are unfeasible in practice. Not all celebrities and not all of us norms are doomed to indulge in the darker side of life though some of us will no doubt flirt with temptation and learn from those mistakes. The only difference is that if you're caught as a celebrity, the world will hear about it and you'll be pilloried in the public eye. It's time to remove the pedestal of celebrity values and concentrate on our own responsibilities and be less concerned with the misdemeanors of the rich and famous.

Waddock Makes His Mark on Wycombe

Wycombe Wanderers have now won three of their last four games and are revitalised under the stewardship of Gary Waddock. The Blues' recent form has brought fresh optimism that they may be able to beat the drop and survive their first season back in League One for five years. What's more, even your esteemed writer has been able to see the last two games, up close and personal at St. Mary's and Adams Park.

On-loan veteran winger Gareth Ainsworth arrived from Queens Park Rangers for a month to help kick-off the Waddock revolution in earnest, inspiring Wycombe to an impressive 2-0 away win at Millwall. The Blues followed this up with by beating relegation rivals Brentford 1-0 at Adams Park before their winning run was ended by a dominant Southampton side who ran out 1-0 winners on the south-coast. In a proverbial 'six-pointer', Wycombe came from behind to win 2-1 at home against Stockport to keep them in touch with those around them and send the Hatters to the bottom of the table.

In truth, Wycombe were outclassed in their encounter with Southampton and could have lost heavily were it not for the Saints' wastefulness in front of goal. If Wycombe fans were underwhelmed by a performance in which they struggled to retain possession and create a meaningful attack, they will be ecstatic with the character shown against Stockport. County scored with their only decent chance and it looked as if Wycombe were going to be dealt a cruel blow in their fight for survival. Instead, they displayed courage and spirit and the impressive Chris Westwood powered in the equaliser with a strong header reminiscent of his recent goal against Millwall. Scott Davies' winner typified the young midfielder's drive and eye for goal. Occasionally he will shoot wildly however his potential is evident and his talent is quickly being honed by playing first-time football.

As mentioned in the previous Wanderers blog, Gary Waddock isn't afraid of making necessary changes, regardless of individual reputation. Club captain and former Premier League star Michael Duberry found himself on the bench against Stockport with the returning Westwood forming a strong partnership in the centre of defence with the ever-improving Luke Oliver. Likewise, Ian Westlake was given a starting berth against Southampton but failed to impress and Matt Phillips found himself in the line-up to face Stockport and his pace and trickery had a major impact on the game. With Betsy and Phillips on both wings, Wycombe have two exciting outlets alongside Davies in the centre with John Mousinho or Tommy Doherty breaking up play.

Recent performances have been encouraging as Wycombe enter the intense Christmas period where they will play another 4 games before the end of the month. Their attacking intent is beginning to be complimented by solid defensive play and if Gareth Ainsworth extends his loan, the Blues will benefit even more from his quality and experience. Blues fans are daring to dream however Wycombe will need to ensure their performances match the enthusiasm and effort they displayed against Stockport and that they retain the same cohesion in their play. The escape starts here.


WilliWycombe is an exile from the fair town of High Wycombe and does not get to many games. His opinions are those of the exile, on the outside looking in and should be treated thusly.