I had the misfortune to catch a little of the Graham Norton Show last night. I’ve nothing against him but this mixture of product promotion and light self depreciation on behalf of the guests has been going on for many, many years now, and Mr Norton must be bored of himself. At least the majority of the guests are famous for reasons other than reality tv.
I looked up when Barrack Obama and Bruce Springsteen (who looks genuinely weird, like he’s had his skin stretched over his skull) turned up to promote some coffee table book version of some self congratulatory podcast conversations they have had. Two archetypal old ‘liberals’ agreeing the **** out of each other by the look of it, and taking zero responsibility for the way the world is at the moment. Didn’t really listen but decided to look up what this was all about.
The book is called Renegades (which had me giggling instantly, Obama and Springsteen ‘renegades’!) and is a record of their deep conversations about things like masculinity and the ‘younger generations’ who they think are ‘on the right track’. The hysterical idea that the ‘younger generations’ are interested in being told what to think by these two old, privileged, boomers (and I speak as an old, relatively privileged, boomer) and that the way to reach them is via the Graham Norton Show and a coffee table book has obviously not crossed their minds.
The perils of ageing, and being surrounded by sycophants. These blokes were at one stage genuinely influential and potentially inspirational figures, but no longer and self awareness is clearly not a strong point. Shame.