It’s not even been a month since comedian, TV personality and drag icon Paul O’Grady sadly passed away and while there have been countless touching tributes since his death, one of the biggest responses has been to an old clip of his passionate speech from back in 2010.
The Birkenhead-born comic who rose to fame as Lily Savage was always one to wear Merseyside on his sleeve, as well as his left-wing politics and support for the Labour Party, so when this old clip from his self-titled show resurfaced, it’s no surprise it soon started trending.
Responding to the Conservatives ‘austerity’ budget 13 years ago, when David Cameron was Prime Minister and George Osbourne Chancellor, the broadcaster went on to deliver a humorous but equally powerful message about the trying times the UK was going through at the time.
It won’t be lost on you how poignant this impassioned speech still feels:
Paul O’Grady takes on the “Austerity Budget” live on TV in 2010…
“We should let them know that we are not taking these draconian cuts lightly”. pic.twitter.com/AQt4XcmOAG
It’s quite telling just how much of this still applies today.
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As you can see, O’Grady had plenty to say regarding the 2010 cuts and the austerity budget that bears such a striking resemblance to the cost of living crisis that the majority of Britain is currently going through.
Remarking that it’s “always the poor what gets the blame” and quipping “vive la révolution” as he urges his viewers to take the streets and protest their resistance to the cuts, the gist of his message wouldn’t go a miss in 2023, especially given the flurry of strikes and anti-government sentiment at this time.
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The rousing speech serves as a timely reminder that Paul O’Grady was more than just the funny bloke off the telly who loved dogs, he was an avid campaigner for the working class, the LGBTQIA+ community and anyone he felt needed looking after.
Politics aside, that’s all an ethos we can get behind. Rest in peace to a legend and a lovely man.
Better Man has bombed at the box office – but is the Robbie Williams biopic any good?
Danny Jones
So, Robbie Williams’ biopic Better Man has been out for a little while now and the question on many people’s lips – you know, apart from ‘why is he a monkey?’ – is, quite simply, is it any good?
Many of you may have already seen it, others may have absolutely no interest in hearing about Robbie‘s already well-publicised exploits (be they in ape form or otherwise), or maybe you’ve just been waiting to hear whether it’s any good before heading out to the cinema.
Well, if you’re judging it purely by the current headlines circulating online, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s absolute rubbish. So far, Better Man has ‘tanked’ at the box office, making just over $1 million compared to a budget of nearly $110m (£90.8m).
However, given how pivotal the US viewing figures are, a big chunk of the commercial disappointment has come down to Americans largely not knowing who Robbie Williams even is and it’s no surprise that it’s done a little better here in the UK – though still not stellar. But again, ticket sales aside, is it good?
Better Man – Review
I wasn’t sure a (very good) CGI monkey Robbie Williams film was going to be any good either based solely on the trailer, but they nailed it.
*Once again, some spoilers ahead – though it is his life story, so we’re not really spoiling anything…
I’ll start this off by admitting that for all his foibles and controversies of the years, I am a Robbie fan; his music was always on in my house as a kid and well into my teens. Being born in the mid-90s, he was probably one of the first big pop stars to ever enter my world.
Growing up obsessed with football too, a charismatic, mainstream rock and roll-spirited figure in the mainstream who also loved the beautiful game and even took influence from chants heard around the grounds in his songwriting always made him extra appealing to me.
All that is just to say that I’m fully aware there’s probably some bias here, so I’ll still try to be as impartial and ‘objective’ as you can be with a film review. But back to the point, the short answer is yes: it’s good – very good, in my opinion.
If you’re similarly fond of the frenetic, funny and ferocious showman, you’ll obviously have a vested interest in looking back on his career thru a (somewhat simian) Lens, but even if you’re not, I still think you can get a lot of of the film and a greater insight into a captivating life story.
Monkey see, monkey do—make me sad, very sad…
This scene (among many) had us welling up. (Credit: Paramount Pictures)
For starters, put simply: as daft as it may seem, the monkey thing does work. It may come across like a strange gimmick when you first see the trailers but it doesn’t take much digging to realise that there’s quite a well-thought-out three-pronged approach behind it.
One of the first things the 50-year-old singer said on the press tour for this film is that he’s always felt “unevolved” and it’s something that’s brought up a couple of times in the film itself, so making him an ape rather than a modern Homo sapien is one way to way to communicate that.
Plus, not only does it obviously make any sad moments – and there are a lot of them – even more emotional and tear-jerking, especially during the scenes during Robbie’s childhood, but it also plays into the sad reality that he’s felt like a performing monkey for the majority of his life.
When you stop and think about the reasoning behind it feels a lot more considered than on first impression, and it certainly helps you empathise and, more importantly, sympathise with the troubled character you’re seeing on screen.
Robert vs Robbie
A very clever movie poster to boot.
And that’s pretty much the rub right there: this was always going to be at least a somewhat self-indulgent watch, not just because it’s a biopic but because it’s Robbie and that’s what his persona is about – but it is and always has been a performance in every sense of the word and the film does a great job of trying to distinguish ‘Robbie’ from Robert.
From seeing the origins behind being given that name specifically, his younger years and affectionate albeit mostly fraught relationship with his father; how the boom of Take That engulfed his entire world and even more so once he went solo, as well as the version of himself he’s shown to the world for last three decades, it’s clear he’s often struggled to find the line between the two himself.
It’s also very important to state the cheeky, cocksure Robbie Williams you were expecting to watch the rise of throughout this biopic has wrestled with a much lower opinion of himself than you could ever imagine. It’s a driving force behind the film and manifests in all manner of problematic and unpleasant ways, just as it did in real life. You see him see a lot of them in the crowd throughout the duration, in fact.
Because for anyone who isn’t aware, a lot of Robbie’s experiences are problematic and unpleasant; the early days as a boyband commodity, his substance abuse, struggles with mental health and beyond are all laid bare on screen in fairly graphic detail at times. A lot of the situations these issues spring from would feel hard to believe were it not for the fact it’s a true story with very little embellishment, if at all.
Manchester references are a bonus
One of the things that did stand out as a particularly surreal aspect of the film was the handful of references to Robbie’s intersection with Mancunian culture, which simultaneously felt familiar and somehow like going back in time to peep behind the curtain at a world that very few saw first-hand.
Again, the behind-the-scenes examination of how Take That transpired and those very dangerous, inappropriate and frankly unlawful series of events in nightclubs over on the likes of Canal Street feels like a fever dream (as it did for Robbie).
Perhaps the biggest buzz we got was the not-so-surprise appearance by the Gallagher brothers and ‘The Robster’s obsession with Oasis. The look is exactly what you’d expect and Liam‘s accent might not be perfect but it still gave us a thrill without feeling like pointless lip service.
All that being said, is the much-talked Robbie biopic a good enough film to warrant popping out to the pictures? Well, I’d certainly say so. Not only are the visuals and the CGI itself pretty flawless, but the motion capture is done so well that it never felt like I was taken out of the film at any point – even the very particular Stoke and Cheshire accents of Robbie and Gary Barlow are very convincing.
We knew there was going to be lots of humour too but there’s also a lot of impressive stuff the director does that I wasn’t expecting.
One of those is the transitions: there are lots of clever tonal switches done with great camerawork and effects (particularly during one driving sequence and some of the flashback frames) and they really do help covertly shift the mood so some of the darker moments don’t give you full on whiplash.
And lastly, the director’s fingerprints can be felt all over the movie as Michael Gracey’s The Greatest Showman pedigree certainly makes sections of the film feel more like a musical than I was expecting – but in a good way. Big bold cabaret choreography fitting of the man himself.
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After all, we all know most Robbie tunes are bangers but seeing them brought to life in these new and interesting ways really does make Better Man a better film than we’d even hoped for and it’s certainly good enough to be performing a lot better than it is at the box office right now. Maybe give it a go.
As far as I’m concerned, big stunning set pieces like this are just the tip when it comes to what makes the Robbie biopic a good film.
Featured Images — Paramount Pictures/Chrysalis Records
TV & Showbiz
You can watch The Traitors finale on a big screen in Manchester next week
Emily Sergeant
The finale of The Traitors is hitting our TV screens next week, and there’s a big screening party happening in Manchester especially for it.
Fancy sitting down to watch one of the cultural events of the year on a big screen with dozens of others who are just as invested in the show as you are? Well, now you can.
The third series of hit BBC reality competition show, The Traitors, has undeniably captured the attentions of the nation yet again since it first aired on New Year’s Day, and viewers have been tuning in in their millions to watch the three episodes each week ever since, as well as taking to social media to share their thoughts and weigh in on every little twist and turn.
But if you’re keen to watch the finale surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd of fans, then one of Manchester’s newest social venues is giving you the chance to do just that.
Back by popular demand after last year’s event at the neighbouring GRUB, Fairfield Social Club, just outside the city centre, is hosting its very-own The Traitors Finale Screening Party next Friday.
It’s hosted by viral internet sensations – and The Traitors fans – Sam O’Leary and Tom Lawrinson.
Kicking off from 7pm, this themed event will feature sketches, prizes, and loads of Traitors-inspired fun, all before watching the final on a big screen so you can see the drama unfold right as it happens.
You can watch The Traitors finale on a big screen in Manchester next week / Credit: BBC | Supplied
If all of that wasn’t brilliant enough as it is, there’ll be even free drinks on offer for anyone who comes dressed in a cloak, or with a solid Claudia Winkleman-esque fringe.
Fancy dress is optional, but who can say no to a free drink?
The Traitors Finale Screening Party is happening down at Fairfield Social Club next Friday 24 January from 7pm, and tickets are now on sale for £15.
Danny Jones -
21st April 2023 
