December 19, 2020

"DON’T waste time preparing stuff. People aren’t tuning in to hear what you’ve prepped, they’re tuning in to hear what comes naturally."

"Again, I have no idea why. People are idiots. Especially people who listen to podcasts. But it’s great because it means you don’t have to do any work. And work, as you two know full well, is for losers.... DO be vile to each other. People love that.... DON’T worry if everything you say feels boring and irrelevant. All podcasts are boring and irrelevant. They’re meant to be. DON’T get all depressed when you listen back and it’s rubbish and it makes you feel like you’re only doing a podcast because everyone else is doing a podcast. Everyone feels like that because everyone is only doing a podcast because everyone else is doing a podcast. DON’T worry that you won’t know how to do it because you’ve never listened to a podcast yourself. Nobody has ever listened to a podcast apart from their own. That’s why everyone has to do their own podcast."

Writes Giles Coren, advising Prince Harry on how to do that new podcast he's getting paid millions to do with his wife (in the London Times). 

Here's the podcast Giles Coren does with his wife, "Giles Coren Has No Idea ("Each week Giles Coren finds himself with no idea what to write about in his weekly column. Having read all the papers and found nothing of interest whatsoever, he takes a break and does the school run. That’s where his wife and fellow journalist Esther Walker comes in. Upon his return, Esther has half a dozen ideas she’s spotted ready to knock around with him over the kitchen table and a much needed pot of coffee"). 

I had to look up "the school run." It's parents driving their kids to school. Never heard that before. I guessed it was... oh, why write it out when I could ad lib about it in my podcast.

25 comments:

RK said...

...Prince Harry on how to do that new podcast he's getting paid millions to do with his wife

Is this a sign that podcasts have jumped the shark?

Fernandinande said...

Prince Harry and the Philosopher's Podcast
Prince Harry and the Podcast of Secrets
Prince Harry and the Podcasts of Azkaban
Prince Harry and the Podcast of Fire
Prince Harry and the Order of the Podcast
Prince Harry and the Half-Baked Podcast
Prince Harry and the Deathly Podcast

Kate said...

A fun little romcom, Morning Glory, has Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton as a morning show team. They have no ratings until they accidentally snipe at each other on the air, and it's all uphill after that.

Yes, be spontaneous. And please be mean. It's been a winning formula for a long time.

Wince said...

Makes me think Rogan broke through based on guests and interviewing skills.

tcrosse said...

Giles Coren is the son of Alan Coren, who was very funny, indeed.

Jorg Jorgensen said...

If you decide to go down the Coren rabbit hole, there is lots awaiting you. His father was a well know columnist and TV personality, his sister, Victoria, is a game show host and frequent guest of UK panel shows. Her husband, David Mitchell, is an actor, comedian and one of the best panel show guests on UK Tav. He us also a team captain on Would I Lie to You (yes, a panel show). He is also a columnist for The Guardian, I be,ieve. His team work with Robert Webb resulted in several good shows, including The Peep Show which featured his college friend Olivia Coleman, now Queen Elizabeth in The Crown. Loads awaits you on YouTube and the web.

wild chicken said...

Sounds like a load all right.

wild chicken said...

I'll stick with Althouse and the Wright-Kaus thing.

Temujin said...

Giles Coren (never heard of him) rules for life:

1) People are idiots.
2) People who listen to podcasts are especially so.
3) Not doing any work is the highest standard.
4) Striving to be vile is how you achieve your goals.
5) Understand that podcasts are meant to be boring and irrelevant. Strive to be that as much as possible.
6) I believe that everybody is doing a podcast. So it must be so. At least, everybody that I know, or by definition, those who are important in this world.
7) Nobody has ever listened to a podcast apart from their own. (Don't tell that to SiriusXM who is paying Joe Rogan gargantuan amounts of money hoping people are listening and liking his podcasts.)

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

That people would give 2 poops about Prince Harry and his creepy wife...

sad. Please try not to. Resist.

Sebastian said...

"work, as you two know full well, is for losers"

True. But Harry could misunderstand.

Anyway, should we still celebrate democracy when pop culture takes another turn for the worse? Should H&M fans have the right to vote?

On the other other hand, I can imagine their podcasts providing a lot of good material for Althouse.

Lurker21 said...

People are idiots. Especially people who listen to podcasts.

Also good for a laugh, especially coming from a blog with a daily podcast.

Giles Coren is an attention whore and an a-hole. His cousin, Michael Coren is okay, I guess.

Mikey NTH said...

A school run is like a beer run, but without beer, and with kids.

Ann Althouse said...

"A school run is like a beer run, but without beer, and with kids."

Then it should be called a kid run. You don't bring school home.

JML said...

Hmmm, after reading his advice, maybe I could do a podcast now that I'm retired. I'll start thinking about it after my midday nap. Tomorrow. Or Monday. Whatever. Maybe not. I have (too) much to think about...

robother said...

Harry and Meghan watch the Crown. I could see watching that.

Joe Smith said...

"Makes me think Rogan broke through based on guests and interviewing skills."

I think Rogan's skill is letting interesting people actually talk. Hannity, on the other hand...

"Then it should be called a kid run. You don't bring school home."

In Soviet Russia, school comes home to you!

wildswan said...

Isn't this advice, masquerading as cynical realism, just a round about way of insulting Prince Harry? To get a better understanding of how this literary form of insult works, substitute an American example, e.g., Dr. Jill Biden, as recipient of this advice.

"Look, Dr. Jill Biden, DON’T waste time preparing stuff... Anyone who listens to you is an idiot but people are idiots so that's great for you, Dr. Jill Biden, because there's a ready made audience of idiots for your drivel and THAT, Dr. Jill Biden, means you don’t have to do any work to communicate. And work, Dr. Jill Biden, as you and Hunter's Dad know full well, is for losers. ... DON’T worry, Dr. Jill Biden, if everything you say feels boring and irrelevant and DON’T get all depressed when you listen back and it’s rubbish as it will be. That's podcasting and it's glorious, Dr. Jill Biden, and you're made for it."

This is just an educational example, showing how the English can use a literary device when they seem merely quite rough and ready. Tropes and figures of rhetoric were central to an education in political speaking in Roman times and the English studied the Romans to advantage. We can do the same in those long Covid hours.

Mikey NTH said...

Sorry Althouse, kid run sounds like you're purchasing kids, and who would want that, where beer run is going to the store for beer - and whatever else is on the shopping list for the party.

This is what the soberest people at the party say "Going on a beer run - anyone want anything?"* and then off you go.

*30 years ago we did that, I doubt much has changed.

Mikey NTH said...

Remove the "Sorry Althouse" and replace with "Althouse". I got a little too snarky there, I think.

Achilles said...

""DON’T waste time preparing stuff. People aren’t tuning in to hear what you’ve prepped, they’re tuning in to hear what comes naturally.""


This is pure garbage. The sheep tune in to hear what the elites are blabbering at them. This advice stems from the fact that ratings don't matter to the elites that are paying him millions.

Control of the culture is what matters to them.

Pawning on a complete failure like Prince Harry is exactly that. Are there many human being more pathetic and worthless than Prince Harry? Is there anyone I would less want a son to emulate than Prince Harry?

1. Born into unimaginable wealth and comfort.
2. Couldn't even deal with the small responsibilities placed on him.
3. Ran off with an evil witch.
4. Completely cucking out to the woke ideology.

And that is where we get to the whole point of this story: Prince William is exactly what they want everyone to think of when they think of White Males.

tcrosse said...

1.5 Prince Harry served in the Army for ten years, rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan.

Joe Smith said...

"1.5 Prince Harry served in the Army for ten years, rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan."

I give both the boys credit for being in the military and actually doing something...not just entertaining the troops or smoking crack.

Other than that, Harry is a moron.

Unfortunately, he got Charles' (lack of) brains, even though that may not be his actual father : )

stlcdr said...

Ann Althouse said...
"A school run is like a beer run, but without beer, and with kids."

Then it should be called a kid run. You don't bring school home.

12/19/20, 11:22 AM


I think kids are secondary to the operation; sometimes you forget a kid or two. Unlike beer; you will never forget beer...

Sam L. said...

I don't listen to podcasts, and THAT one in particular. Good reason for NEVER.