Grandpa Garth Does it Again
Grandpa Garth has another beaut of a column in today’s Herald. This time Mr George takes some time to blow his own trumpet over a recent, no doubt inspiring and engaging, “talk” he gave to a few 7th form students. NZ Pundit expects it contained many nostalgic references to those by gone times when women wore aprons and a man’s house was his castle, and a healthy scattering of those politically incorrect quips Grandpas and Grandmas often make. Mr George notes:
“And the feedback I received from the teacher was that the class loved my talk because “he’s so down to earth”. As one who is comfortable in his own skin and, more importantly, in his own mind, I am in the habit of speaking plainly, as readers of this column will have observed”
You sure do speak plainly Mr George. You sure do. Anyway, Mr George then goes on to elucidate the obvious conclusion that the students’ enjoyment of his “talk” was solely due to their upbringing in this “era of political correctness”.
Yet more proof that good journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space.
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Garth George: The Great-Grandfather Of NZ Journalism
Garth George, allegedly the only nonagenarian working in New Zealand journalism, reminds me somewhat of Victor Muldrew from One Foot In The Grave, longing for a return to the good ol’ days while the world continues to move forward without him. Poor guy. The latest issue to get Garth’s Y-fronts in a knot is the controversy surrounding the “secret” recordings made at National’s recent conference. Decrying this incident in today’s Herald, Garth says:
“Politics in New Zealand, despicable as it has been for decades, has reached a new low with the secret taping of private conversations at last weekend’s National Party conference”
Well actually Garth, I thought that low would have been reached when National’s mates the Exclusive Brethren decided to wage a secret campaign against Labour at the last election. Or when National’s mates the Exclusive Brethren paid private investigators to follow Helen Clark and dig up dirt on her. Or when National’s mate Ian Wishart launched his vicious attack on Helen Clark and her husband. Or when secret recordings of Mike Williams were made at Labour’s election congress earlier this year. But then again, it is well known that, like the National Party, geriatrics do have a relatively short and selective memory, so we’ll let you off for that one Garth.
Garth then takes a swipe at those media scoundrels, even his own employer, saying:
“And why the media, including this newspaper, would deign to use word for word such questionable material, and in addition do their damnedest to attribute to the victims, deputy leader Bill English and party veteran Lockwood Smith, some hidden and sinister political programme”
It seems that under that stern exterior, Mr George has a rather soft spot for poor National Party MPs caught, albeit “questionably”, lying to the public. They are, after all, simply “victims” of some bigger scheme to ensure the public is properly informed before they decide New Zealand’s next government. Garth then rambles and rants a bit about “principles”, “turncoats”, “odiums” and other such 17th century phenomena, before finishing up with a nice little anecdote from MacBeth.
You’ve certainly earned your super wine biscuit and afternoon nap today, Garth. Good on ya mate!
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