Friday, May 28, 2010

Sarah Ferguson to apologize on "Oprah" next Tuesday -- and Hail Britannia on BBC World Service to discuss


So Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and self-appointed fixer for royal access, is getting a huge career boost: She is getting 10 minutes on "Oprah" next Tuesday to tell her side of the story to an American audience.

I'll definitely be watching as I've been contacted by the BBC World Service again to offer my opinion on Ferguson's appearance and expected apology. (The BBC show will probably run on Wednesday, June 2. I'll post more details as soon as I get them.) Will she make a similar apology in the UK, where the British are far more annoyed with her behavior than Americans seem to be? Is her "Oprah" appearance part of a carefully crafted plan to win sympathy with American viewers as Ferguson's only hope for future success is here in America? (She may be hard pressed to improve her financial situation in Britain at the moment given how she seems universally loathed and reviled by the public.) And I hope she tells us how her ex-husband and two daughters are coping with her disgrace; I'd love to hear what the Queen thinks too, but that may be wishful thinking on my part.

Sarah certainly hasn't been hiding for the last week. She was in Los Angeles earlier this week to collect an award for her charity work (where she received a big round of applause from the audience), and she's now in New York at the Book Expo America conference doing PR for her children's book. I give her credit for not hiding, but I do wish she'd stop saying she "hates adults and loves children," a veiled snipe at her recent troubles. Although I think Ferguson's in a tough place and I'm quite sure she adores children, she's brought trouble on herself by acting more like a child and less like an adult. Harsh words, but there you go.

Stay tuned ... and do add your comments below. I'm especially curious to hear your opinions on Ferguson's upcoming "Oprah" appearance.

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Duchess of York is not having a good week


... and it's her own damn fault, say a great many people on both sides of the Atlantic. The Duchess, the former wife of Prince Andrew -- who happens to be an unpaid trade ambassador for the U.K. -- was caught in a sting set up by a British tabloid as she tried to sell access to her former husband. (The video is here.) The scandal hit the papers this weekend, and now Sarah is tearfully apologizing to the press for her involvement in this scheme.

I think it's interesting how The News of the World, the tabloid that set up the sting, has positioned Prince Andrew as an innocent bystander in this mess, even though Sarah Ferguson (that's the Duchess) suggests that Andrew knows about her wheeling-and-dealing and even suggested the £500,000 figure as Sarah's payout. Of course, Sarah could by lying through her teeth, but she could be telling the truth -- after all, they've got an oddly close relationship for a divorced couple. At any rate, supposedly The News of the World has a staunch Royalist readership, so this could be the reason they're letting the royals off scot free on this scandal.

Knives are drawn for Sarah this week, and I wonder how she'll get through this mess. Reports have been flying about for the past couple months that she's on the verge of bankruptcy. And yes, I will admit I feel a bit sorry for her even though her latest downfall is down to her own poor decision making (what the hell was she thinking? Did she learn nothing from the Countess of Wessex's experience with The News of the World?) and she's got so many advantages that regular folks don't have. I'm reading comments sections of newspapers where readers are telling her to get a job or go live on a council estate. A job, yes, is a great idea -- she should do what Jackie Kennedy did and get an editor job in London! -- but other than that, she can hardly disappear into the woodwork and become a regular person, can she? She'll forever be associated -- good or bad -- with the royal family, and there will always be expectations of her. That's got to be a lot to live up to, especially when you lack the budget (or class, many would argue) to do so. I don't envy her at all.

And my last musing on the matter -- this would be a fine week for the royal family to announce an engagement, don't you think? Add your comments below.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

6 little known facts about the UK's new PM David Cameron


1. You can see David Cameron from space.

2. David Cameron is so cool, he's banned in 7 states in America.

3. Che Guevara wears David Cameron t-shirts.

4. When David Cameron was born, he calmly shook his mother's hand.

5. David Cameron doesn't need to lift the toilet seat. It lifts itself for him.

6. Dave's never gonna give you up, Dave's never gonna let you down, Dave's never gonna turn around and desert you.

I was getting ready to do a serious post on David Cameron, the UK's new Prime Minister, but then I found this site called David Cameron Facts that had me rolling. These hilarious quips look to be submitted by anonymous users, and you can have the "facts" made up into mugs and t-shirts.

Follow David Cameron Facts on Twitter or join their fan page on Facebook.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

A big day for Britain

I've been keeping my eye on the election campaign in Britain -- a jealous eye, in fact. The Brits only have to suffer through a month of campaigning, unlike here in the U.S. Why, I hardly had time to make up my mind who is more hip: Sarah or SamCam?

This is a big election ... is this the unlucky 13th year for Gordon Brown's Labour Party? It's certainly looking that way to me. (For a good overview of what's up for grabs and how British elections work, CNN.com has a tidy overview that explains all.)

Will you be keeping an eye on tomorrow's elections in the UK?