Eoin Butler: writer, journalist and Mayoman of the Year
Tripping Along The Ledge
eoin butler blog
“I’m loving these numbers”
New figures published this week show this magazine’s circulation holding steady at 36,898, down slightly on 36,938 last quarter. But when seasonal and other miscellaneous factors are allowed for, that amounts to an impressive 5,924,094 readers per month – an exceptionally strong performance in a country of just over four million people. (The balance is thought to be made up by immigrants and undercover al-Qaida operatives entering this jurisdiction illegally in order to read the trendy magazine.) Read the rest of this entry »
Wayne Coyne Battles the Bad Buzz Robots
Electric Picnic 2005. I had only a couple of minutes notice I’d be talking to Wayne Coyne. No time to prepare questions. So I got to thinking, you know, the guy is always so insanely happy. Wouldn’t it be funny if I just tried to depress the shit out of him. So I tried. Did it work? Well… Read the rest of this article here.
FAITH ALIVE
Bit of a change of speed for this segment… This is a really interesting article from the New York Review of Books about Robert Wright’s The Evolution of God, which “purports to provide an account not only of the evolution of man’s view of God but, at least possibly, of God himself.”
Miscellaneous Amusing Items I’ve Come Across #22
I’m sure I wasn’t the first to misread that title…
IN YOUR FACE HOUDINI: ILLUSIONIST ESCAPES RAPE CHARGES
Ilusionist David Copperfield will not be facing charges over allegations of sexual assault made against him. Yeah, I know… who gives a shit? But check out the hilariously sleazy image the Huffington Post used to illustrate their report (not the same image as above.) Egads, it really begs the question… How is this man not a rapist? I mean, look at him. That’s your case right there! Read the rest of this entry »
“YEAH… THAT’S NOT GONNA HAPPEN!”
Last summer the Evening Herald asked me to share with their readers the story of my worst ever hangover. I had no idea why anyone would want to relive that particular episode with me. It was only afterwards I realised the piece must have been published to tie in with the release of a film called The Hangover.
This week, I got around to seeing that film and, although I didn’t expect to enjoy it, I must admit, I laughed my leg off. My hangover story really doesn’t compare. Read the rest of this entry »
THE DICK CAVETT SHOW (1971)
Spectacular chat show bust-up between Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal from 1971. Cavett’s account of the fracas, published in the New York Times in the wake of Mailer’s death in 2007, is here. If you haven’t time for either, let me synopsise in five words: Read the rest of this entry »
“BEING IRISH, BEING A SON… HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THE TWO?”
Ever noticed when there’s a (usually American) guest on the Late, Late Show who insists on talking about the deep affinity they feel for Ireland and all things Irish? One tends to be a bit sceptical about these people. Are they sincere, you wonder? Or is this just the standard patter they churn out wherever their publicity duties take them? Read the rest of this entry »
GUESS WHO’S GOING ON HIS HOLIDAYS?
Haha… So long, fools. I’m going on this cruise (long story) around France and Spain. If there’s internet access onboard, I may be able to update during the week. Otherwise, there’s going to be lots of retired people onboard, so I’m kinda hoping there’ll be a murder that I can solve or something…
Wayne Coyne Battles the Bad Buzz Robots
[Introductory note: Electric Picnic 2005. I had only a couple of minutes notice I’d be talking to Wayne Coyne. No time to prepare questions. So I got to thinking, you know, the guy is always so insanely happy. Wouldn’t it be funny if I just tried to depress the shit out of him. So I tried. Did it work? Well…
I did everything I could think of to irritate, annoy, anger and/or depress him. In the end, I hung out with him for a couple of hours. And, sadly, he couldn’t have been nicer. Sufficed to say, he’s just a decent, happy guy… Bastard!] Read the rest of this entry »