this is england
Flotsam & Jetsam
Brits Can’t Stop Selling Children Pervy Stuff
3:45AM Hamilton Nolan | We naturally assumed that the United States of America took a backseat to no one when it comes to sexualising our children at inappropriately young ages for the sake of commerce. Turns out, no: the UK is even pervier. More »
Flotsam & Jetsam
Surprise, Surprise: Brits Think Their School Is Better Than Harvard
1:00AM Hamilton Nolan | Harvard is no longer the world’s best university, according to a British ranking system. Instead, Cambridge, in England, is the world’s best university, according to these British people and their very British set of standards. More »
Print
Phone Hacking At Murdoch’s Tabloid Was Widespread, Unapologetic
12:01AM Hamilton Nolan | Four years ago, Rupert Murdoch-owned UK tabloid The News of the World got caught hacking the voicemail of “hundreds of celebrities” and other public figures. Now, the full extent of the hacking’s coming out – and it’s bad. Amazingly dirty, actually! More »
Online
Ladies: What Do You Call Your Van Hooten?
2:07AM Hamilton Nolan | While prude America argues over whether ladies can even say “tampon vagina” on teevee, a hippie feminine product company in Mother England is fully engaged in promoting not only vaginas, but also Pootie Tangs, Fajitas, Flangivas, Vaginkles and Anastasia Beaverhousens. More »
People
Wall Sizzle Jizzle Explizzle Snizzle Dizzle
2:50AM Hamilton Nolan | Snoop Dogg has been banned from entering the UK for three years, because he used “insulting words” whilst being pushed around by police in Heathrow airport. One positive side effect: The WSJ now gets to translate the mysterious Snoop language. More »
Flotsam & Jetsam
Are Booze Ads Making You A Drunk?
12:42AM Hamilton Nolan | Whoa: The British Medical Association is urging a complete ban on alcohol advertising and sponsorships in England, home to many drunks. But the media needs that money! Who’s more disingenuous here — ad agencies, media companies, or doctors? It’s close! More »
Print
American Apparel Ad Succeeds
1:40AM Hamilton Nolan | Ho hum, the UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned an American Apparel ad that ran in Vice magazine for being too much like child porn. Can you imagine anything more cliché? More »
Print
Crazy British Weed Makes Kids Go Loco, Moms Write Books
2:12AM Hamilton Nolan | In the UK there’s a magical strain of skunk weed: It addicts teenagers, turns them psycho, prompts their mum to write a tell-all book, and then sends the nation into an uproar over said book. And it’s coming to America! More »Celebrities Spotted At Last Night’s MIFF Closing Film (And Glamorous After Party)
8:29AM Jess McGuire | The Melbourne International Film Festival finished up last night with a screening of This Is England followed by a knees up at some place on Little Bourke Street. We kept our eagle eye out and managed to spot in the crowd…
- Brooke Satchwell!
- Brendan Cowell!
- And we’re done!
Well, there may have been others but the room was quite dark and we were mostly focusing our attentions on planning a “dance off” of West Side Story proportions in order to get the party started. Then we got distracted by a passing quiche, remembered how hungry we were, and left to find a late dinner.
Also, Brooke Satchwell is quite sweet looking and we now feel oddly protective of her (glares at Matthew Newton).
PS: This Is England was wonderful. Hilarious and moving and terrifying and heartbreaking in equal measures. More »