The obsession with celebrities and the importance of TV in genearal.

Watching Michael Parkisnon's show last night, listening to his guests Rod Stewart, Ben Elton and Gordon Ramsey talking about going for a meal together after the interview. Talking about how hard they work for their craft, telling anecdotes and in the process letting slip their work for charity, the other famous people they hob nob with, the fact they own a Ferrari. And then watching a programme showing bloopers in the industry - I'm thinking in particular of a patronising piece showing TV reporters being frustrated by "silly" and uncoperative passers-by in the street. Like one or two other ilx posters, I actually work in the industry, as a technician. I like my job mostly - it doesn't feel like proper work a lot of the time - but there is a very nasty side to it. As with holiday camps in the fifties, the TV industry was originally run by people who left military service. There's a lot of nepotism, but, people who want to work in the industry, if you do manage to get a foot through the door, you can expect to find a mean and ruthless hierarchy, and there are still people who expect to be called Sir. Further, it's a tremdously vindictive industry, bullying is institutionalised, and unlike most other industries, there's nowhere to go and no one to turn to if you're being bullied, unless you want "never to work again". Members of the public are very often viewed with contempt by the crews and production teams. They "get in the way" during filming, by asking who is starring in the film, by walking in the background, by talking during takes, by walking freely, going about their business, not following the instructions given by the third AD to the hired extras, by not allowing their house to be used for a location, etc. And the artists are as bad and often worse. Only two days ago, I overheard two quite well known actors speaking: "We do what we do to give ordinary people a chance to break out of their humdrum lives. They live through us." I se these people at work - the people who hand out awards on ITV's pat-on-the-back shows. I saw "Such and such" on the Thursday morning, farting on the catering bus, talking about why Hitler had some good ideas, making his fingers click by flicking his hand, making chauvinistic remarks, ringing his wife and playfully calling her a "cunt". I saw "Such and such" again on the Friday night, receiving an award from Ant and Dec, and dedicating his award to a little boy who watches the show.

Forgive this outburst. Tonight I think I'll read a book. Just wondering what people here think.