THE

FAME

GAME

What with ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ divas getting their knickers in a knot about comments regarding their contours, and Arsenal F.C. manager Mikel Arteta saying that (football club) managers are being put off taking jobs because of the sort of abuse suffered by Steve Bruce the former Newcastle United manager… that’s verbal abuse... during a game, and comments on ‘social network’ sites etc. ... it  wouldappear that being in the public eye is becoming a bit of a blinkin’ botherment.

Well… there ya go… the price of fame! Is it stardom or stardumb?

I don’t watch ‘Strictly’… I’d rather be a target for the British Olympic archery team! I used to go to football matches, but the current style of play doesn’t cut my mustard.

It has been estimated that Steve Bruce was “earning” a base salary of £2.75 million/year… equating to £57,000 a week! The 60-year-old, who had managed 11 clubs in 21 years, oversaw his 1,000th match when Newcastle lost at home, 3-2 to Tottenham Hotspur, last Sunday. His win percentage over 97 games with the Magpies was 28.9%. He will however, not be leaving empty handed, as it is reported he is set to be sent packing with an £8 million payout! I could do that… g’is a job!

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde reckoned“…there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”, but the Roman editor, banker, and patron of letters, Titus Pomponius Atticus (c. 110 BC – 32 BC) once said, “Fame is a poison most would drink readily despite the warning of a slow and miserable death.”

When I hear that some celebrity has been complaining about criticism, I tend to quote the American President, Harry S Truman (pictured right), who it is said, invented the phrase… “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” In other words... if you are having difficulty dealing with the pressures and difficulties of a situation, you should leave others to deal with it rather than complain.

The other phrase associated with Truman that has entered our language is… ‘The buck stops here!’… which he had printed on a standing sign on his desk in the White House.