Gone Midnight

Paris Hilton Gets Out Of Prison Early

2007-06-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

It’s a tough life being a celebrity....or is it?

Less than, what is it, two days since she entered prison Paris Hilton has been released from jail due to an unspecified medical condition.

This news comes on the same day Channel Four in Britain evicted a Big Brother housemate for using racist language after she referred to a fellow contestand as a “n*****”. Yet when so-called reality TV 'star' Jade Goody used equally offensive language (on repeated occasions) she was simply given a slap over the wrist and asked if she wanted to speak with the Big Brother psychologist?

Who says celebrities aren't treated any differently to everyone else?

What's sad is both women - Paris Hilton and Jade Goody - will likely earn a whole tonne of money for their bad behaviour.

Depressing....

Wecome From The Royalist (That's If My Link Worked)

2007-06-04T17:19:00.001-07:00

If you just came here via The Royalist, thanks for visiting. I've actually had this blog up here for a few days now, but it took me this long to work myself up to posting it live.

You may see below that I wrote an introductory piece about why I've started this blog but just to explain something else: the reason for the name.

I guess it's self-explanatory but, running a website, the work simply never stops. It may be striking midnight in the UK (where I live) but it's still only 5ish in America....and Australia's just waking up. So for us poor bloggers (poor being the operative word!) the work never ends. Not that I'm complaining as I enjoy it (well, most of the time.....remind me I said that next time I'm working at 2am on Christmas Day or have a migraine!). I mean, how often does a story break at midnight (resulting in tears streaming down my face.....only kidding! I just scream).

It's a tough life but someone has to do it!

Also, this blog is primarily just for general thoughts and hopefully the odd debate about non-royal matters. Yes, I am interested in news outside the House of Windsor.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy at least some of my ramblings and maybe get involved by posting your comments or thoughts.

Cheerio.
Joanne

How Long Before We Hear of Paris's 'Jailhouse Horror'?

2007-06-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

I see from Tuesday’s newspaper front pages here in Britain that Paris Hilton’s preparing to spend her first night in prison. No doubt much to the fury of women across the globe (bitter, me?!), she still looks glamorous even in her prison mug shot. Grrrrrrrr........

Seriously, though, I wonder how long it’ll be before it’s the general public who’ll be the mugs? I mean, let’s face it – isn’t this the best thing that could’ve happened to her, for just think how much publicity (and even more money) she’ll get from telling her story of her 24 days behind bars....."my jail house horror" etc etc.

Newswatch: The Search For Madeleine

2007-05-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

The search for Madeleine McCann is continuing to dominate the British news agenda, although it's obvious that the family are increasingly fearful about the search for the four-year-old being pushed off the news agenda by other stories (the kidnap of five Britons in Iraq today looks set to do exactly this).

Whatever anybody thinks of Charles and Camilla (good, bad, indifferent) Saturday's intervention from Clarence House was welcome, if only to get the story back in the headlines.

You have to wonder, though, where the McCann family can go from here. After they meet the Pope tomorrow - no doubt resulting in more exhaustive coverage - what's the next stage of the story?

There are, of course, far more important aspects to this story than who's made a plea for Madeleine's safe return, or what possible agenda they may have in terms of promoting their own image.

The reality is these stories are tricky in terms of famous people getting involved. I remember years ago Princess Diana made a phone call to the parents of a newborn baby (Abbie Humphries, who was thankfully found safe) who'd been snatched from a hospital.

The personal contact initiated by the Princess of Wales was initially applauded but, within hours, the sniping began about Diana having supposedly used the case to promote her own agenda of being seen to be 'in touch' with the people.

I guess in instances like this people in the public eye - royalty, politicians, celebrities - just can't win: if they don't say anything they're deemed heartless. If they do speak or show some emotion, it's condemned as a publicity stunt.

One thing's for sure: right now, Kate and Gerry McCann (Madeleine's parents) won't give a hoot about why any of these public figures - be it David Beckham or PM-in-waiting Gordon Brown or, yes, Charles and Camilla - are publicly offering their support to their cause.

So long as the case of Madeleine continues to generate publicity and, in turn, hopefully her safe return, what does it matter?

Not another blog?!

2007-05-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, as if I didn’t have enough to say on The Royalist now I have my own personal blog. I can almost hear your shrieks of horror.

Before I start my new ramblings, let me admit that I've always thought that producing a personal blog is a bit egoistic (make that a lot egoistic). I mean, why would the heck would anybody want to read the thoughts of somebody they don’t even know?! That is unless the blogger is Brad Pitt or Prince William (eek......sorry, two paragraphs in and I’ve already mentioned a royal although, hey, at least I didn't dare mention Kate Middleton yet (oh blast, just did!).

So considering this fact, you may ask why I've joined the millions who decide to post their thoughts into cyberspace?

To be honest, not wishing to sound too soppy about this, I thought it might be kind of nice to have somewhere to keep more in touch with everyone who kindly e-mails me and asks me non-royal questions (although let me say now: I ain’t going to be posting any pictures of myself on here as the world is a scary enough place as it is!).

Plus, I'm finding that there are times when I'd like to incorporate a bit of opinion about a non-royal subject into something I write on The Royalist but it wouldn't be appropriate in the middle of a news story.

Oh by the way, don’t think this separate blog is going to be taking up far too much of my time to the point that I’ll be slacking on The Royalist (as if I dare!). The reality is that writing down thoughts such as I’m doing now is a much easier process....after all, I don’t need to research what I’m writing here, so writing a couple of hundred words for this site takes far less time than writing a piece relating to a news story which has to be researched for quotes, dates etc.

Anyhow, my theory is that this is a place to talk about all kinds of things, although don't worry, within a week - on a night when I'm especially drained from working on The Royalist - my essays will have turned into the kind of comment you could fit on a stamp (although knowing how I go on, it'd have to be a seriously big stamp!).

So, if you fancy getting an idea of what goes into producing The Royalist - the blood, toil, tears and sweat (plus a few temper tantrums and panic attacks!) - or are just interested in hearing a little about life in England then check back here.

And as with 'the other place' (that's The Royalist) please feel more than welcome to post comments.

Who's open to a bribe to be nice to me to counteract any more vitriol that will no doubt come my way?

Joanne