Joe Blog's 'On The Blogspot'Interview #5
Name : David Buckingham
Age : Younger than David Cameron.
Location : The barren wastelands of the North West of England
Vocation : Unemployed but desperately looking for any kind of writing gig.
Life Philosophy : That sounds too much like one of those ‘where do you want to be in five years’ type questions. I hate those ‘where do you want to be in five years’ type questions. If I had to sum up what I think life is about, I would probably say something about it not being particularly fair and shaped remarkably like a courgette.
Joe Blogs : Sum up what your blog is about for us
David Buckingham : Taking stupidity very seriously or being seriously stupid. Either way, it’s a rant against professionals, pseuds, frauds, fakers, stars, charlatans, criminals, and the woefully self-important. On a good day, though, it’s just about being silly for the sake of silliness. I also try to parody the business of blogging which, by the day, astonishes me more and more.
Joe Blogs : Why did you decide to do a blog?
David Buckingham : To gain confidence in my own abilities as a writer, satirist, and bare-knuckle fighter.
Joe Blogs : What’s the funniest article on your blog?
David Buckingham : My favourite is a small piece I did of Alan Bennett as a James Bond villain. I’m a big fan of Bennett’s writing, so perhaps I just like the mythos surrounding him. I guess that most people would say other things I've done are better. Natasha Kaplinsky’s walrus hat was very popular for a while but now anything about Heather Mills McCartney seems to get plenty of attention. People tend to prefer the pictures to the writing, which I find somewhat galling. I’m not a graphic artists and the pictures were always meant to accompany the text. However, by the time I’ve usually finished a picture at half two in the morning, I’m usually too tired to write anything particularly funny.
Joe Blogs : What keeps you motivated to keep adding posts?
David Buckingham : Once you get into the habit of updating every day, it becomes a psychological thing. You feel that if you break the habit, it will really hard to get started again.
Joe Blogs : Do you envy any other blogs?
David Buckingham : I appreciate the big blogs, such as those by Iain Dale and Guido Fawkes, but can’t always take politics that seriously. Many smaller blogs turn me off with long pieces about tax relief for Bulgarians. I don’t like anything that’s worthy. I tend to prefer more literary blogs or those that have a strong sense of the author’s personality. I think Bryan Appleyard writes the blog I read first every day for his eclectic choice of subjects. I also read the Devil’s Kitchen for the bad language which I admire enormously, Dave Hill to listen to a novelist blog, and sometimes I look at Beau Bo D’Or's site. He's clearly the premier Photoshop guy in the business and I don't try to look too often as I just get depressed how poor my work is. I also like things that are just very silly, like Damnwastebasket.com.
Joe Blogs : If you could recommend one website, what would it be and explain why (can’t be your own website!)
David Buckingham : How about King Ping, for all your pinging needs...
Joe Blogs : What are the common things people say about your blog?
David Buckingham : That I’ve got something wrong or I should be disgusted with myself for something I’ve said about Cliff Richard/Jamie Oliver/James Blunt.
Joe Blogs : What’s the worst thing about doing your blog?
David Buckingham : Coming up with something funny every single day, even when I’m in a black mood. Actually, black moods usually make it easier to work. I usually can’t think of a thing when I’m in one of those indifferent moderately good moods.
Joe Blogs : Tell us a funny story about anything that comes to mind?
David Buckingham : Funny things don’t often happen to me. That’s why I have to make things up. And I couldn't tell you a joke to save my life. Years ago, I did sit on one of those wooden benches on Liverpool Lime Street station, when a rather large lady sat on the other end. When I stood up, she fell off. For my sins, I thought it was very funny. She wasn't best pleased.
Joe Blogs : What would you like to improve on your blog?
David Buckingham : More profitable ads so I can put more time into the site and be able to eat. I’d also like to increase the number of tag lines I have at the top of each page to get me past 400.
Joe Blogs : Why should someone visit your blog?
David Buckingham : If they believe that the world can be changed if we all sneer at fools long enough.
Joe Blogs : If you weren’t doing your blog, how would you spend your time?
David Buckingham : Writing, but since I do that most of time anyway, it would probably spend more time reading good books.
Your Site Address : The Spine
