In the US all past politicians hit the road to do public speaking for big bucks, which I never understood. We could hear their drivel for free for years, why pay for it after they leave office?
I read in the paper that B H Obama just received an obscene amount of money - $400,000 for a spouting a few words to the usual bankers. Is this is fake news? Or is it really so obscene these days? Perhaps we'll have to wait for the next edition of the Guinness Book of Records to learn the truth.
William Hague is another one who now commands large sums for public speaking. He was ou r MP here and a jolly good one - but he is now exceedingly rich. Not sure what I think about it though - do we expect them to sit back and do nothing - and what would we do in the circumstances?
Apart from your dig at Jeremy Corbyn I don't get what the problem is. Sure, the amounts spent on after dinner speakers etc. appear to be obscene. Organizers of these events are only too happy to pay as it brings in the punters, gives them kudos, reflected glory. You can hardly hold this against the speakers themselves. If I weren't so shit scared of public speaking I'd be there like a shot. Does £5.00 per sentence sound reasonable? £10.00 if I kept the sentences short?
You may as well question why some actors, footballers, rock stars, earn so much yet the one going down the coal mine a pittance.
I have indeed questioned that too. Why an ex-politician should be paid half a million £'s for a 30 minute speech, I really don't know. A million an hour, does seem a tad excessive to me.
Paying for favours after the fact is all it is. Nothing to do with them droning on for half an hour. Obviously with comrade corbyn unable to influence a whelk stall his after dinner fee will be a prawn sandwich with a shorter sell by date than a pair of ratners earrings.
I watched the You Tube sketch and it made me laugh. Everybody seems to have got extremely heavy about it all. I just thought it was a very funny sketch.
23 comments:
In the US all past politicians hit the road to do public speaking for big bucks, which I never understood. We could hear their drivel for free for years, why pay for it after they leave office?
A good point; and it probably never made any sense when they were in power either!
I read in the paper that B H Obama just received an obscene amount of money - $400,000 for a spouting a few words to the usual bankers. Is this is fake news? Or is it really so obscene these days? Perhaps we'll have to wait for the next edition of the Guinness Book of Records to learn the truth.
William Hague is another one who now commands large sums for public speaking.
He was ou r MP here and a jolly good one - but he is now exceedingly rich. Not sure what I think about it though - do we expect them to sit back and do nothing - and what would we do in the circumstances?
Sadly I have never been offered vast amounts of money to speak to people; had I been, I would have accepted with great glee.
I believe that Mrs Clinton also attracts huge sums for after-dinner chats!
I believe David Cameron has also been raking it in for the same thing since he resigned.
Were you born in a barn Tony. Fucking loved it.
(BTW on a different subject, Aubrey Powell is in the Spectator this week).
Must go, got Putin coming for lunch, must get cracking, running a bit late.
I believe Corbyn's got a booking at the Islington Arms.
What's AP been up to? He always was a naughty boy.
Must get 'cracking' or must get 'crackling'? Are you giving him roast Pork?
Apart from your dig at Jeremy Corbyn I don't get what the problem is. Sure, the amounts spent on after dinner speakers etc. appear to be obscene. Organizers of these events are only too happy to pay as it brings in the punters, gives them kudos, reflected glory. You can hardly hold this against the speakers themselves. If I weren't so shit scared of public speaking I'd be there like a shot. Does £5.00 per sentence sound reasonable? £10.00 if I kept the sentences short?
You may as well question why some actors, footballers, rock stars, earn so much yet the one going down the coal mine a pittance.
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I have indeed questioned that too. Why an ex-politician should be paid half a million £'s for a 30 minute speech, I really don't know. A million an hour, does seem a tad excessive to me.
They all do Scarlet, but not all politicians are equal; some are more equal than others.
Paying for favours after the fact is all it is. Nothing to do with them droning on for half an hour. Obviously with comrade corbyn unable to influence a whelk stall his after dinner fee will be a prawn sandwich with a shorter sell by date than a pair of ratners earrings.
If only it were true... Actually, he should have got an administrative post in the Iraqi government.
If indeed he is ever asked (which I doubt). Outdoor soapbox is more his style.
'Just fade away' would have been my recommendation. Build his property empire from some small tax-haven island.
Who is to blame ? I would say , those who agree to pay such enormous amounts.
We are all a bit hypocrite , would you refuse the money ?
I watched the You Tube sketch and it made me laugh. Everybody seems to have got extremely heavy about it all. I just thought it was a very funny sketch.
As I said somewhere above; of course I wouldn't.
Me too; that was the idea.
I enjoyed the funny video too. Great take off. Very funny. Now I'm watching David Paetreus talking on Bloomberg for free!
Brilliantly scripted and delivery.
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