Who were they?

[Iconoclast]

Having articles published in a celebratory magazine makes Mike Barrett a published writer wether you like it or not.

I seriously beg to differ ...

At very best, you might get away with 'published reporter' as he asked some questions and reported on the answers (and then Anne tidied-up the mince he'd written so that it looked vaguely printable before being submitted to the editorial team for professional revision).

But I understand that 'published writer' suddenly gives him the glow of a suspect ...

[Abby Normal]

I seriously beg to differ ...

At very best, you might get away with 'published reporter' as he asked some questions and reported on the answers (and then Anne tidied-up the mince he'd written so that it looked vaguely printable before being submitted to the editorial team for professional revision).

But I understand that 'published writer' suddenly gives him the glow of a suspect ...

its not like this silly hoax rises to any kind of literary genius any way lol

[John Wheat]

its not like this silly hoax rises to any kind of literary genius any way lol

I agree Abby. The Barrett's could have written the diary. It's about the same standard as a poorly written celebrity magazine article.

[StevenOwl]

its not like this silly hoax rises to any kind of literary genius any way lol

I agree Abby. The Barrett's could have written the diary. It's about the same standard as a poorly written celebrity magazine article.

Oscar nominated screenwriter Bruce Robinson

If this Diary is a modern forgery... and if I were the faker, then I would consider it to have been the summit of my literary achievement

I know who's opinion I have more faith in.

[John Wheat]

I know who's opinion I have more faith in.

And who's opinion would that be?

[Iconoclast]

And who's opinion would that be?

Is this a joke?

[erobitha]

Is this a joke?

Why would anyone consider the opinion of an Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning writer’s opinion of anything?

[John Wheat]

Is this a joke?

No it's not.

[John Wheat]

Why would anyone consider the opinion of an Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning writer’s opinion of anything?

Yes because being an Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning writer makes them infallible.

[StevenOwl]

Yes because being an Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning writer makes them infallible.

I'm not saying he's infallible. Merely that his opinion on a piece of creative writing holds far more weight for me than that of a couple of random amateur sleuths on an internet message board.

[erobitha]

Yes because being an Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning writer makes them infallible.

Michael Barrett interviews Stan Boardman versus Bruce Robinson of ‘The Killing Fields’.

It’s a toughie.

[Iconoclast]

Michael Barrett interviews Stan Boardman versus Bruce Robinson of ‘The Killing Fields’.

It’s a toughie.

And 'Withnail and I'.

It's not a trivial difference between them.

Robinson's prose in They All Love Jack is wonderful even if his conclusions were misguided.

[Iconoclast]

I wrote to Bruce a year or so ago regarding the 'Have You Seen the Devil' source (which my man FDC had brilliantly identified) and he sent me back a postcard response whose contents alone were worth 100 times the value of any Mike Barrett-Anne Graham-Celebrity Editor article.

[Abby Normal]

Yes because being an Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning writer makes them infallible.

well at least they all admit the diary is a literary writing and not an authentic diary!
i guess subconsciously they know its fiction.

[rjpalmer]

I wrote to Bruce a year or so ago regarding the 'Have You Seen the Devil' source (which my man FDC had brilliantly identified) and he sent me back a postcard response whose contents alone were worth 100 times the value of any Mike Barrett-Anne Graham-Celebrity Editor article.

Speaking of 'Have You Seen the Devil' have you noticed that it is Lord Orsam Day, and he has thrown a damper on Jay Hartley's excitement at learning that this was a song black field laborers sang in the American south?

He posts an example of a version of 'Have You Ever Seen the Devil' being sung in a London music hall on this very date in 1838---185 years ago today.

As always, we can assume that the Diary crowd will now sing a different tune, arguing that James Maybrick heard it in a Whitechapel music hall in the 1860s when he lived in the City.

Possible, but not proven, nor would it differentiate James Maybrick from thousands of other people throughout Britain who could have heard a version of this ditty, nor is it mentioned or referred to anywhere in Barrett's hoax scrapbook.