Should Newspapers Be Following This Alcoholic Around?

[sp1814]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5918595/Paul-Gascoigne-makes-homophobic-slur-busy-pub.html

Seriously - rather than condemning this sad man, we should be sympathising with him. Why on earth is the gutter press doing this? Surely they must know that his mind is not functioning properly?

[Spungle]

Slur being the operative word here :)

[Sqad]

I agree sp.but it is news, news about a celebrity, sometimes good news, sometimes bad and that is what reporting and selling newspapers is all about.

[kvalidir]

Horrible flaming paps only interested in stirring up sensationalist grief. Remember poor Britney Spears when she had her meltdown and shaved her head? Vile, but it sells rags :(

[Sqad]

Daily circulation of well over a million copies per day and mainly women readership.

[Buenchico]

I don't see any point in publishing the story but, to correct an inaccuracy in the title of your post, the press weren't 'following him around'. They simply picked up on a Facebook video posted online by this guy who, as far as I can tell, has no direct connection to the media:
https://www.facebook.com/jack.c.dibb

[Baldric]

Celebrity?? . . more like yesterdays man.

[Ken4155]

Does it really sell rags, kval? I have never been tempted to buy a newspaper because of a headline it carried. What may begin as an exclusive to one daily, soon becomes property of all.

[-Talbot-]

What newspaper was following him?

[MallyJ]

The mail is a dreadful paper. This man should be left alone not made a figure of fun to be laughed at. He is ill and needs support not a public shaming. I really hate the nastiness of the reporting this paper does...it is the lowest of the low. I cannot agree more with the description of the mail...gutter press - and pretending not to be.

[New Judge]

"Paul Gascoigne was watching last night's match at the Bulls Head Free House in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire when he stood up to address the crowd during the game"

Sounds a sophisticated gathering.

[-Talbot-]

Makes you wonder why anyone would be reading it, Mally.

[-Talbot-]

New Judge
"Paul Gascoigne was watching last night's match at the Bulls Head Free House in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire when he stood up to address the crowd during the game"


Haven't read the er..em 'article' but from watching the vid, that is clearly nonsense, NJ.

[kvalidir]

I haven't either Ken but sadly it does and it ruins people's lives, I have no patience for it at all. I mean I can guarantee if Kim Kardashian for example got plastered out of her face because she was I dunno maybe very upset about something and fell over in her own vomit in the street, and some gutter snipe lowlife filmed her, they'd sell twice as many papers than if she donated half her fortune to founding orphanages. It's the people who buy the papers, the bear pit spectators, who are actually to blame, the Paps loathesome though they are, are only servicing a need.

[Sqad]

Kvali

" fell over in her own vomit in the street, and some gutter snipe lowlife filmed her, they'd sell twice as many papers than if she donated half her fortune to founding orphanages."

Exactly, people are not interested in success, happiness, good deeds and other peoples wealth,they want to see and appreciate others people's downfall, bad luck, pitiful sights and the media can provide that.

[Mamyalynne]

Not sure why any publication would think that piece worthy of printing but I suppose they must trawl around looking for page fillers.

[kvalidir]

Exactly right Sqadi, the human race is appalling sometimes :(

[andy-hughes]

Failed brain-damaged alcoholic ex-football hero makes idiot of himself in crowded pub - not really news is it, not in the accepted sense of the word.

But what it definitely is, is ' celebrity culture', and in that area, we get the press we deserve.

The Mail would not waste valuable space printing this, unless it knew its readership of moral judges and superior hand-wringers and social tutters would lap it up.

[New Judge]

"...but from watching the vid,"

Why would there be a video of people watching the football in a pub?

[andy-hughes]

New Judge - // Why would there be a video of people watching the football in a pub? //

There wouldn't be - until someone realised that one of the 'people' was Paul Gascoigne, which, for the 'celebrity' fans, makes it worth filming.

You can imagine someone following him to the gents and filming him urinating, imagining that someone on the internet would want to see that - and being quite correct in that assessment!

[Peter Pedant]

// because of a headline it carried.//

princess di doubled circulation - but you couldnt do it too often
and yes if I am caught by headlines I'll buy the rag

swinging gyrating beasts of Notting Hill - I think of AOG
and the fellow who stood for Mayor of Manchester and then got shot (dead ) no connection wiv Andy Burnham needless to say....
Nurse arrested for mairder in stockport

I have chipped in for all these