Filed under: Comment
So last week, I had a conversation with someone I thought I hated.
Note I said “thought”, because the fact is, until last week – I had never met the person, I had simply encountered them through their work.
I didn’t like their work.
In fact I hated it.
To be fair, some of this was because of the people who liked this individual, rather than me purely loathing all they did. But I did. I bloody hated it.
That said, I appreciated their broader influence and I respected their beliefs – even if I didn’t agree with them – but all in all, they were in my ‘shit box’ and had remained there for literally, a couple of decades.
So imagine my surprise, when last week, I found myself on the phone, talking to this guy.
Worse, imagine my surprise, when last week, I found myself on the phone, talking to this guy and liking him.
I should add this was not because I suddenly agreed with all his views and opinions [though without doubt, I did on some things] but because he was a smart, charming, informed and amusing.
In addition, he also didn’t hang up on me when I told him how much I used to loath him and his ‘companies’ work … though that could also be because I mentioned how a certain colleague of mine spent 2 years mimicking him at work, just to annoy the shit out of me.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable, informative and thought-provoking conversation.
This has left me in a pickle.
I’ve been robbed of a belief that I had blindly hung on to for years.
A belief that I accept, was – potentially – based on nothing more than adolescence, pettiness and belonging.
OK, so this change in opinion could be based on me maturing. [Ahem]
Or maybe they’ve stopped being such an obnoxious arsehole. [Ahem]
But whatever the case, it’s reminded me that whether it’s people, research, clients or agencies … you should never judge a book by it’s [media] covee – never, ever, ever – unless it’s Bono, because I’m absolutely certain he’s an egotistical, little twat.
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so are you now getting a signed copy of Lovemarks?
Comment by niko January 23, 2013 @ 6:36 amCheeky sod. Besides, I don’t think any conversation with him would make me suddenly change my view on his view of advertising.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:38 amThe same applies to advertising blogs.
Comment by John January 23, 2013 @ 6:37 amHeaven knows he is miserable now. Quite literally I would imagine.
Comment by George January 23, 2013 @ 6:39 amI can’t believe you told him you disliked his work. Actually I can. Hilarious.
Comment by George January 23, 2013 @ 6:43 amA very entertaining read Robert. Thank you.
Love your first comment George.
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 6:46 amOh very droll.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:39 amBut George stole my line
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 5:31 pm“I’ve been robbed of a belief that I had blindly hung on to for years.”
In some way, I think your statement explains what is behind many of the problems we have in the World. From war to racism to religion to gun control. Assumption, paranoia and dehumanisation all combine to create myopic and impenetrable points of view.
How did you feel just as you were about to begin the meeting? Were you thinking you were going to hate him or were you eager to find out more?
Great post Rob.
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 6:53 amTo be honest Pete, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t go in with the attitude that I would dislike him … apart from being a bit more mature from those teenage angst days, I just found the whole thing utterly surreal. Still do.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:59 amExcellent.
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 10:03 amNo fist fight? You pair of wimps.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 23, 2013 @ 6:56 amWho was it? Kevin Roberts or Morrissey? Or are you guys as much in the dark as me and just throwing names out there. What about that australian female swimmer who won an olympic medal in the 50’s. Can’t remember her name but he loathed her.
This is hard, there’s so many people Rob can’t stand. But not quite as many as the amount of people that hate him. Boom Tish.
Comment by DH January 23, 2013 @ 7:05 amRonald Regan
Comment by Billy Whizz January 23, 2013 @ 7:17 amGeorge W Bush
George Bush
Air Supply
Tofu
His career adviser
Russell Crowe
The person behind lemon flavored diet coke
The 1990s
Good list Billy.
Comment by George January 23, 2013 @ 7:37 amAnd there I was thinking you never listened to a word I said Billy.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:39 amThe swimmer is Dawn Fraser. I’d forgotten about her which is amazing giving the continual vitriol he pointed in her direction. I know who it is because he did it for us. It was my little way of getting some payback for all the years of abuse he gave me about it. The fact he ended up quite liking the person was the cream on the cake.
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 7:25 amPete’s gone rogue. Good work. So who was it? If I read between the lines of George’s comment, it was a member of the smiths, probably Morrissey. Please tell me it was, that would be hilarious.
Comment by DH January 23, 2013 @ 7:29 amThat would explain why there wasnt a fight. Ones too scared to fight and the other too weak. A match made in pathetic heaven.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 23, 2013 @ 7:36 amI’m bound by confidentiality Dave.
By the way, how long have you been clairvoyant?
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 7:44 amLove it. Does Andy know? It would put a smile on his face. You’ve won my ‘person of 2013’.
Comment by DH January 23, 2013 @ 7:51 amThe power of perseverance.
Comment by Pete January 23, 2013 @ 8:42 amOh Dawn Fraiser has a very special place in my heart. Completely irrational of course … but despite learning an interesting lesson from this episode, an irrational loathing I am not prepared to let go of. Though in my defense, I did sort-of see her attitude in action during the Sydney Olympics … but that’s a story for another day.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:41 amAnd yes, it was Northern’s “best buddy” I spoke to. And yes, he knows about it. I don’t think he will ever let me live it down.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:43 amYou are right, I won’t
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 5:33 pmHow very entertaining. Don’t feel too bad Robert, when asked to challenge our prejudices, few can give a justifiable, or even coherent, answer.
Comment by Lee Hill January 23, 2013 @ 7:40 amThat doesn’t really make me feel better, but thank you Lee.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:42 amSo in brief. “I didn’t like someone. They called. I like them now”. How come nobody comes and leaves a comment on my blog when I reveal that kiddy rapist Jimmy Savile had intimate and prolonged access to the Royals and Downing Street because he worked for MI5? Is this the Jersey Shore of Blogging here? Am I doing it wrong Rob? 😉
Comment by Charles Edward Frith (@charlesfrith) January 23, 2013 @ 9:49 amHahaha … yes, basically that’s it … both in terms of what ended up happening and the fact this blog is the equivalent of Jersey Shore. Or worse [or better, dependent on your POV] the Geordie Shore of blogs.
I have no reason why no one commented on your Jimmy Saville revelations … maybe it’s just because people like taking the piss out of me whereas they just respect you. So no, you’re not doing it wrong. I am.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 9:52 amYou’re too kind. I only found out about Jersey Shore recently as I heard about the mix of scripted and constructed reality and I’m interested in using it for a film which I’m going to order and command to be a piece of viral/sticky whatever. Anyway I looked at Jersey Shore Youtube clips today and all I can say is MTV used to be a groovy experience in the early 90’s. This middle age thing is both funny and preposterous and cause for a little tear to fall from time to time.
Comment by Charles Edward Frith (@charlesfrith) January 23, 2013 @ 11:10 amI’m not too kind, I’m sadly too aware of my own deficiencies, ha! And forget Jersey Shore, seriously Geordie Shore is a whole other World.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 11:17 amIf he changes the lyrics to panic to “hang the planner” then you know you made an impression.
Comment by Bazza January 23, 2013 @ 3:46 pmI didn’t know what you were talking about until I did some googling and found ‘Panic’ is actually the title of that song with the ‘hang the …’ lyric in it. Until then, I always thought that was the name of the song. Thank god I didn’t reference that. At least I hope I didn’t.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 4:05 pmYou’d better study if you want to be live up to your Smiths biggest fan label.
Comment by Bazza January 23, 2013 @ 9:47 pmSo am I lumped with “The people who liked this individual”?
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 5:41 pmI so I’m not bothered, “We will haunt you when we laugh”
I’m not sure what I enjoy the most, the fact you will have invested time in background investigation of your nemesis or the fact you’re forced to admit he’s alright – this from The Boy with a Thorn in His Side
Next you’ll be telling us that Rosser Reeves was misunderstood.
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 5:43 pmLook, I know you’re utterly enjoying this and reveling in my misery, but this has all been a bit too much for one person to take in, so please give me a few days to come to terms with it all, because I don’t know if I can handle such a shock to my system. I am on blood pressure medication remember!
On the positive, when you wrote ‘The boy with a thorn in his side’, I thought you were talking about this:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AmkmqYEarw]
So while my opinion about the singer might have changed, my brain is holding it’s ground in what it will – and will not – accept into my musical memory.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 5:48 pmAs it happens I like this.
If it’s any small comfort, I once met Amanda Holden in very unusual cirmumstances and had to admit she was not only lovely, but very kind
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 5:55 pmWhile lovely John Hannah actually turned out to be a twat – and can’t pronounce ‘food’ to save his bloody life
My mate snogged Amanda Holden. He said she was “very nice”. And I never really trusted that John Hannah guy … weird eyes.
But none of this matters, because this isn’t about them … but me and my now shattered childhood.
Comment by Rob January 23, 2013 @ 6:04 pmAll you need now is to discover that Bono ghost wrote Bohemian Rhapsody
Comment by northern January 23, 2013 @ 6:38 pmBrilliant.
Comment by Bazza January 23, 2013 @ 9:48 pmThis brought a much needed smile to my face Robert. Thank you.
Comment by Mary Bryant January 23, 2013 @ 10:51 pmI won’t hear a bad word said against Bobo.
Comment by Adrian Elton January 25, 2013 @ 6:07 am[…] has made the odd nice comment about Queen or maybe it’s because Morrissey made me realise my teenage years of angst were utterly pointless, but I seem to have suddenly become quite smitten with all things ‘The Smiths’ as of […]
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