Author Lynn Barber’s smoking mad

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By Steven W. Beattie
August 24, 2009
12:41 PM

Filed under: Quillblog, anti-smoking zealotry, Lynn Barber

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As if to prove that the sanctimony of the anti-smoking movement knows no bounds whatsoever, the local council in Richmond, England, home of the Book Now festival, has objected to a publicity photograph of Lynn Barber, winner of five British Press awards and author of the memoir An Education, because it showed Barber smoking. Barber, who was scheduled to appear at the festival in November, responded to the request for another photo by withdrawing from the roster of attendees. The stated reason for the Richmond council’s objection? Depicting an author smoking would contravene the city’s responsibility to promote “good health habits.”

From the Guardian:

“I’ve been told that we can’t use that photo because Lynn is smoking in it – the situation is a little bit ridiculous, as elsewhere we’ve got Martin Amis pictured with a lighter in his hand,” said Nathan Hamilton, a freelance programmer for the Richmond literary festival who had been putting the brochure together.

Indeed, Amis, who is rarely pictured without a cigarette in his hand, remains on the festival’s bill – for the moment. Hamilton is quoted as saying that he hopes that other authors won’t walk away from the festival in solidarity with Barber. “I mean, if every writer who smoked and drank pulled out of a literary festival, that would probably rule out most writers; you wouldn’t be left with much of a literary festival,” he said.

JohnO

The point isn’t whether the writers smoke or drink, or whether “the sanctimony of the anti-smoking movement knows no bounds whatsoever” (though that’s quite a bit of splenetic name-calling on your behalf).

If I were running the festival, I would ask for a different photo as well. I expect all the festival wanted was a head shot, not an implicit endorsement of a habit that produces 60 known human carcinogens including arsenic, formaldehyde, chromium and lead.

(Oh, and that’s not even considering tobacco’s link to organized crime and terrorism:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106816342)
http://www.desk-space.blogspot.com Evie

and smoking just keeps getting cooler
Gene

Yes, JohnO, the deliberate mischaracterization of this story by Mr. Beattie is about on a par with Barber’s arch “martyrdom.” She wanted an event, she got it. She submitted a photo that flaunted smoking, and the organizers understandably requested another. No biggie, really. Unless you’re spoiling for a fight.

There’s evidence that such nut-job rage is yet another tobacco-related mental infirmity.

Mr. Beattie, it’s the sanctimony of the pro-smoking element that knows no bounds. Not to mention the tedious subterfuges it uses to fuel its faux outrage.
http://www.desk-space.blogspot.com Evie

flaunted?
Gene

flaunt: to exhibit conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly.
http://www.desk-space.blogspot.com Evie

Oooooh thanks Gene, I bet people say you’re a lot of fun at dinner parties
Jack Kirchhoff

How on earth does a picture of a writer holding a cigarette endorse smoking, let alone terrorism and criminal organizations? As for “flaunted,” I doubt that Lynn Barber ever considered that festival organizers would reject the photo. Who would? Honestly, that’s an act of boundless sanctimony by anyone’s definition. And I’ve long since quit the filthy habit.

Jack
theresa k.

Ah, let’s hope they don’t turn their eyes to the presence of a glass of wine in an author’s photo…
Gene

Try actually looking at the photo. It’s far more than “holding a cigarette.” The smoking of the cigarette is the whole point of the picture.

Re: a wine glass. Liquor would be as objectionable in this context were the subject pointedly guzzling the bottle.

And outside the odd stranger sharing her fast-food table, what would a dullard whose only recourse lies in tedious snark know of dinner parties? Actually, I find it’s more in public venues that it’s sometimes necessary to dispatch some smarmy buffoon. What others find especially risible is how often such a person still doesn’t get the joke’s on her.
http://www.desk-space.blogspot.com Evie

You’re hilarious, Gene.

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