Hey, listen, I posted something yesterday when I was feeling a little over-sensitive about being the person who fills in for other people and the inevitable disappointment that understandably evokes in listeners or viewers to the person who is usually there. Hey, it’s my lot. I was having a bad day, but that’s nobody else’s fault. Also, it seems I misrepresented a blameless listener to 6 Music called Gillian. Forget my over-sensitive response to it. She’s written a blog about our silly spat, so I suggest you read that, although the matter is in danger of being blown out of proportion. Not by her, I might add. (I never named her, even by her Twitter name, either on the blog, or on air, as it was never meant as a personal attack.)
Gillian and I have exchanged friendlier emails since, but a) I don’t want to look as if I am seeking sympathy – I never was; I was merely writing honestly about my week on 6 Music, and you can hardly accuse someone whose blog you are reading of being solipsistic: it’s kind of what blogs are! – and b) it doesn’t really matter. There are films to review.
For full disclosure (she doesn’t like me on the radio – fair enough) her blog is here. My blog post has been re-filed under “Think before you post anything that makes you look silly.”
I think I may slink into the background for a bit. No 6 Music deps for a bit, just the Saturday show. And no replying to people I’ve never met on potentially contentious matters!
Never Knowingly Underwhelmed 
A well considered response. In my opinion you out of the red and back in the black.
She was a bit rude (but didn’t @ you so can be forgiven). You were a bit oversensitive. You’ve both admitted these failings and apologised. Hurray.
Seriously though – reverse those genders in her odd little world view and there would be all kinds of complaints.
Never mind, eh. Your radio presence – whether filling in for someone else or otherwise – is almost always excellent, as are your film reviews. Keep up the good work!
good for you for this – we all have off days.
Not sure how I missed this, but I’d like to redress the balance: you’re the reason I started listening to 6music regularly 18 months (or so) ago when I think you were sitting in for Mr Lamacq. As a consequence of your personableness leading me in to the station, I now tune in almost all the time (I’m listening to Craig Charles night now, in fact). I like other 6musicers, but I’m always happy when they take time off and you stand in.
For anyone who missed this important lesson… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE9JRLwdwno
Yet another example of how Twitter can have such a deleterious impact on communication – two perfectly decent, rational, sensitive people end up in a spat about which neither of them feels comfortable, simply because of the multitude of ways a one-liner can be misinterpreted.
The sooner the Twitter fad (and please, please let it be a fad) comes to an end, the better.
I think you are entirely entitled to get annoyed when people slag off your work. It’s far too easy to mouth off into the great maw of the Internet without realising (or caring) that it is a person that you are mouthing off at.
BBC6Music are not going to keep inviting you on if they think you are not a good radio presenter.
I love the Saturday morning show, although I am unable to hear much of your midweek work, I like that “kid from the provinces” back story that you bring with you as I come from the other hampton (the one in the South).
It is a shame that you let one person’s criticism of your work derail you, and perhaps you were oversensitive, only you really know that – but few of us have to cope with complete strangers judging us when we fill in for someone else at work, but the noisy ones always gain more headspace than the silent majority who simply appreciate what you do without feeling the need to be noisy about it.
Nobody’s the bad guy here. That’s why I liked to Gillian’s blog entry. She’s entitled to not like my presenting style. She was not setting out to abuse me. I over-reacted. (My excuse being: I was at work!) There are lessons to be learned here by all of us.
And I will write a longer, more considered blog on the broader subject of sensitivity soon.
It’s funny how one person’s opinion can be so totally and completely the opposite to someone else’s. The reasons Gillian gave for her not liking you – you’re not a woman, you’re inane chat, she loves Lauren Laverne – are the reasons why I like to listen to you! I don’t like Lauren Laverne’s show – I listen to your Saturday show when Lauren is on live! I don’t like the music Lauren plays and her chats in between the records just sound so scripted.
I don’t like the other women on 6music either, apart from Liz Kershaw. They play too much dance music and don’t seem to know what they are talking about. They also seem to have these silly girlie voices. Drives me crazy.
I don’t comment on it, I just don’t listen to them!
Keep up the good work AC. Some of us still love you!!!
Unfortunately no-one I repeat no-one should search for themselves on twitter, google or any other webby stuff, ( I recently did as a joke and found an article about me from when I was four from our local paper, very cringey). it just opens a can of worms, pandora’s box and well a door to room 101.