When Saying Less is More...

We all have a secret list of things that we have least enjoyed.
I found my own Graduation ceremony monumentally dull.
My children's, apart from an enduring glow of pride at their deserved success, arm-gnawingly tedious. I just don't enjoy hours of happy-clappy self-congratulation. Cruel, cruel mother.

So you would need to strap me to an armchair with an intravenous drip of unadulterated Hendricks to get me to watch the BAFTAs show on television.
Although I have been involved in TV all my working life, firstly as an assistant floor manager  and latterly combining teaching with film extra work, I nevertheless find the whole process of a Luvvie-Love-in faintly nauseous.
However, at least one good story comes out it each year and very often it has nothing to do with the artistry it celebrates.
We all remember Gywneth Paltrow's toe-curling acceptance speech in the Oscars?
Dear girl selflessly lay down the blue-print of how not to do it for every generation to come.
Well, this isn't the Oscars and so we had to rely on our dear old Stephen Fry to throw us a juicy tid-bit.
Before we even heard about what he had said, news was made (on the BBC, of course) that he had resigned/withdrawn/foresworn Twitter (what is the technical term for becoming an ex-tweeter?).
Ah yes, Closed his Twitter account.
Well, blow me down, news indeed. The Trolls were out in force. Again. And Stephen, sensitive soul, had had enough. Again.
I like the public persona of Stephen Fry. Mildly. Do I feel the need either to lambaste him or applaud him? Neither really.
However, I have been ruminating ( in the way that retirement allows you chew cud) over what he said and its context.
In case you busy chaps missed out on this petit brouhaha...Jenny Beaven, a costume designer won recognition for Mad Max Fury Road.
Stephen Fry who turns out to be a good friend of hers, said,
"Only one of the great cinematic costume designers would come to the awards dressed like a bag lady."
This gave great offence not to Bag Ladies everywhere. Although you can imagine them rising up with huge indignity saying that they would not be seen dead wearing a smart black leather jacket like that, black jeans, comfortable shoes and wasn't that a tasteful taupe cashmere scarf?
No, it gave rise to huge indignation from Twitter trolls who said that yet again women were being judged by what they wore...
This makes me laugh.
Here we have a woman who  is supremely comfortable  in her own skin, who has the self-belief and the strength of character not to follow the frock flock by subscribing to the dress code of an event that spends an obscene amount of money on dressing up for the evening. She did her own thing. This was her statement.
I think that is something to be applauded. That was precisely what Stephen Fry was doing.
His hyperbolic accolade was drowned by the hyperbollux of internet voices.
The redoutable Jenny Beaven when asked further about the incident which she had laughed off said,
"I don't want to talk any further because I will just create more fuss."

I raise my glass to a very sensible woman.