Guardian:Popinjay jibe triggers US brawl of the Brits(Galloway v.Hitchens)

[Up2Late]

(I have know idea what that headline means, anyone care to translate?)

Popinjay jibe triggers US brawl of the Brits

Duncan Campbell
Monday August 29, 2005
The Guardian

Not since the Rumble in the Jungle, when Muhammad Ali fought George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974, can there have been such an eagerly anticipated punch-up as the one due to take place in New York in a fortnight. Odds as to whether the bout will go the distance, or on who can deliver a knockout punch, are already being offered as ring-side seats are sought.

The Grapple in the Big Apple will pit "Gorgeous" George Galloway, the MP, against Christopher Hitchens, the writer and polemicist, in a public debate over Iraq and US and British foreign policy. Political junkies in America are drooling at the prospect.

When the anti-war Respect MP for Bethnal Green visited Washington earlier this summer to deliver a lecture on Iraq to a gobsmacked Senate and to denounce allegations made against him by Republican senators, he briefly exchanged verbal fisticuffs with the pro-war Hitchens, and accused him of being a "drink-sodden former Trotskyist popinjay".

Now it's time for a re-match. The event will take place on September 14 in the Mason Hall at the Baruch College performing arts centre in the Gramercy Park area of Manhattan. It may not have quite the whiff of Madison Square Gardens, and the cornermen will be more likely to have to deal with wounded pride than bloodied cheekbones, but the venom will be as potent as in any title bout.

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1558610,00.html?gusrc=rss>
(more at link above)

[swag]

1. Popinjay: "A vain and talkative person."

[QC]

20. Certainly fits Snitchens. n/t

[NMDemDist2]

2. my guess is Galloway called Hitchens a popinjay--see definition here:

A vain or conceited person, one given to pretentious displays.

This deeply insulting word is now rather dated or literary. A good example can be found in Joseph Conrad’s short story The End of the Tether of 1902: “When he looked around in the club he saw only a lot of conceited popinjays too selfish to think of making a good woman happy”.

Dictionaries say a popinjay was also at one time the usual name for a parrot, and in that lies the origin of the derogatory term. What could be more gaudily and squawkingly in your face than a parrot? What more perfect term for an empty chatterer, fop or coxcomb? Who’s a pretty boy, then?

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-pop2.htm

[NMDemDist2]

4. I was right! here's the quote

Before the hearing began, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow even had some scorn left over to bestow generously upon the pro-war writer Christopher Hitchens. "You're a drink-soaked former Trotskyist popinjay," Mr Galloway in formed him. "Your hands are shaking. You badly need another drink," he added later, ignoring Mr Hitchens's questions and staring intently ahead. "And you're a drink-soaked ..." Eventually Mr Hitchens gave up. "You're a real thug, aren't you?" he hissed, stalking away. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1486417,00.html

priceless....

[leftchick]

30. HA HA!

:rofl:

OMG how did I not see this when it happened? That is indeed priceless. Thank you for the quote and link.

I would LOVE to be in NYC for the KO of hitchens by George.


:)

[NNN0LHI]

5. It was actually "You're a drink-soaked former Trotskyist popinjay," n/t

[bleever]

And I saw it somewhere as "Gin-soaked"

but either way it adds up to a heck of a debate.

:)

Nominated. These kind of events tend to have repercussions in the press corps, which is currently itchy for real stories to pay attention to.

[Patsy Stone]

16. All that

and the added humor of the word "popinjay". :hi:

[bpilgrim]

10. Hitchens intro

Gorgeous George is gonna kick his a$$ :bounce:

the popin jay can barely keep his neoCON talk'n points straight anymore let alone have a serious discussion about the ME.

can't wait ;->

peace

[anotherdrew]

24. Hitchens looked forward to champaign in Baghdad. Hope he's choked on it

Hitchens is gonna get his gin blossoms shined. He's nothing but an old fashioned imperialist. A fool who made his bed with the bush clan, he will soon be sleeping with them, permanently. too bad really, he could have gone the other way...

[IndianaGreen]

31. Merriam-Webster: "a strutting supercilious person"

Etymology: Middle English papejay parrot, from Middle French papegai, papejai, from Arabic babghA'
: a strutting supercilious person

That definition seems to fit Bush to a Tee.

[goforit]

33. LOL!!!....Thnks for the definition. "Hey Hitchens.... wanna craker?"

[stevedeshazer]

3. A popinjay is a loud, vain kind of person.

A jerk, if you will.

That's what Mr Galloway called the insufferable Mr Hitchens.

Now they're going to have a verbal duel of sorts, in New York City.

Sounds like fun!

[stevedeshazer]

6. See all the help you get here?

How great is that? :)

[Up2Late]

17. Thanks All, that helps a LOT! Another Question: Wasn't Duncan Campbell

(the article's author) a MP (Member of Parliament)who just quit? If so, think it's the same person?:shrug:

[evermind]

28. There are two Brit journos called Duncan Campbell..

One is a long-time Guardian writer, who covers mostly crime and police matters, the other is a freelance investigative journalist doing mostly security/intelligence stuff, who first achieved fame as the 'C' in the ABC trial of the '70s after having exposed some of Britain's (slightly ludicrous) civil defence measures in the event of nuclear war. More recently he's written about the "echelon" communications eavesdropping system - see his site at http://duncan.gn.apc.org/

I assume the writer of this piece is the crime journalist, since the Guardian usually add a note to disambiguate if Duncan "echelon" Campbell writes a piece for them.

I've never heard of an MP called Duncan Campbell. The most prominent Campbell who's an mp is (I think) Menzies Campbell (pronounced "mingies", I kid you not) a liberal democrat who has recently been asking awkward questions in the House of Commons about the RAF bombing Iraq before the war had officially started (See http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-07-18.11373.h&m=1984#g11373.q0 )

[NMDemDist2]

7. C-Span had better cover this one! thanks for the heads up! n/t

[LiviaOlivia]

8. Hope C-SPAN is there..

Go Galloway!

[Malikshah]

9. Quiz: And the peacock popinjay bravely born, who turned up

his noble nose in scorn . . .


Give:

Writer (lyricist is fine):
Song:
Piece in which song is found:
Century written:


Correct responses get a sausage roll...

[BenDavid]

11. Personally,

I will use the line from "The RocK" that fits Hitchens.... "Personally, I think you're a fucking idiot".

[RamboLiberal]

12. Gallagher will massacre Hitchens

Hell, Jon Stewart didn't even break a sweat doing that last week.

Hope video of this will be available.

[Barrett808]

18. I didn't see it -- did Jon Stewart clearly best Hitchens? n/t

[RamboLiberal]

22. Stewart dismantled him basically

Was that on Thurs? Cause if so, it would repeat Monday. Also I think the video is up. I'm sure some DU'er can point you to it.

[0007]

32. Hands down, no contest. First round knock out!

[Fleshdancer]

29. it was almost painful to watch...almost.

Watch it for yourself:

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/celebrity_interviews/index.jhtml

Hitchens just sort of gave up toward the end which is pretty sad considering how nice Stewart is to his guests.

[Barrett808]

34. Thanks for the summaries and link! n/t

[DerekG]

13. If Amy Goodman's the moderator, then it should be on Democracy Now

I would pay $200 to see this thing live.

[Fenris]

14. That will be one ugly event.

Galloway is not known for being subtle or reserved. I predict a nasty debate, preferably with Hitchens at a loss for words.

One can dream...

[rocktivity]

15. Kind of like when some wrote in that Bill O'Reilly was a pantaloon

He said the writer didn't use the word correctly, but he was the one who was incorrect: one meaning of pantaloon is "a character in the commedia dell'arte; portrayed as a foolish old man."

:headbang:
rocknation

[Up2Late]

19. Yes, and I think he is who Pantaloon (or Pants) were named after...

... because of his standard costume.

From Answers .com <http://www.answers.com/topic/commedia-dell-arte>

"...Pantalone or Pantaloon was a caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter...."

[Roy]

21. I think Galloway will be in trouble in this debate....

I heard that Bush will be writing Hitchens' talking points for him.

:rofl: :rofl:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

23. Actually, it will be a battle between a "Brit" and a "twit".

[Azathoth]

25. I don't like Galloway, but....

watching him tear that pompous prick Hitchens to pieces will be thoroughly enjoyable.

[kodi]

26. this debate's for poofters, try noam chomsky versus richard pearle

http://www.alternativeradio.org/programs/CHON-PERR001.shtml

[Hekate]

27. ROFL! The Brits do have a way with words!

:rofl:
The Grapple in the Big Apple! Well, who wouldn't want to see that?
I'm sure Galloway isn't one to engage in a war of wits with an unarmed man, but Hitchens would be an irresistable target.

Hekate

#Why won't the Chickenhawk cross the road?#

[Up2Late]

35. Yes, it almost makes one wonder if he would make more sense...

...if he wasn't a "drink-sodden former Trotskyist popinjay."

[Vogon_Glory]

36. Hey, MN Demos--Invite Galloway To Stump Against Coleman!

Hey, Minnesota Democrats! You all ought to invite George Galloway to stump against Norm Coleman when Coleman tries to run for re-election. I think it would be fun to see a skilled debater take down a weakest link in the Republican/"Conservative" noise machine.