A strange thing happened to me this past weekend. My other half and I went out for a quick drink in the city centre on Friday night after running an errand, where we happened upon a rather unexpected and infamous intrusion.
We were enjoying a rather nice glass of viognier, having just started a week’s leave from our day jobs, and having a natter about what colour we’re painting the front room whilst on our staycation when – and I use this word politely – contentious, motormouth Katie Hopkins plonked herself down at the bar behind my partner. Immediately I was on my phone…
‘Don’t say anything, but I’m 99.9% sure Katie Hopkins is behind you’.
‘What – where?’
‘RIGHT BEHIND YOU’.
Halloween is still more than half a month away, but I’m not sure there’s any ghoul who could have elicited a bigger jump scare. Fortunately, we all retained our cool, but certainly, it was a bit of an unusual occurrence.
For those of you who don’t recall, and you may not, as she’s mostly been out of the news for a while, Katie Hopkins is a former Apprentice candidate, who has since made a habit of saying outrageous things on a variety of media platforms for attention.
‘Professional troll’ is a sentence bandied around. Not someone I’d share a drink with, under usual circumstances.
It turned out, after a bit of research (that I hope my google and social media recommendations will forgive me for) that Ms Hopkins had been in the city for a ‘stand-up’ performance at our local comedy club. They kept that one rather quiet.
We sat and finished our drinks and politely left without passing any further comment.
However, we stayed long enough to see that people around clearly recognised her, with some looking a bit aghast, as one or two others asked for selfies.
Katie Hopkins more controversial than Aberdeen bus gates
In some ways, I suppose she’s quite the attraction. It’s rare to have something in the city centre more controversial than the bus gates, which is the only reason I can think of that she might have been booked; more bums on seats than a number 12.
There’s nae accounting for taste. Batty theories, rants and right-wing rhetoric are far from my cup of tea.
I’ll be honest in that my politics are at the other side of the dial from most who would attend, but her opinions seem to grow more extreme. It’s not who I would expect to hear is playing a gig in the Granite City.
Her latest round is the usual; Covid and Mpox conspiracies tangle and tussle with stories about electricity rationing and London’s ULEZ. Considering that her venue was inside Aberdeen’s very own LEZ I’m surprised anyone turned up at all, especially once all the nanobots were activated.
Sigh. It goes without saying, but we really need to do better than this.
It can be difficult to write these sorts of articles. I’m giving coverage to someone who is not just undeserving but is actively harmful in our society. Who spreads hurt, hate and misinformation via her platforms and stages. But sometimes these things need a light shone on them.
She’s not a comedian she’s exploiting people
She is not telling jokes. If her social media videos are anything to go by, then the routine is more of the same mean-spirited impressions and bottom-of-the-barrel obnoxiousness, disguised as gags. If nothing else, the quality of the material is offensive.
We can reject the idea that this is harmless fun or a character of sorts. This is a person who recently turned up to court to support a far-right activist, Tommy Robinson. These are the people who inflamed the summer riots across the UK.
The over-the-top, xenophobic and incorrect tripe about ‘illegals’, migrants and asylum seekers is divisive, destructive and dumb. Katie has been at it far too long and I’d implore people not to give her any more encouragement by going to her shows.
I’m just hoping they strengthen border security around the pubs next time she’s anywhere nearby. Then I can enjoy my viognier in peace.
If Katie Hopkins ever returns to Aberdeen, I’d advise she drops the act. Bon Accord – good agreement – is much preferable, than what she currently preaches, which only serves to sow discordant seeds. Aberdeen is better than that.
Colin Farquhar works as a creative spaces manager and film programmer in the north-east culture sector
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