AA Gill is away

richh

Permanently, at the age of 62.  2016 strikes again.

A controversial figure, perhaps in the same mould as Clarkson or even Basil Fawlty, but also very entertaining.  For those who don't know him, he's worth Googling.

A sad loss at an early age.

octatonic

I saw this earlier.
2016 has been a doozy.

richardhomer

He co-wrote a piece with Clarkson for (IIRC) the Sunday Times magazine about 15 years ago about Cheshire.

It was spectacularly funny - a truly outstanding piece of writing.

I believe he was a life-long smoker - 62 is no age.... 

frictionfraction

Great writer, I loved his TVs and restaurant reviews even if I had never seen the programme or was likely to visit the restaurant. He and his like are why journalism and critique need to be retained in the dumbed down world of the internet 

EricTheWeary

When I was still living at home my father bought the Sunday Times every week and the AA Gill reviews were pretty much all I read. Lost track of him for a long time apart from the odd TV appearance but obviously a very talented writer. Much younger than I would have assumed as well, 62 isn't that far away for me. RIP.

MagicPigDetective

Used to enjoy reading his mad tv reviews.  He was not a fan of us Welsh tho. 

octatonic

MagicPigDetective said:

Used to enjoy reading his mad tv reviews.  He was not a fan of us Welsh tho. 

Who is though?

thumpingrug

Told you this year still had more to give.  My money's still on Brucie not making it all they way to the finish.

scrumhalf

Shame. I enjoyed his newspaper stuff, although "The Angry Island" is a book which just seemed to be page after page of bitching.

TheBlueWolf

Ioctatonic said:

MagicPigDetective said:

Used to enjoy reading his mad tv reviews.  He was not a fan of us Welsh tho. 

Who is though?

They're crap at laminate flooring too

fretmeister

He was a vile bastard who shot a baboon just to try and experience what it would be like to kill a human.


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/26/aa-gill-shot-baboon

ToneControl

his vitriolic Agony uncle in Esquire was good, defintely the best  thing to read in it
http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/advice/a4028/aa-gill-on-aesthetics/

Heartfeltdawn

A man of undoubted humour and writing ability. A good critic but never forget that you have to question the taste of any man who marries Amber Rudd. 

hywelg

thumpingrug said:

Told you this year still had more to give.  My money's still on Brucie not making it all they way to the finish.

Lets hope its not HM Elizabeth II, that would put a real downer on Christmas, though she has to go sometime I s'pose.

Blaendulais

Stopped fags 15 years ago. Riddled with cancer. Good old cigarettes eh

littlegreenman

Shot a baboon for fun. He could be Jesus Christ but after that I'd still call him a cunt.

Sambostar

Baboons are bastards though

mellowsun

Despite being a despicable human for shooting a baboon for fun, his piece on Brexit was brilliant:

http://spoot-shoot.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/brexit-aa-gill-argues-for-in.html?m=1

quote:

We listen to the Brexit lot talk about the trade deals they’re going to make with Europe after we leave, and the blithe insouciance that what they’re offering instead of EU membership is a divorce where you can still have sex with your ex.  Really, that’s their best offer? That’s the plan? To swagger into Brussels with Union Jack pants on and say: “ ’Ello luv, you’re looking nice today. Would you like some?”

When the rest of us ask how that’s really going to work, leavers reply, with Terry-Thomas smirks, that “they’re going to still really fancy us, honest, they’re gagging for us. Possibly not Merkel, but the bosses of Mercedes and those French vintners and cheesemakers, they can’t get enough of old John Bull. Of course they’re going to want to go on making the free market with two backs after we’ve got the decree nisi. Makes sense, doesn’t it?”