Popbitch's latest today:
Sun burn
With enemies like these...
There's a chance – a chance – that the recent Dan Wootton stories haven't come as a complete surprise to the big cheeses at NewsUK.
Last year, the Sun threw a party to celebrate 40 years of the Bizarre showbiz column, inviting all its former stalwarts and editors to a big, fancy cocktail bash. The turnout was impressive, but one former editor – Gordon Smart - was notably absent.
Editor Vic Newton made mention of this as part of her speech on the night, passing on Gordon's reason for not attending. She informed the crowd (including Dan) that Smart was a no-show because he'd said he never wanted to be in the same postcode, let alone the same room, as Dan Wootton.
Or, to quote her exactly "...that cunt Dan Wootton."
Workplace Harrisment
A legal grey area
How should Dan Wootton be feeling about the fact that NewsUK has hired Kingsley Napley as external lawyers to investigate all these recently aired allegations of workplace bullying, sexual catfishing and redirection of company funds to pay sex workers?
Well, it's a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, Kingsley Napley has previously worked miracles for Murdoch, managing to get Rebekah Brooks off all those pesky phone-hacking charges back in the day.
Their track record with suspected sex cases is less impressive though – and, sadly, former client Rolf Harris is no longer on hand to offer a testimonial. From the website of Kingsley Napley: "Individuals with a reputation to protect often need to be shielded from the media glare when trouble may be ahead." An interesting concept for a newspaper to indulge.
Ill behaviour
A subtle interview technique
Bad as things are for Dan Wootton right now, he can take a small amount of solace in the fact that most of the celebrities he's turned over in his career are keeping a dignified silence about their experience of him. That boot can't be far off dropping though.
We heard the Dan Wootton charm offensive for ourselves once, live and direct, while we were out for lunch with a popstar's people. Midway through the meal, Dan called – demanding to speak with their client.
He had just conducted an interview with the popstar's estranged father about his ill health, and was now insisting that the singer grant him a tell-all interview in response. How did Dan attempt to secure such a delicate, emotional exclusive? By loudly and sustainedly screaming down the phone that he would see to it that her career would be ruined if she didn't sit down with him and tell him all about her sick dad.
She declined. And that's why you never hear of Adele any more...