The Week in Sleaze

So much has happened this week and I've failed to keep up with any of it - so here's a brief round-up of the highlights:

The Chancellor's Autumn Economic Statement: 'We're fucked'.  Yup.  That's about the size of it.  The economy continues to decline, heading now for a 'triple dip' recession, apparently. So 'Gorgeous' George Osborne is taking the obvious course of action: stick to exactly the same economic policy of 'slah and burn' which created the 'double dip' recession.  'There is no quick fix' he tells us.  We're not looking for a 'quick fix' George.  Just a 'fix'.

The latest fall-out from the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal - Stuart Hall.  Is there no part of my childhood which isn't tainted by this horrible sordid business?  Was every flamboyant radio and/or TV presenter in the 1970s really a slavering sex fiend (allegedly)?  Who will be next?  Tony Hart?  Johnny Morris?  Shep the Blue Peter dog?  I must admit that I was more than mildly surprised to hear that Stuart Hall had allegedly molested young girls in the 1970s and 1980s.  For some reason I'd always thought that he was gay.  Still, it makes you think about It's a Knockout.  Until now I'd always fondly remembered it as a bit of harmless fun.  But in the light of the allegations against former presenter Stuart Hall, I've started thinking that those giant costumes the contestants used to wear whilst engaging in various 'whacky' challenges looked a bit like (literally) colossal perverts, with leering faces and outstretched groping hands as they staggered along the obstacle course...

The Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy - who gives a fuck?  Woman pregnant - since when has that been front page news?  Actually, the thing which dismayed me most about this story - and the endless speculation about when she would get pregnant that preceded it - is its assumption that a woman's only role in a relationship should be to function as some kind of baby factory.   The sub-text is depressingly clear: childless women are essentially worthless.  They've wasted their lives.  The addendum to this story - the suicide of the nurse who took the 'hilarious' prank call from Australian radio DJs pretending to be the Queen - is equally depressing.  Not so bloody hilarious now is it, you bastards?  Bet you aren't laughing now, eh?  I hate prank calls by radio DJs - they are always toe-curlingly unfunny and rely upon the humiliation of some unsuspecting member of the public for their 'hilarity'.  With any luck, this tragedy will spell the end for them.

There you have it: the week in sleaze, so to speak.  I know there are still loads of bits I've left out, but these are the parts which caught my interest.  So, in the immortal words of legendary wrestling commentator and porn film producer Kent Walton, have a good week, 'til next week, grapple fans!