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He trotted out sexualized imagery, and objected when a subgroup of adolescent boys connected Nigella and Bond girls to sex instead of his intended SCIENCE. Ther

by quesera 13y ago

He trotted out sexualized imagery, and objected when a subgroup of adolescent boys connected Nigella and Bond girls to sex instead of his intended SCIENCE. There is science in food, but Nigella is not in the science camp of the food media world. In hindsight, his error should be obvious even to him. He addressed that point not at all, instead focusing on the offensiveness of adolescent boys. I can appreciate that perhaps he wasn't prepared for this audience, and I certainly agree that an unexpected response requires the speaker to improvise. He improvised poorly, as many of us would, even experienced speakers. That's not my objection. My objection is that he doesn't own up to his part in the construction. If he was presenting it any less triumphantly, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. He taunted, and tried to shame, a rabble of 15-year old boys. That never ends well, and even if you pull off the most honorable response possible, your victory is hollow. He should realize that, at least.

ColinWright 13y ago
Much of what you're saying was said by someone on Twitter, and the original author has responded to that: Submitted here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6835021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6835021
- quesera 13y ago
  Probably not worth a submission of its own, but the Twitter-er said it all far better than I: http://therationaliser.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-peacock-problem-response.html http://therationaliser.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-peacock-pr... And the original speaker comes off defensive and simultaneously pleased with himself in his response: http://www.jamiebgall.co.uk/the-peacock-problem-response/4581250090 http://www.jamiebgall.co.uk/the-peacock-problem-response/458... If he can't see that adolescent boys will generally not be on their best behaviour, and will almost always take rebuke from a stranger on a stage -- that they don't even want to be in the audience of -- as a challenge to be met with volume...well he doesn't get it. Ironically, perhaps, he's running the same game as the adolescents in his defense of his actions. I didn't do it, you misunderstood, it wasn't that bad, so what anyway, eff off if you disagree, I'm a great speaker so you're obviously wrong, etc. (Also, did he mean Qatar the country with stellar womens' rights, where he was invited to give the speech again, after his performance?)
theorique 13y ago
When I think Nigella (or Giada) I think "sexy woman who cooks on TV". I suspect most people do too. If he had wanted to suggest "food and SCIENCE", there would be fewer people better suited to this suggestion than Alton Brown, at least in the US. I don't know if he's popular in the UK, but his Good Eats show presented a great mashup of popular science and cooking.

by quesera 13y ago

ColinWright 13y ago

Much of what you're saying was said by someone on Twitter, and the original author has responded to that: Submitted here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6835021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6835021

quesera 13y ago
Probably not worth a submission of its own, but the Twitter-er said it all far better than I: http://therationaliser.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-peacock-problem-response.html http://therationaliser.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-peacock-pr... And the original speaker comes off defensive and simultaneously pleased with himself in his response: http://www.jamiebgall.co.uk/the-peacock-problem-response/4581250090 http://www.jamiebgall.co.uk/the-peacock-problem-response/458... If he can't see that adolescent boys will generally not be on their best behaviour, and will almost always take rebuke from a stranger on a stage -- that they don't even want to be in the audience of -- as a challenge to be met with volume...well he doesn't get it. Ironically, perhaps, he's running the same game as the adolescents in his defense of his actions. I didn't do it, you misunderstood, it wasn't that bad, so what anyway, eff off if you disagree, I'm a great speaker so you're obviously wrong, etc. (Also, did he mean Qatar the country with stellar womens' rights, where he was invited to give the speech again, after his performance?)

theorique 13y ago

When I think Nigella (or Giada) I think "sexy woman who cooks on TV". I suspect most people do too. If he had wanted to suggest "food and SCIENCE", there would be fewer people better suited to this suggestion than Alton Brown, at least in the US. I don't know if he's popular in the UK, but his Good Eats show presented a great mashup of popular science and cooking.