I can pinpoint the exact moment I changed my mind about Rod Liddle. It was at the Portsmouth Guild Hall while waiting to appear as a panelist on Question Time in 2004. One of the female producers told me that Liddle had been a panelist the previous week and had turned up with Alicia Monckton, a colleague of his on the Spectator. At 44, he was exactly twice her age. Instead of making small talk with his fellow guests -- Peter Hain, Jenny Tonge, Tim Yeo -- he started making out with Alicia on the green room sofa. This, in spite of the fact that he was married with two children at the time. "Peter Hain was quite shocked," said the blue-stocking producer. "Rod wasn't holding anything back. At one point, he started licking Alicia's face. The awful thing is, you can just tell he'd be a really good shag." (To read more, click here.)
Re: Three Cheers for Rod Liddle
Posted by Biggles on 11-01-2010 17:29:
Yes, he's wonderful, isn't he? But you've picked up one unfortunate habit from him - the use of 'au courant' (which he loves dropping into to his articles) to mean 'current'. You did it in recently in the Speccie.
'Au courant' doesn't mean 'current'. Here's what the OED says: 'Acquainted with what is going on; aware of current developments: usu. const. with or of.'
Pass it on to Rod, will you?
And for heaven's sake, don't start saying 'crie de coeur', which he also does (it's 'cri').
:-)
Biggles
Re: Three Cheers for Rod Liddle
Posted by Toby Young on 11-01-2010 17:40:
Thanks for the tip Biggles. I shall avoid such errors in future.
