New To Club Popbitch?
Get previous Second Serve issues [here]
The Popbitch Popquiz archive is [here]
The Daily Audio Quiz archive is [here] |
|
|
|
| “It’s not like I’m Harry Potter” – Erik Ten Hag |
|
|
|
|
|
A second serving of scandal and slander Subscribe
Email stories to us club@popbitch.com
* Pet Politics
* BoJo balls up
* PLUS: More 90s Oasis memories |
|
|
|
| >> Official humour << |
| The referee’s a joke |
|
Arne Slot has started life in the Premier League like he might quickly become the most popular Dutch manager here yet. But for now, that prize probably goes to ex-Chelsea boss Guus Hiddinck.
In an interview this weekend, he gave an insight into referee humour from his time in UK.
Looking back to a match with WBA while Chelsea manager, Hiddinck recalled moaning to the fourth official, Jon Moss.
He turned to the official to complain about ref Anthony Taylor, “Hey this referee must be the worst in the premier league”.
Moss’s reply? ‘You haven’t seen me yet”. |
|
|
|
| 25 years on, Richard Gere has complained about his role in Pretty Women – “Basically a suit and a good haircut”. |
|
|
|
| >> Keir Pressure << |
| Unhappy returns |
|
Poor old Keir Starmer. A cancelled summer holiday, riots, people wanging on in the papers about his choice of lunch… it’s been a tough start to life as Prime Minister.
And then on top of that, his birthday – today – falls on a busy working Monday. Still, at least at the morning meeting with his top team everyone would remember to wish him happy birthday, wouldn’t they.
Wouldn’t they?
|
|
|
|
| Reader message of the week: “I have 300 people in my DMs asking me about who might be the rogue podcast producer in your blind item. THIS should be a podcast” |
|
|
|
| >> Be(er) here now << |
| Old skool Oasis gig-going |
|
Dev writes:
“I was at that Oasis gig at the SECC you wrote about on Thursday. They all came on stage out of a Red Phone box – fucking ludicrous. It was an empty bottle of beer that was chucked on stage and hit (I think) Bonehead in the leg. It was pretty early in the gig and wasn’t as bad as that sounds, but they did throw a hissy fit and do one. Cue running battles between crowd and stewards in the walkways just outside the venue, with police flying to the venue. Anyway Travis supporting, pre soppy ballads, blew them off stage.” |
|
|
|
| In 1991 the Gallagher brothers were employed (by a reader’s ex-wife) ripping up cardboard boxes, cash in hand, at the loading bay of the building in Manchester where their management company had office space. |
|
|
|
| >> Pet politics << |
| Dog loving dictators |
|
Vladimir Putin has been gifting North Korea’s Kim Jong Un an unfeasible number of animals this year, as a quid pro quo for weapons sales.
Last week Kim took receipt of two dozen Orlov Trotter horses. The most famous purebred Russian horse, the 19 stallions and five mares join a further 30 that had been sent over to DPRK in 2022. Only a couple months ago, the nations’ military cooperation was cemented by Putin presenting the North Koreans with 447 goats. In return he received two Pungsan hunting dogs from Kim.
Dogs really do have a special place in Central Asian diplomacy, but none more so than in Turkmenistan. thanks to current dictator, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov aka “Arkadag”. Probably most famous in the west for paying J-Lo $1m to come sing happy birthday to him at his party, Arkadag is obsessed with the native sheepdog breed, the Alabai. Seemingly any world leader who visits gets given Alabai puppies.
Putin had some, obvs. And South Korea’s animal loving President was presented with two puppies this summer.
But that’s not all. Arkadag established a public holiday in October in honour of the Alabai. Oh, and this – the capital city Ashgabat has an incredible 20m high gold statue of an Alabai in its centre.
[Photo about halfway down this review]
FYI: Kleptocracy is killing democracy
[Read on FT] |
|
|
|
| All cars in Ashgabat have to be white. |
|
|
|
| >> Balls up << |
| Diplomacy BoJo style |
|
R writes:
“After England’s 2-0 victory over Germany at the Euros in 2021, Boris thought it would be a laugh to mark Angela Merkel’s concurrent visit to Chequers by ‘gifting’ her the match ball. However, many of his officials thought this was undiplomatic and there were civil servants rowing with each other about who should give her the ball, as none of them wanted to do it.
“Eventually the plans fell through and it was chief of staff Dan Rosenfield who ended up receiving the ball in the end – he has kept it in his study to this day.” |
|
|
|
| Kate Winslet thinks the fact her husband changed his surname to Rocknroll is brilliant because “the funny thing is, he’s not remotely rock and roll, he’s Mr Vegan Yoga!”. |
|
|
|
| >> Upskirt funk << |
| Plus snooker, river, fish, bar etc |
| Someone wrote in to tell us that John Caudwell’s upskirt dancefloor, which was the subject of discussion at the Lord’s test and recounted in last Thursday’s issue, can be spotted here in the Irish Sun.The fifth photo down
Other highlights of the Mayfair house?
* It has a river running through it
* The river is stocked with live fish
* It has an enormous basement with snooker room, gig venue and bar, alongside that nightclub
The paper quotes his motivation for renovations and redecoration: “”It was just a matter of making everything very tasteful”. Questionable degree of success there, perhaps. |
|
|
|
| The man who wrote 1987 hit Living In A Box turned out to be a £40m tax fraudster. Steve Pigott was caught by police this week after over a decade on the run when he returned to the UK for his daughter’s wedding. |
|
|
|
| >> Popbits << |
| This week’s audio quizzes |
|
Assorted August is over. We’re back on the themes.
Monday’s Theme: Classical Covers.
Today’s mix contains ten well-known pop songs rearranged for piano and strings. All you have to do is figure out which ones. You get a point for each title you know and a point for each of the original artists. Ten songs; twenty points in total.
[Play it here] |
|
|
|
| There’s nearly 700 other rounds in the archive – including other cover rounds: Bossa Nova Covers, Metal Covers, Japanese Covers and just plain old Weird Covers. |
|
|
|
| Thanks to: CG, NG, RL, CW, CH, Dev, RG, MW, party_b, earl_of_essex |
|
|
|
Old Ticketmaster Jokes Home
Q/ How do you milk sheep?
A/ Announce an Oasis tour |
|
|
|
|
