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The Daily Tonic: KISS’n’Tell

 

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* Robert’s rock’n’royalties!
* The sexual history of Simmons!
* PLUS: Another new audio quiz…
>> Happy hour <<
Heaton helps out
 

There’s a very sweet story doing the rounds on social media today about Paul Heaton from the Beautiful South and how he got in touch with Q Magazine after news of its closure to make a sizeable a donation to the staff and freelancers there as thanks for the 35 years of support the mag had shown him.

It’s a really heartwarming story – if you haven’t already read it – and you’ll be glad to hear it’s not an isolated incident. Paul’s generosity really knows no bounds.

Upon moving to a new house in Didsbury some years back, Paul wasted no time in introducing himself to the young student-types who were sharing the house next door. They all got on very well, but the neighbours were particularly chuffed when Paul offered them the extra space in his wheelie bin, insisting that he often “doesn’t need it”.

slackhack writes: “I had a drinking competition with renowned boozer Paul Heaton at the Columbia Hotel once. Obvs I lost and ended up throwing up over the arm of the sofa. Not long after, he tried to give up drinking so much and switched to Kaliber.”
>> Hearts of gold <<
Question of the day
 

In honour of Paul Heaton’s niceness, today we want to know about the other big sweethearts in showbusiness. Whether they’re thoughtful, generous, or even a little flirtatious – which famous person has left you feeling full to the brim with human kindness?

(Or, if you feel so inclined, you can also tell us who’s a total cunt. We’re easy either way.)

Send your stories of sweet celebs to hello@popbitch.com and we’ll dish out a goody bag to the best of them.

Nominative Determinism Of The Day: The Environment Agency Flood And Coastal Risk Management Team Leader in the North East… Tristan Drought!
>> KISS’n’tell <<
The bones of history
 

LD writes:
“I worked in American publishing in the late 1980s as an editorial assistant. One afternoon I was called to reception and there was Gene Simmons of KISS, lizard-skin boots and all, sitting there with a huge black zippered-up art portfolio. My boss had edited some rock titles, so I guess somehow Gene had got hold of his name and decided to just show up. I escorted him and his portfolio back to my editor’s office, where he proceeded to pitch a book about all the women he’d ever slept with. Back then, his estimate was around 2,000.

“Right before he left, he turned to me, handed me the portfolio and said, ‘Open it.’ So I did. There were hundreds and hundreds of Polaroids of topless women – apparently trophies that he took after each encounter. ‘This is what I want to write about,’ he said. He was very emphatic on that point – he didn’t want to do a standard memoir, he didn’t want to do an art book. He wanted a literary testament to his fucking history.

“After trying to persuade him that such a book would not do well, my editor passed on the pitch. My understanding is that he has kept the portfolio and added to it over time, and that his now-wife has attempted to throw it in a dumpster numerous times.”

BoneyMLP writes: “I was at the printer once and came across a huge stack of magazines commemorating the marriage of Holly Valance and Nick Candy. The mag culminated in a shot of Holly hugging a huge dick-shaped artwork, accompanied by the immortal caption: ‘Holly had always been a fan of sculpture.'”
>> Cheque your Head <<
Rock’n’royalties
 

BathnWells writes:
“My dad was head boy at King Edward’s Grammar School in Stourbridge and was a couple of years ahead of a certain Mr Robert Plant. As head boy (and a veritable goody-two shoes) dad had the ear of the Headmaster who relayed this story:

“Legend goes that when Robert’s career direction was made known the headmaster, Mr Chambers (“Potty”) advised him to think again and that a career in music seldom pays. Robert listened keenly to the advice, ignored him and… well…

“Apparently, he used to send Mr Chambers a copy of his bank statement each year at Christmas to show that he really was listening.”

MS writes: “Richard Savage of Def Leppard was told by our supervisor, after handing in his notice, that his music won’t amount to anything and he’d be better staying on as a Signals and Telecoms technician for British Rail as this was a career with a future.”
>> Monk-y business <<
More tales of Tom Baker
 

IC writes:
“Your stories about Tom Baker reminded me of the time a colleague was reading ‘Who On Earth Is Tom Baker’ in the lounge at Dublin airport. Looking up he happened to see Mr Baker on the other side of the lounge. Stunned by the coincidence he couldn’t resist requesting an autograph. Tom was charming and more than happy to sign. He asked where in the book my colleague was up to. ‘The point where you were having a difficult time in the monastery,’ he said.

“‘Ah, yes!’ Tom replied with a smile, handing the book back. ‘Do let me know how I get on.'”

CC writes: “I was at Birmingham University Drama Department in the late 1980s, roughly a decade after Simon Le Bon. One of the tutors seemed to genuinely enjoy telling the story of how he’d advised Le Bon that ‘this music thing was never going to work out’ and he should stick to his studies.”
>> Quarantunes <<
#151: More October No.1s
 

Once again, all of today’s ten tracks were number one hits in October at some point over the last 50 years. You just need to remember what they’re called and who they’re by.

You get a point for the artist, a point for the title. Ten songs, twenty points. It could hardly be more simple.

[Get to it]

We’ve finally done it! A brand new Popbitch Popquiz is here. The Gold Edition features eight new rounds of trivia, puzzles and challenges, includng: a Donald Trump medication wordsearch, celebrity Spot The Difference, a Royal rumour mix’n’match and much, much more. Perfect for the weekend.
[Download your copy here]
>> Hmmms <<
A couple of quick things
 

A mix of steel and brassbound covers
[Hear on Soundcloud]

Quokkas watching juggling
[Pretty cute]

Meet Mr Pistachio
[Even cuter]

A marionette Freddie Mercury
[See on YouTube]

Thanks to: RJC, slackhack, LD, BoneyMLP, bathnwells, MS, IC, CC – and anyone who has sent us an email this week x
Old Jokes Home
Q/ What kind of music do wind turbines like?
A/ They’re huge metal fans.

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