Borkowski Media Trends: Is Boris back? | Beyonce Conspiracy & MORE
PLUS: Oasis' spending boost fightback | Klopp's Red Bull return
Boris Johnson Unleashes chaos with revisionist new memoir
In a stunning example of yet another rewrite of history by our eminent politicians, Boris Johnson released his 730+ page tome this week recounting his memoirs for the masses. Surprisingly for a political memoir, this actually appears to have been written by him, complete with his verbal ticks, pubic-school boy tone, and crass insults. Now considered by much of the public a notably unserious individual, Johnson has managed to turn even the heaviest of topics into jokes or performative hyperbole, complaining that Remain voters were turning us into the “orange-ball-chomping gimp of the EU” or calling Theresa May “old grumpy knickers”. Johnson has truly embraced his reputation as a hyperbolic Etonian buffoon.
In a review for the New Statesman, Nicola Sturgeon comments ‘There is a heavy sense of cognitive dissonance in much of this book. Maybe it is a feature of memoirs, but large chunks of this one feels like the version of Boris Johnson’s time in office he wishes were true. Or perhaps he genuinely believes it to be true’
It is this notion of writing ones’ own truth that dominates current political discourse and perhaps creates an opportunity for a potential comeback. Should Johnson decide to re-enter the political fray, he will be doing so an unashamed self-professed ‘hero’; not as an individual expressing remorse for the countless ways in which he colossally cocked it up. Sturgeon is not alone is her review, with the Guardian, Politico and the Washington Post all publishing articles about the implausibility of his account.
True or not, the noise around the book’s publication has revealed one indisputable fact, Johnson remains impossible to ignore. With his non-neutral media sentiment trending at nearly 60% negative, Johnson has leaned into the old trope that ‘all publicity is good publicity’ and perhaps for a man fighting to stay relevant, the ability to generate a media flurry is a PR success. Following up the launch with an appearance on Diary of a CEO, has lent Johnson more publicity and the chance to discuss his ‘unique political persona’. Given that this flurry of media attention has come during the Conservative leadership contest, with interviewers still interested in his endorsement, his quest to remain relevant is proving a success.
Whether this publicity will turn into political power remains to be seen. Reviews of his book’s content range from dismissively neutral to scathingly critical, but what remains undisputed is that the content is undeniably Johnson, and the media and with this the public, are willing to continue to engage.
Beyonce conspiracy sees celebs rush to distance themselves from Diddy
Beyonce is one of the world’s most powerful musicians, a pop culture megalith. But even she faces a reputation risk after her name was this week dragged into the escalating Diddy scandal.
Diddy, who has been a major figure in music for over 20 years, is now facing serious charges of sex trafficking and facilitating drug-fueled sex parties, commonly referred to as “freak offs”.
Diddy has long been known for throwing lavish, wild parties attended by his celebrity friends. Over the years, he has helped launch the careers of household names such as Justin Bieber and Usher. And given the tight-knit nature of the music and celebrity scene, there is now rampant speculation about which other high-profile figures might also be involved in the scandal.
Beyonce has been a major target of this speculation. The internet, particularly social media and TikTok, has exploded with conspiracy theories linking her to Diddy and the dark side of the entertainment industry. Beyonce and her husband, Jay-Z, are known to be close friends of Diddy, sparking rumors about their involvement and their knowledge of what was going on.
Beyonce has been subject to conspiracy theories about her influence over the entertainment industry for years now. Videos have emerged on social media showing artists going out of their way to thank her during award shows, even when she hasn’t won the award in question. Some speculate this behavior shows the power of Beyonce’s grip on the industry. These theories even go so far as to revisit the infamous 2009 MTV VMAs incident, when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift, claiming that “Beyonce had the best music video of all time.” According to some, Kanye’s outburst was part of a broader effort to keep the spotlight on Beyonce at all costs.
As is the case with most public figures facing such outlandish and conspiratorial speculation, Beyonce has so far been stonily silent on the issue. But the dangers of leaving a vacuum were writ large in the Princess of Wales’ issues with her own conspiracy theories earlier this year. With the swarming rumors created by social media and gossip sites, the longer these stories stay unaddressed, the more speculation will happen, and the most hysterical it becomes until even the mighty Beyonce finds it damages her brand.
With Diddy’s allegations casting a shadow over the celebrity world, the rumours imply that Beyonce and Jay-Z may be more involved than they appear. The once-glamorous Diddy parties, like his famous “white party,” are now a source of scandal. A-list celebrities, who once begged for an invitation, are allegedly trying to distance themselves from any association with these events and Diddy himself.
Should Diddy come forward to name others who were involved in these parties and illegal activities, this could permanently damage not only Beyonce & Jay-Z’s reputation but other A-list celebrities.
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Can Oasis economy boost offset dynamic pricing controversy?
The UK’s non-essential spending peaked this year, according to a Barclays report, thanks in part to the hysterical Oasis ticket sale, which alone boosted entertainment spending by 14.4%. It's an impressive stat, but unsurprising for anyone familiar with the absurd ‘Dynamic’ price hikes.
Live Nation boss Michael Rapino was recently on record saying the reunion tour was “the biggest on-sale in history”, with “the most demand in history”, so it isn’t surprising the broader entertainment sector saw a short-term spike. Rapino was quick to defend Ticketmaster, claiming there were 10 billion bots hitting its system. So really, the fact that any ‘normal’ fans were even able to purchase tickets on the general sale was somewhat of a miracle.
While the report paints an optimistic outlook, the live entertainment industry is in big trouble, as it becomes increasingly expensive for consumers to attend events.
This is reflected in the recent Glastonbury ticket announcement, with ticket prices for next year’s festival a whopping £373.50, a 10% increase from 2023. Given 2026 is a fallow year, we will likely see even more price hikes for future festivals considering the sheer cost of running such events.
However, Live Nation, Oasis and Glastonbury are in fortunate positions at the top of the music industry pyramid. These entities can afford the very best in communications support. It’s the smaller venues, artists and festivals that will suffer. Unless the UK’s economy starts moving in the right direction, much of the entertainment industry will be in a critically vulnerable position.
Klopp, Red Bull & the Silcon Vallification of Football
The growing influence of venture capitalists such as Chelsea owners Clearlake over Association Football is seen by many fans as an existential threat to the soul of the game.
Although the preserve of the super-rich, making money was never thought to be the primary intent of any football club owner, but in the last decade or so, models of ownership, particularly multi-club ownership, appear to have shifted into a more commercial state.
This may explain the criticism directed this week at former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after he accepted a role of Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull – whose pioneering adventures in sports marketing and sponsorship includes owning four name brand football clubs.
Red Bull are far from the most harshly criticised of football’s new generation of conglomerates; their clubs are all well-run and prosperous, but Klopp has always positioned himself as a man of fierce principle, even criticising the multi-club ownership model in the past.
For a man so driven, it used to seem, by the authentic soul of football, and so burnt out by the excesses of the modern game, Klopp’s return to the game so quickly, to a job which props up a model he previously criticised, and comes with a ludicrously opaque corporate America-sounding title, has for some fans cemented their fears about the onrushing Silicon Vallification of the game.
As if to underline the point, the news has spent much of the past 48 hours trending on LinkedIn. Klopp has a task on his hands to maintain his reputation as on of football’s remaining men of substance and principle.