Monday 2 March 2015

The Wisdom Of Luvvies…

Greg Wise on tax (neatly illustrating why actors should just stick to mouthing other people's words in the process):
"I want to stop paying tax, until everyone pays tax,” the actor Greg Wise is saying. His hands are imploring claws, rigid in the space between us.
“I have actively loved paying tax, because I am a profound f****** socialist and I believe we are all in it together. But I am disgusted with HMRC. I am disgusted with HSBC. And I’m not paying a penny more until those evil bastards go to prison.”
Well, I'm sure you'll make someone an interesting cellmate, Greg.
He shakes his head then adds of his “missus”, Emma Thompson, the Oscar-winning actress, “Em’s on board. She agrees. We’re going to get a load of us together. A movement. They can’t send everyone to prison. But we’ll go to prison if necessary. I mean it. It’s going to be like 1848 all over again.”
And then he laughs, disarmingly. “I sound like Russell f****** Brand, don’t I?” Yes, I say. But he’s not a bit like Russell f****** Brand. He’s far too tortured, far too self-aware. And, of course, he’s a lot better looking.
Steady on, love! It's not even as if 'better looking than Russell Brand'; was much of an achievement, and every word that comes out of this guy's mouth is nonsense.

He's breeding more like him, too:
He’s given up acting “three times” — “I’ve always been slightly arsey”. Recently his life has been “trimmed” because Gaia quit fee-paying Highgate School to be tutored at home. “It was her idea. She’s a product of people who aren’t part of the system — we’re self-employed, very much on the fringes of what is seen as a proper job — and having been brought up in that environment, and questioning things, Gaia just decided that she loves learning but the system per se is not for her.”
 I...

I just...
The family live in West Hampstead, “in the poor bit. Em was born at the bottom of the street and now we live in the middle.” Her mother, Phyllida Law, is “over the road, and my sister Clare is about 10 doors down”.
Their evening meal is “sacrosanct” and they share the cooking. “We have six or seven every night for tea. It’s how everyone used to live. [Society] has designed that out and it’s not healthy. As the Africans say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’.”
 Somewhere, a village is clearly missing its idiot...
We return to politics. Wise is card-carrying Labour. “But I’m in absolute despair at all of them,” he says. “I liked Tony before he made his mistakes. I cannot forgive him and the party, and the country. I was one of the two million out there, marching. Made f*** all difference. There is no such thing as democracy.”
Injustice is, he says, “the thing that makes me more angry than anything — whether it’s someone being hassled in the street to HSBC getting away with this. I’m the least violent man you’ve ever met but I will plough into fights in the street to stop someone being set upon. Days afterwards I’m a mess because I hate violence. But I cannot see injustice.”
Isn't tax a bit of an injustice in itself?
The issue of tax has him frothing.“Yes, I’ve got my basic north London Left-wing woolly ideas about what’s going on. [Companies like] HSBC haven’t even been slapped on the wrist [because of this] beautiful grey area between avoidance and evasion. It’s iniquitous. We need to do something — COME ON!
YES! LET'S DO SOMETHING!

But...what? After all, that 'grey area' could be removed if politicians wanted, and yet it hasn't been. No matter who is in power.

Why do you think that is, Greg?

21 comments:

L fairfax said...

Actors complaining about tax avoidance is just amazing.
Films and TV companies always want tax breaks to film in country x or y, they are worse than bankers

North Northwester said...

They really believe in the money tree, don't they?

This is just Eloi talk for "Not only am I not going to be rude respectful about the Morlocks , I'm also going to stop eating the fruit they leave us to eat while we swim and plait flowers into our hair. THEN they'll be sorry...Someone will be sorry. Whoever. I'm sure they'll bring us something nicer for us to eat because they really, really love us and have something special in mind for us. The Rainbow will provide for us if only we hold our breath long enough."

Anonymous said...

"....I a profound f······ socialist..". That's because he can afford to be a socialist, mainly through an income derived from millions poured into the Luvie art world in grants for plays that wouldn't last a week if they had to stand on their own merits (a bit like everything in the real world has to do). I actually had to Google his name as I kept thinking of that lanky, spectacled American comic who used to appear on that show where hey all talked off the cuff rubbish. This bloke isn't him, though he does talk rubbish, but some unknown actor who would be down the Jobcentre if not for who he's shacked up with (true socialists don't believe in marriage as "Em" was once quoted as saying). I think I've just found another nomination for the manned Mars probe.
Penseivat

Ed P said...

I'll bet they have Luvvy-ly teas!

Anonymous said...

Second rate actor, if he hadn't married Emma Thompson would he have disappeared without a trace?

mike fowle said...

Came across a nice quote reported in an old article by Bernard Levin about actors: If you aint praising them, they aint listening.

James Higham said...

Is there something about the name Greg?

Ted Treen said...

Ye Gods! Was there ever a more precious full-of-himself, precocious little boy?

Who TF is he anyway?

Anonymous said...

Bunny

If it wasn't for being Mr Thompson no one would have heard of the tosser, not that anyone really cares, go to prison please you useless sanctimonious twat.

Vir Cantium said...

So let me get this right...

If I 'dodge' tax, even legally, that's bad. Yet if I openly refuse to pay it for political reasons (a la poll tax) then that's fine and dandy?

Or does that only apply to bien pensant luvvies living in North London?

Anonymous said...

It's probably an empty threat, as I don't think he'd actually earn enough to pay tax

Anonymous said...

I can only think that living with Uber Luvvie Thompson has turned him into an utter turd!

John M said...

See you in prison, bitch.

You know they fuck Guardian-luvvie types like you in the showers in there don't you?

It will be like SHawshank but without the redemption.

Flaxen Saxon said...

Anyone using the phrase per se in conversation should be beaten to death with the nearest stage prop. Oh no its the rubber chicken! Oh yes it is.

Clarissa said...

If Greg Wise likes paying tax so much, I assume he sends the Treasury more than he is required to every single year, yes?

*crickets*

staybryte said...

Two thoughts.

1. It's long, long past time that a voluntary higher tax bracket was introduced. Let's say 75% of all income. Rich people who complain publically about tax avoidance should be asked to disclose whether they've signed up for the higher rate.

2. "As the Africans say, it takes a village to raise a child." Firstly, which particular Africans? It's a rather large continent after all. Secondly, why take advice on societal arrangements from a continent that from top to bottom is a fetid swamp of backwardness, poverty, violence and degradation?

CJ Nerd said...

Can someone clear up an area of confusion for me?

Was Citizen Smith a comedy or a documentary?

Greencoat said...

'His hands are imploring claws, rigid in the space between us.'

And his eyes are bulging lollipops, swivelling round in Noddy's toilet bowl.

JuliaM said...

"Actors complaining about tax avoidance is just amazing."

Pretty much any time they open their mouths to say something unscripted is..!

"They really believe in the money tree, don't they?"

Well, think about it - everywhere they go, they are showered in free gifts, free travel, free food...why wouldn't they believe in it?

"That's because he can afford to be a socialist..."

Spot on!

JuliaM said...

"Came across a nice quote reported in an old article by Bernard Levin about actors: If you aint praising them, they aint listening."

Heh!

"Ye Gods! Was there ever a more precious full-of-himself, precocious little boy?"

Well, there's Russell Brand...

"It will be like SHawshank but without the redemption."

I predict he'll never see a day of prison...

JuliaM said...

staybryte and Clarissa - spot on! Let's see them finally put their money where their mouths are!