Has Iain Lee Lost His Sense of Humor?

Hopefully not. Perhaps it's just taken a couple of days off. I like Iain, I really do. As I performer, I mean. I don't know the man, personally, so I am only speaking of him as a radio presenter. I have written about him on many occasions, on this blog, and I have also written that he is my favorite radio presenter in the UK. That hasn't changed. It seems that my most recent blog article about my latest discussion with him, on air, may have gotten on the wrong side of him. Over the past couple of days, Iain has broken an eight month silence on my blog to post a couple of comments. They were posted on, and in response to, my article, "London Radio Presenter Reverses Claim" (03 February, 2007). Because they were posted on an article that was several days old, I have decided to reprint them, here. You may find them interesting.
First, Iain writes:
"Dont think I claimed to read your blog. The 'hows the blog going?' question was because a listener had alerted me to the fact you had been vaguely rude about me in your blog.
"Get real, I havent got time to read evereything everyone writes. It's great that you put me in your top friends, but I suspect the reason for doing this was more to help yourself than to actually promote me.
"No, I was not interested in watching you on telly. Sorry if it sounds harsh, but get this, outside of the radio show I do lots of other work and I have some semblance of a life. Christ, you didnt even have a speaking part.
"If this is in any way harsh or rude, I'm kind of sorry but not enough to lose sleep over it. It's just life dude. I'm more encouraging and helpful to new talent than a lot of people, so you criticising me for not helping you is selfish and narrow minded.
"You commented I often cut you off on the radio show - I CUT EVERYBODY OFF! You're not special in that respect either. It's a show, it's meant to be entertaining.
"I suppose I'm lucky youre not perving over me like you do with other radio presenters.
"Best of luck man, and I genuinely mean that.
"Iain
"x"
In response, I posted the following:
'Well, well, well...an actual comment from Iain Lee. I guess I should be honored. Actually, you did claim to read it, back then, because after you said, "how's the blog going," I asked you if you read it and you said, "yes." However, I doubted you were telling the truth, so I didn't lose sleep over it.
'I can't see how putting you in my "top friends" would ever "help" me. I did it, originally, because you were the person who motivated me to try Myspace and I genuinely thought you had the best show on UK radio. As far as my not having a speaking part on the "Seconds Episode," no one did. It's almost entirely narrated, outside some interview segments with the real life people involved in the incident. As far as the people who were involved in the recreation, I was the main character, with almost half the show dealing with my part.
'I can't recall ever being even vaguely rude about you in my blog, but then a lot of British people have a strange sense of what's rude. I have always used any articles where you were mentioned to promote your show, always giving the station, time, Sky Channel, and web link.
'Regarding you cutting people off, well, let's just say some people you give a lot more airtime to than others. I'm thinking of people like Yasser,Varinder, Barry. Your choice, you owe me nothing.
'At least I don't perve over "Shipwrecked" contestants, like Niff.
'It's obvious you don't regularly read my blog, because if you did, you'd realize that it's written tongue in cheek. It seems that you are taking it way too seriously.
'Anyway, thanks for finally reading it and commenting. I don't believe in luck, so instead I'll wish you success.'
I thought that would be it and that I wouldn't hear from him again. To my surprise, I found the following:
"Joseph
"this is the last time I shall ever look at your page.
"You are a very weird chap with a complete misunderstanding of how the real world works.
"I perv over Niff in the context of a radio SHOW. SHOW is a very important word here, because that is what it is. A SHOW. Its is not real life or really me. Though that was obvious, sorry if it was a bit above you.
"Yes, I lied about reading your blog. Again, it is a SHOW. Not everything I say in the SHOW is true. Christopher Lee is not my grandfather. Yet I have said he is. Are you starting to get how it works now?
"As for allowing Barry, Varinder, G-Man, Maureen and just about any other caller more time on air than you it is because they are interesting and funny! I know you Americans have a weird concept of what entertaining and funny is, but trust me, they give much more to the show than you.
"I know you will reply to this, but trust me, I aint gonna be looking at it fella so youre playing to an audience of one.
"X"
I did post a response, but for some reason, it's not there now. I will try to recreate it as best I can, from memory, but it won't be perfect.
"A second comment. This is truly a monumentus occasion. Weird is better than 'average.' I don't think you know me well enough to tell how well I understand how the real world works.
"You seem to think that I don't understand that your show is a 'SHOW.' I do. I think almost everyone who has listened to it for a while realizes that you sometimes say things which are not true. What's ironic is that you seem to be doing the very same thing that you are suggesting I do. You don't seem to get that my blog is a show, as well. I'm not an accident investigator in real life, I just play one on TV. I thought that was obvious. Sorry if it was a bit above you.
"Regarding you lying about reading my blog, you seem to have missed the part in the original article where I wrote that I have 'always questioned whether Iain actually reads it.' Since that seems to have been too subtle for you, let me translate. That means that I always suspected that you weren't telling the truth about reading my blog.
"Americans have a weird concept of what's entertaining and funny, which is why we created things like 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' It would be kind of strange if callers who you give more airtime to didn't 'give more to the show.' It follows that those who are on air more 'give more.'
"Dude, lighten up. This is just a show.
"Yes, I will post a reply, because the stats tell me that, even without you, I have a larger audience than just one.
"I heard that you were in a traffic accident, today. I hope you are okay and in good health. You are welcome to come back and comment anytime, should you decide to reverse yourself again."
I noticed something, tonight, re-reading Iain's first comment. He seems to have gotten the impression that I was criticizing him for not "helping" me. I have twice reviewed my original article and I see no language in there indicating I either expected, nor asked for, "help." What I did criticize him for was for not being supportive to a loyal listener, by watching my "Seconds From Disaster" episode. Doing so wouldn't have been any "help" to me. Anyway, surely this was a mild criticism. It's possible, then, that Iain's whole reaction is based on a misunderstanding. Still, why break an eight month silence for this?
Another possibility is that this is Iain's way of encouraging and helping me. Posting two comments can only boost my readership and increase the attention my blog is getting. Iain's savvy enough that he's got to realize the positive effect for my blog of him posting comments. So, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he's helped me. Thanks dude.
You can listen to Iain on LBC 97.3, London (Sky Channel 0177, or via the net at: www.lbc973.co.uk [which means those of you abroad can listen, too]). He's on weeknights from 7PM to 10PM, London time, and he also does a Sunday night show from 10PM to 1AM.