WeekendWatcher: Fantasy Island - UK Columnist Julie Burchill Stranded On A Desert Island

Posted by Tom Foremski - March 9, 2013

Burchill

Julie Burchill is a unique journalist, she has a finely tuned sensibility in being able to push society's face just far enough into the gutter to draw blood and snot, but not hard enough to cause grievous bodily harm. And she doesn't hide her pleasure when she shreds society's buffoons in a verbal wood chipper.

Julie Burchill stranded on a desert island with no hope of return is a fantasy that many would love to come true.

She was recently interviewed by Kirsty Young, the quietly impressive host of Desert Island Discs, quite possibly the best celebrity interviewer since David Frost. She listens very carefully and it's a joy to hear.

Julie Burchill is loathed widely -- and she couldn't care less. She readily admits it's because she was born with something missing.

But there's something disingenuous in her claim. It's difficult to believe her when she's clearly playing with far more than a full deck. If she's missing some cards she's replaced them with plenty of extra jokers and Queen of Hearts.

She shines and shimmers and slithers in this BBC radio interview. She's refreshingly unrepentant about her vices, and repugnantly narcissistic, in delightfully large amounts. She can charm and spit venom and play evil twin and good in the same sentence.

It's just another day in the life of Ms. Burchill and her endless fascination with her larger than life character -- a relationship of mutual adoration.

It's the most entertaining thing I've heard in years. You are in for a treat.