THE LONDONER: Princess Diana, Beatles are still selling newspapers
By: Erin Tobin
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Opinion
Things are heating up over here in London town, except for, maybe, the weather.
We had been experiencing a warming trend, but now the skies are foggy and the air is cold - very stereotypical.
No, where the real fires are burning is in the courts as two famous, somewhat important (depends on what your view of important is) court cases continue astounding the populace as well as causing a media frenzy.
Both cases are dramatic and private, an odd contrast to the often public and well-mannered trials that happen on a daily basis.
But what is fun about the tame and average, right?
You see, while the people of London are seemingly quiet and reserved, their media is anything but, and it loves to shake things up like a school child in a snow globe shop.
Lately, these flurries have been generated by either the investigation into the death of Princess Diana (yes, they are still investigating that), or the current divorce of Sir Paul McCartney from estranged wife Heather Mills.
However, the McCartney controversy is mostly due to commentary by Mills, who has repeatedly said that the local press has it in for her, which the press loves to use to make her seem as crazy as possible.
Her latest shine in the newspaper spotlight described her as breaking down from constant press torment and contemplating suicide, which the papers and news broadcasters played up with very unflattering pictures and large headlines.
While it is important to understand that newspapers in London can't be taken at face value (or rather they can because they are free), I have to admit that it is good fun to get caught up in the sensationalism and it helps break up the monotony of a 45-minute Tube ride.
The same can be said about the recent development on the Princess Diana investigation, as Mohamed Al Fayed - the father of Dodi Fayed, her boyfriend - who was killed along with Diana in the 1997 car crash - took the stand on Monday.
Al Fayed was splashed all over that evening's paper, complete with quotes that ousted every member of the current royal family, calling them the "Dracula Royal Family."
We had been experiencing a warming trend, but now the skies are foggy and the air is cold - very stereotypical.
No, where the real fires are burning is in the courts as two famous, somewhat important (depends on what your view of important is) court cases continue astounding the populace as well as causing a media frenzy.
Both cases are dramatic and private, an odd contrast to the often public and well-mannered trials that happen on a daily basis.
But what is fun about the tame and average, right?
You see, while the people of London are seemingly quiet and reserved, their media is anything but, and it loves to shake things up like a school child in a snow globe shop.
Lately, these flurries have been generated by either the investigation into the death of Princess Diana (yes, they are still investigating that), or the current divorce of Sir Paul McCartney from estranged wife Heather Mills.
However, the McCartney controversy is mostly due to commentary by Mills, who has repeatedly said that the local press has it in for her, which the press loves to use to make her seem as crazy as possible.
Her latest shine in the newspaper spotlight described her as breaking down from constant press torment and contemplating suicide, which the papers and news broadcasters played up with very unflattering pictures and large headlines.
While it is important to understand that newspapers in London can't be taken at face value (or rather they can because they are free), I have to admit that it is good fun to get caught up in the sensationalism and it helps break up the monotony of a 45-minute Tube ride.
The same can be said about the recent development on the Princess Diana investigation, as Mohamed Al Fayed - the father of Dodi Fayed, her boyfriend - who was killed along with Diana in the 1997 car crash - took the stand on Monday.
Al Fayed was splashed all over that evening's paper, complete with quotes that ousted every member of the current royal family, calling them the "Dracula Royal Family."
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