THE NAKED CITY – SPEAKERS CORNERED!

“An Entertaining Evening with Nigel Farrage – Politics Needs A Bit Of Spicing Up” – that’s the blurb advertising the forthcoming Australian ‘speakers’ tour of the UK’s Mr Brexit – the latest in a string of right wing celebrities here to cash in on the obviously lucrative talkfest circuit. If you are so inclined, you might grab your ticket now, ranging from a humble $49 student concession to a full blown ‘private dinner’ for $995.00.

Nigel is here thanks to GME Events, previously known as Filthy Gorgeous Publishing, the folks who brought you Milo Yiannopoulos, and boast on their website:

“GME events offer a unique and unparalleled experience by allowing fans the opportunity to interact directly with the world’s leading personalities. GME events are immersive, infinitely shareable, and brag-worthy at the highest level.”

GME’s promoter is Sydney entrepreneur Damian Costas, who also runs the company that publishes the Australian version of Penthouse Magazine. Whether he has a philosophical alignment with the more colourful gasbags of the right or just sees a good business opportunity is open to question. What he does enjoy is a climate of ‘PC’ bashing, Trumpian politics and the voices of Fox News – all great for today’s box office.

In the past we have seen plenty of left wing and otherwise controversial imported writers, commentators, journalists and ex politicians ply a similar circuit, with their supporters no less eager to fork out good money to partake in what is in many ways an evangelical gathering.  Few however have been promoted with the kind of rock star pizzazz that surrounded the Yiannopolous tour and is currently offering a backstage encounter with Nigel Farrage that will sting you a mere $495.00! Does that include a selfie?

We live in a democracy and supposedly people of all political persuasions have a right to speak, unless of course you are the repugnant holocaust denier David Irving and the Australian Government is never going to grant you a visa. Whether some of the more contentious speakers have a right to stir up hatred as they flit around the country is certainly open to challenge.

The recent visit of gun toting Canadian YouTube rabble-rouser Lauren Southern is a great example. As with the Milo Yiannopoulos road show, hundreds of protestors turned out to voice their opposition, so much so that police protection was necessary and venues were kept secret. Southern’s pre-tour promo stunt and photo opp was to drop into Lakemba and the Mosque, falsely asserting that this had been the scene of a major race riot and expressing her dismay that only Muslims were visible in the shopping precinct.

Surely somebody could have briefed her better letting her know that the anti-multiculturalism debate is almost dead in the water here – with not even One Nation flogging that issue these days. It’s hard to believe some devotees forked out as much as $749 at her Sydney show to have their prejudices reaffirmed. Obviously some hate speak does not come cheap!

You could of course be totally cynical and see the Milo, Nigel and Lauren rock shows as simply another form of entertainment, albeit more in the style of bear baiting, dwarf throwing and throwing Christians (or maybe atheists) to the lions. As more and more promoters jump on the bandwagon to exploit the current political discord prepare yourself for the mega stadium talk show, coming to an arena near you and featuring:

DAVID DUKE (ex KKK), RUSH LIMBAUGH (talk show host), BILL O’REILLY (ex Fox News), OLIVER NORTH (convicted felon and NRA President), TED NUGENT (gun freak), BRIDGET BARDOT (convicted race hater), MARINE LE PEN (French Far Right) and many, many more – with a musical interlude from the choir of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Now, who wouldn’t pay good money to see a line up like that!