Jack Monroe #182 Extraneous brine

[Lumpyspaceprincess]

I think it’s always worth mentioning, Jack isn’t that well known.
Shes never broken through to mainstream media. She’s had a couple of slots on This Morning and the DKL fiasco. That’s it isn’t it?
Cookery programmes are cheap to make, if they found a new food person with a new angle (say like Nadia) they would be jumping to make a series. Never happening now.

I constantly have to explain to Prince who she is. I think there is a middle class demographic who have picked up on her from the Guardian. But the average ‘man on the street’ not a clue who she is. Changing what she looks like every five minutes doesn’t bloody help.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Oh I didn’t know she went to Tanzania, she never mentions it.

 

[Flumps]

She's up...

Here's my take - I wonder if they did politely talk to her about it. I mean, from their point of view it would make sense to, this is something that she is somewhat known for and outside of our FORENSIC analysis often referred to as an 'expert'. They heard her 'expert' opinion, and probably a lot of others, took it on board, FWIWW, and then got on with their thing that is being brilliantly handled.

ETA: @Veronicaaa - babe, same x

 

[Candytuft]

*guesthouses*
Not house.

 

[Orphan_Black]

If she was truly involved in any meaningful way she would be shouting it from the rooftops.

I think she may have been involved in the planning stages, her name was thrown into the hat as chef sidekick to MR, and laughter ensues. All the tales of her unprofessionalism and snarky attitude, her weird, obsessive nature with higher ups, the lies upon lies to cover up her Tory, middle class background, and was never really poor/homeless to boot!

That is where her involvement ended in the programme.

 

[Prudejude]

Just saw Tom on tv and he has the x factor that she doesnt. Cook and talk at same time looks relaxed and nice to be around. Marcus wants this to work and has gone with the right person . My first thoughts of course were that jack wont be happy

 

[Brian Butterfield]

I think she may have been involved in the planning stages, her name was thrown into the hat as chef sidekick to MR, and laughter ensues. All the tales of her unprofessionalism and snarky attitude, her weird, obsessive nature with higher ups, the lies upon lies to cover up her Tory, middle class background, and was never really poor/homeless to boot!

That is where her involvement ended in the programme.

Yep, and Sainsbury's would have absolutely vetoed her involvement as well.

 

[colouredlines]

I worked with a fruitarian. He was very grubby and had bad teeth. I mean, fruit is nice and all, but can you imagine eating it all the fucking time? Imagine on a cold, miserable winter evening, sitting down to a plate of apple slices.

Spoiler: OT: getting fruity

I worked with this guy in a course for university students where we, as teachers, had to eat lunch with our classes so they could practise English. Every day he would sit down, open a carrier bag, and take out an ENTIRE WATERMELON. Then he would start eating it with a spoon while all the students just stared and tried to figure out the best way to ask WTF was going on.

He mostly just ate melons TBH, and was always getting into argunents with people because he insisted that melons were protein-rich. I never said anything to him about it, but in his first week of working with us he needed a translator to take him to the hospital for a blood transfusion, and he told us not to worry, as it was a regular thing for him. Um...

I had other vegan co-workers who always made a point of showing the normal food they ate, just in case anyone had any doubts!

 

[Zelda]

She’s such a weirdo, like a child playing at being a grownup but they don’t actually know what that looks like.

You’ve absolutely (Jimmy) nailed it.

Close the threads! We’ve completed Jack Monroe.

 

[Orphan_Black]

Watching the DKL, Jack says the tray bake is from her first book, when she was a 'regular food bank user' (you went once Jack and ran out because you were ashamed, but, will happily tell people on TV that you went regularly? Naaah) She then says the tray bake recipe came from a letter from a follower, saying he made the cake to woo a lover at church, two years ago.

Which is it Jack?

 

[Silver Linings]

Charm offensive.

 

[waffle maker]

 

[colouredlines]

The sheer amount of stuff in her kitchen makes me think she's one of those people who believe that the more utensils you own, the better you are at cooking. She imagines people look at those photos and go "wow, Jack's a kitchen guru!" when in fact we go "wow, Jack's a filthy hoarder!"

 

[Malkiavelli]

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Diddums.View attachment 538928
Over to you, Sir Matt...

Isn’t really my fight but just wondering, is stereotyping all gayness as being one big camp-a-thon just another example of Monroe hijacking and oversimplifying a whole movement and lifestyle for the earth shattering cause that is her own engagement..?

 

[Rekyavikgirl]

Honestly, I'd rather harvest honey from the next of African killer bees with my bare hands than spend one moment in her therapy group. Can you feckin imagine? Her therapists must be so stressed dealing with her.

 

[LavaFlake]

That close up shot of the knives Why would you willingly share to 250k followers that your kitchen utensils are manky and rusty... when you're a professional chef?!

Just looking at that picture makes me want an emergency tetanus shot...

 

[colouredlines]

I now know I am as old as the hills. Wilfried Brambell (Albert Steptoe) was an old theatre lovey queen. A grand dame of the London gay scene in the 1960s. Never mind the onions, Winnie (as he was known) was acerbic.

Thank you! You're not that old, I'm just foreign.

By the way, a man I used to work with maaaaany years ago now gives tours of secret gay history in London. He is probably of a similar vintage as you, and reminds me of you in some ways, dear heart - a very sharp mind, and a man who can discuss extremely serious topics with wit and warmth. When all this madness is over, I hope you can take a little trip and enjoy one of his tours.

(On topic: Jack would probably not enjoy the tour, as she seems convinced that "lesbian" is a personality trait.)

 

[Emmapism]

Not wanting to myself here, but a few of my ex neighbours lived in the same area as TK and met him out and about a few times. He’s apparently a really nice bloke - the chatty, friendly persona he portrays isn’t just for the cameras.

The squigs (lol. Auto corrects that to ‘squits’ every time) are getting all a bit ‘That Man’ again, aren’t they? Urgh.

I think I've mentioned one of my friends worked with him on a job about 6/7 years ago and can confirm this is 100% true.

Genuine, professional, lovely and no diva behaviour.

Funny he doesn't have a reputation of being difficult. Mustn't be difficult

 

[CabalofBolorneaise]

I feel so cross every time I think about someone getting a sad inedible meal from a food bank recipe. What a waste of precious food.

The thing with Jamie Oliver recipes is they never go wrong. Food bank recipes should be like this (minus expensive fancy ingredients). I would suggest for a family: tuna pasta bake, pasta with tomato sauce, curry and rice, risotto, chilli and rice. Meat free recipes are the cheapest, but spaghetti and meatballs is an easy favourite, and shepherds pie is ok if you have enough pans. When my kids were little and we were broke (not poor just maternity leave, mortgage, childcare etc took all the money) we ate stuff like this and frozen convenience foods like oven chips. We also mostly eat vegetarian so Linda McCartney sausages and quorn mince and stuff.

I feel like Jack over complicates the cooking, and forgets that little kids generally are picky (we get hints of this sometimes about SB).Nobody wants to be trying out weird new foods that might be rejected after a long day of school/ work.

If it’s any consolation, from my experience of working in food banks I frankly don’t buy that many people are trying her recipes. The names and descriptions will put them off for exactly the reason you state, they won’t want to be trying weird new food (that often looks vile even in her pics) when they can make a tomato pasta that is simpler, quicker and know the kids will eat and enjoy.

 

[AdultHumanFemale]

She's up...

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Here's my take - I wonder if they did politely talk to her about it. I mean, from their point of view it would make sense to, this is something that she is somewhat known for and outside of our FORENSIC analysis often referred to as an 'expert'. They heard her 'expert' opinion, and probably a lot of others, took it on board, FWIWW, and then got on with their thing that is being brilliantly handled.

ETA: @Veronicaaa - babe, same x

Agreed. I reckon she was maybe asked a question once, and that is the full extent of her involvement.

And really, you have to question why she would be involved in this project, when she wrote (and was paid for) a very public article about how she disagrees with some of their work? Why would you choose to work with someone who will publicly shit on you for a few quid?

But really, you have to question why if she is as much involved as she claims to be (and really, as Queen of the Povs™ it shouldn't actually matter so long as good work is being done!), why isn't she promoting it? Why has she not bothered at all to engage with any of the social media on this?

I believe the likely answer is because her any involvement she did have is tangible at best, and it's extremely clear she is only interested in campaigning when it's her name in the headline, and her face in the media, and she can therefore cash in on the notoriety.

It's frankly embarrassing that she continues to insist she is a campaigner, or that she cares about Marcus' work. The evidence is in her actions and so far she has made no effort to engage her social media presence in sharing or supporting this campaign. The ONLY time she talks about Marcus' and his work is when she Tweets to insist that is involved in it.

It's actually really quite atrocious, and very self-centred approach. The only work that matters is the work she deigns to engage in... And oh yeah, what was she doing recently? Yes, palling it up with the Tories in that Bright Blue think tank, described as being for "liberal conservatism".

Her continued silence in support of any activism or campaign she does not headline is so loud.