Jack Monroe #458 This addled lie factory is on another level

[LennyBriscoe]

Sorry for jumping forward from the past, but I need to get something off my (non 2p covered) chest.

I’ve been honest here about my alcoholism (and I’d like to thank everyone else here who is honest about addiction too. I welled up a bit when Andy said Tattle was right all along but also when I read people’s experiences. It’s so important that everyone sees that what Jack Monroe says about AA/recovery is not the norm) and I’m really hacked off at her pretty much using alcoholism as a ‘get out of jail free card’ for her downright fraudulent and disingenuous behaviour. If worked properly with the guidance of someone who’s walked the path before you, you learn how to accept your part in things and own your behaviour, however bad they are. All I see from her was “soz you didn’t get your Patreon stuff you paid for, I was pished. And I can’t refund you because I’ve spent all of the money when - you guessed it - pished. Lol”

WE ARE MEANT TO BE HONEST IN ALL OUR AFFAIRS!

I am wholly unsurprised to see that she’s snark central on Twitter, biting back at anyone and everyone. If she has done her Steps with the recommended level of rigorous honesty, I’ll eat Andy’s crumpets (that sounds a bit wrong actually). But I’m actually wondering if she is an alcoholic at all, or she’s seen it as something people wouldn’t probe her about and she can say anything at a meeting and be protected by the yellow card. It blows my mind that anyone would lie about alcoholism, it’s a horrible illness that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. She’s a truly horrid person. The journalist described her as “gorgeous” in the article but I can’t see it - all I see is a shameless, selfish, self-indulgent grifter and there’s nothing gorgeous about that.

 

[Brian Butterfield]

I can’t tell if this is a piss take or not. That’s how shit your recipes are Jack

 

[bumbleblue]

She just makes me want to scream out in anger....I`m 33 and I guess I'm probably considered rich and stable now. I earn 70k a year have had the same job for two and a half years. I left home at 16. Haven't spoken to my parents since. Did sex work while at uni (real sex work). Have chronic depression. Broke up with my long term girlfriend at 25. Lived with an abusive prick for 2 years. Had a breakdown. Ended up sectioned. Spent 6 months in a homeless shelter and got my shit together. Got my job while at homeless shelter. Spent 4 months going to my job every morning from the shelter. Still profoundly depressed. Hanging on to my job with all my strength. Paid off all my debts. Haven't been to the Groucho once and couldn't afford the cheapest toy box from the cotswold company because I made it a priority to pay my debts, get settled and work my are off. Even though II often want to cry when my alarm bell goes off in the morning at the thought of getting out of bed. The trama is real for those who have suffered. The only reason I survived is because of my middle class background. I'm rambling - but she makes a mockery of everyone. It is so insulting to read her.

 

[IcanSpellBéchamel]

I called into Sainsbury’s earlier on my way home from work and saw evidence of the work of another Frau.

Can’t see Grifty Kitchen:

But wait! Look what’s hiding behind Pinch of Vom on the second shelf….

For a moment I thought of moving the book but then I came to my senses. Well done, nameless Frau.

 

[jenny2603]

Which one of you is this?

 

[Hold my beans]

I Andy Lynes 344%

 

[Marmalade Atkins]

 

[DisgruntledGoat]

As a stroppy middle child of the thread can I ask that the good Frauen catch up with everything before posting things like articles and “tea” (e.g. “the make up artist has disabled comments!”).

It’s basically a full time job keeping up with the threads without stuff being duplicated 5 or 6 times.

Danke Schön.

 

[Brian Butterfield]

Apols for appalling squiggling, I'm exhausted

 

[Lucy Aeroplane]

Question for those of you who have been here a long time: how does she not just depress the fuck out of you to the point of despair? I’ve been active for about 6 or 7 threads and i’ve had it with her. It’s not good the soul; I feel I need to switch off from her. You are all way more resilient than me! I’m a wee in the grand scheme of it all.

This is a good question and we’ll each have different answers to it.

for me, the reason I’m not depressed by it enough to disengage is kind of divided into two things.

First, Jack herself. I knew her a bit for a while, and I know plenty of people who have known her since. It doesn’t depress me that she’s never going to have what she really truly wants, which is popularity and respect. When I knew her she was (and I’m sorry because I know this is going to come across bitchy but I’m TIRED and don’t have the brainpower spare to parse it in a non-bitchy way) a social reject, desperate to be part of the popular crowd, desperate to be seen/accepted as a creative. Southend had and still has a thriving arts and music scene, which Jack was always trying to wedge herself into but failing because she wasn’t any good at what she wanted to do, and she wasn’t nice/likeable enough to be accepted into that scene despite having no real talent in the fields, like moi and certain other friends who were also lacking in that sort of talent or skill. What we lacked in creative ability we made up in humour or warmth or whatever. She didn’t get a pass for any of that because she didn’t have any of that. She’s never evolved past wanting to be popular, but nobody else cared about popularity in the first place never mind now. I’d probably feel sorry for her if she wasn’t grifting so much money out of people. But however much money she’s grifted and spunked, it won’t make her happy, and she hasn’t got it in her to actually do the hard work - reflect and grow and become a good (and happy) person. She’s just going to continue pretending about everything in her life, instead of living a real and genuine and worthwhile life. It’s sad. But also, she’s a cunt so it’s more “look at what a sad example this is” than ”oh I feel sad for her”.

Second, and I know I do go on about this aspect a bit but bear with me: the phenomenon of Jack Monroe, how she arose to this level of fame (and stuff like how she was ever considered credible enough to give “evidence” to Parliament ffs ) is just absolutely bloody fascinating. The media didn’t create her but they grew her. Journalism and social studies and whatnot is so far out of my wheelhouse that it might as well be in the Antarctic, but regardless I’m thinking about pitching a PhD on the topic of Jack Monroe and the wholly distorted media lens on social class that magnified her to his extent Of course I’d have a challenge to find a supervisor who wasn’t part of the problem in the first place, never mind funding. (Plus, I’m a bit of a gobshite who sounds kind of like Stacey Solomon, so I’m not really a natural fit for academia. Plus, actual single mum so can’t afford a PhD, but anyway a girl can dream. I won’t be at all upset if any lurkers or Frauen take my research idea forward for themselves! )

 

[jenny2603]

Latest Patreon comments stolen from Twitter.

 

[PoorPatrol]

Mama Mia, her puttanesca recipe is shit!! I can picture her doing it on This Morning and Gino having some kind of breakdown

Jack, you wanted to talk about the recipes, yeah? Well maybe let’s talk about why you think it’s necessary to put sardines that are already cooked, into 600ml of liquid and then cook for 30 mins? Why, also, would you use x2 tins of sardines, when you could use the stronger saltier (and correct for a cultural recipe!!!) flavour of x1 tin of chopped anchovies that are sold in Sainsbury’s for 90p a tin? You’re not saving money, because you’re using x2 of the alternative.

If you’re being thrifty, why would you have the gas on for 30 mins when 10-15 would suffice? Oh, wait, I know the answer! It’s because you’ve used way too much liquid (600ml) and need to reduce down the unnecessary volume

Why is your puttanesca devoid of any of the things that would give a depth of flavour? It’s supposed to be cooked with onions and garlic, with parsley added at the end. All we seem to have here, is mashed fish boiled into tinned tomatoes for half an hour.

Puttanesca is supposed to strike a lovely balance between being rich in flavour, but light and fresh, salty, with pops of zing here and there. Why am I cooking pre-cooked, mashed sardines for so long? Won’t the sauce just become a slop? Apologise to the whores of Naples, now! WARNED.

PS, after your bread and jam bullshit in the ice cream recipe, you could have at least treated us to a history of puttanesca (whore’s sauce) and how it ties in with your definitely not made up experience of being a sex worker. Missed an opportunity to talk about yourself there pal.

 

[jenny2603]

Though I'm increasingly of the view she a bit worse than a fantasist.

 

[Veronicaaa]

It’s interesting she’s chosen the bread and jam ice cream as one of the three from the metro, and then in the origin story includes a woe is me tale about The Poverty and then getting the idea in therapy. I can 100% see how someone seeing her recipes for the first time would be drawn in. Clever marketing.

I'm not so convinced that people will be drawn in by it.

It's all such twitter-speak. The mental and emotional labour thing and the fact she has to go to a therapist to ~unpack~ not wanting bread and jam. It's such nonsense.

 

[Django]

Jack's not a bong villain. Pass it on.

 

[Marmalade Atkins]

Lol hahahaha

 

[Jelly Bean]

People not terribly impressed with her 'Toot toot I'm going to be soooo busy' tweet.
Just a few and none of these are the usual Jack critics so can't be airily dismissed by her as trolls.

 

[OhhBacon]

Question for those of you who have been here a long time: how does she not just depress the fuck out of you to the point of despair? I’ve been active for about 6 or 7 threads and i’ve had it with her. It’s not good the soul; I feel I need to switch off from her. You are all way more resilient than me! I’m a wee in the grand scheme of it all.

Been here since the start, sometimes I dip out a bit but can keep up by reading the 'most liked' posts; see the tab at the top of the page!

The humour and support on here is what I like. This thread has people from so many backgrounds with so many experiences and we can all get along. I have learnt from others and been challenged in my thinking too.

It can be easy to live in a bubble of people that are from a similar background or have the same views and experiences. This thread makes me think about situations from other people's points of view.

A tiny example was the frau who mentioned donating quality goods and treats to food banks not just picking the basic range. I've since done that and generally been more thoughtful about my privilege.

I've also bought cookbooks on others recommendations and through lockdowns I was grateful for and enjoyed the camaraderie. This is where the positively comes in and is what keeps me here!

I also stick around on tattle because I despise the influencer culture. I loathe the grifters online, I hate the fake lifestyles and constant ads. I worry about the number of young woman going into debt to keep up with what they see online. I worry about the lack of privacy of children whose childhood is being sold.

But I see with Jack the tide is turning. I like that it isn't 'just me' who sees through it and others on here recognise the other issues that the influencer culture brings.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk now fuck off.

*I also lighten the mood by following Cleaning with Mario- truly a hilarious thread!

 

[Django]

I'm sorry if this has been posted before but...

this sort of comment really irks me. Jack is not a representative of neurodiversity. She is a shameless lying fraud.
Simon is a fool.

 

[SlopAmbsase]

I have just returned from a visit to Frauland , saw this at the airport and obvs thought of the canal: