Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Would you like to be a Tiwari or Vajpayee?

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ND Tiwari was caught with his pants down… but why is he denying it? Forget Tiger Woods, the octogenarian politician is the object of male envy!

COMPARISONS are odious, yes, but this one was unavoidable. Both events happened on Christmas Day this December. A B Vajpayee turned 85 and the cover was blown off our 86-year-old raunchy guv in Andhra Pradesh, N D Tiwari. Images of both these stalwarts hit TV screens at the same time.

Vajpayee, seen after almost a year in public. Unwell, barely able to hold himself upright. A man universally acknowledged as the epitome of honesty and integrity, today the image of a defeated hero — one who struggled all his life and lives to see the fruits of his struggle desecrated and going to waste. At least for the time being.

Tiwari, more lucky than capable (we are talking politics here, not his prowess in bed!) has had a steady career in politics — and yes, in womanising. Everyone had heard of his romps and kind of factored in his wild side; but his luck had to break at some point and the s..t hit the ceiling four years short of his 90th year! Goodness, quite an achievement that! And he was caught cavorting with not just one, but three women simultaneously! Most men would go breathless and glassy eyed just thinking about it!

The day ABN Andhra Jyothi beamed the salacious footage, many sheepish men responded with beams of their own — delighted ones, of course. As an actor friend from Tollywood texted, "Tiwari has given all men hope for the future!" Considering men's biggest complex is and has been the longevity of their virility, (one of the most popular questions sex experts are asked), indeed Tiwari doles out hope by the ladles!

Men went crazy searching for a clue to Tiwari's technique! The governor beat the beleaguered Tiger Woods hollow on internet search, as reported by Google Trends. Who's the real tiger now? The young, athletic, sexy golfer or the unfit-looking octogenarian?

This is phenomenal! And Tiwari should go down in history for this one achievement if none other. In a world populated by men worried about performance from as early as their late-30s, for a man to be able to handle three at one go in his almost 90th year, is a rare achievement indeed! If this then is his highpoint, why is Tiwari even denying it? He should stride out, proudly thump his chest and let out a Tarzan yowl, "Yaaaaaeeeeeeyyyy…I did it, I did it!!!"

Like we said last week in this column, sometimes we spend precious time denying our best and most successful moments in life, only to knock at the wrong door later! This is it, Mr Tiwari, this is your claim to fame, your achievement in this lifetime! Accept the crown, the envy and adulation of your brethren across the globe. They are all standing there, waiting to learn from your great expertise, tongues lolling and saying in abject submission a la 3 Idiots, "Jahapanah, tussi great ho! Mera tohfa qabool karo!"

Nobody need go to Chandni Chowk anymore for lizard oil or water snakes pickled in brandy. No need to scour thousands of websites promising "male enhancement" techniques and products, no need to worry about popping in that little blue pill at the right moment anymore. Hakimjis all over can shut their shops. All men need to do now is figure out the dietary and fitness habits of Tiwarisaab (Saala, kya khaata hai, as an envious man said aloud at the Gymkhana Club the other night amidst uproarious laughter) and be assured, you will be a fit and active 90 and hopefully, beyond…. It was an interesting exercise to ask some colleagues and friends who they would like to be like in their mid-80s — Vajpayee or Tiwari. Despite their greater respect for the former, each one of them answered with a resounding, "Obviously Tiwari!"

A scholarly friend from Hyderabad texted, "I would want the virility of Tiwari and the luck of Vajpayee…" Touche! As they say, a man is innocent — till he is caught! And my friend here wasn't taking any chances with painting anyone pure white!

A woman friend agrees, "Well, it is a well-known fact that men think more with their ….. rather than their heads, so who are you or me to swear by anyone's innocence?!"

However, one reply brought me up short. "Kya pata how much of this is true?! We don't know if he was actually at it or just absorbing some pleasurable, gentle care," said one male voice dripping envy. Ah ha now, sour grapes buddy! We all remember the Grimms fairytale, The Valiant Little Tailor, where after killing seven flies with one swap, a puny tailor roams the world with the words "Seven at one Stroke" embroidered across his clothes. Not knowing what the seven refers to, most people keep a respectable distance from him. Ultimately the tailor, just by dint of managing perceptions, becomes a king and lives happily ever after…

We don't know what actually happened in there between Tiwari and the three beauties. All we do know is that Singh may or not be king, but today Tiwari is King, at least in the eyes of most men!

And out of a tailor, a king was made…

Sunday, January 3, 2010

The best is already here!

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Do you often miss recognising opportunity and end up complaining about some of the best things that happen to you?

AN author friend called to seek advice on a film script being offered to him. His dilemma on whether to accept it or not made him call me for some hard talk and frank advice.

His was a strange dilemma, one I couldn't understand initially. Here he was being offered a dream project, so why was he dilly dallying about signing the dotted line?! After some probing, I understood his hesitation; with his first book, he is well known as a romantic fiction writer. Though happy with his success, he has tried in vain to shrug off the epithet since he is clear he wants to be an opinion maker and write more serious stuff.

The more he kicks against it the more it comes back to him with renewed strength. The more he protests he goes beyond romance writing, the more the press revels in attaching the word to his name like an exalted title. Now the problem with the movie was that it too was what they now popularly call a romcom (romantic comedy) and taking it on would further establish him in the genre he is seeking to sidestep!

As a dispassionate observer, I could see he had been established neatly in a genre and was on his way to accruing gains from the positioning. But the man was actively trying to escape his own destiny! How could he be sure he would stand to gain as much in another field? What if he kicks close the door opened for him now, never to have another held open again? Or at least not one that would lead him to the right places?
On the other hand, one could argue, how would he know his potential in the other field till he tried his hand at it? And self-help gurus tell us that in life there are no gains without taking risks! Who is to know? Should he follow his head or heart?

The problem is that sometimes we end up kicking and protesting against things that are the biggest blessings for us. We do not appreciate their value till it is too late. The other day a bureaucrat friend was protesting under the burden of a new project and the stress of increased interactions on a daily basis with the big bosses. His immediate boss was on leave, with the result all the boss' work and interactions had fallen to his lot. Whoops! And the man was actually complaining and wilting under the burden. I asked him if this wasn't what he always wanted. Yes, he said, but not "this" way! Come on, you cannot dictate the manner in which you achieve your desire! Here was his golden opportunity to prove his worth, or he should declare himself a failure and never dream again!
Indeed, sometimes opportunity can come knocking on the door and you may ignore it, mistaking it for some unwanted visitor! But again that doesn't mean you answer every knock expecting Opportunity to be standing outside.
Quite often later in life we realise that in the middle of some of our most beautiful moments we were busy protesting and looking for something else. Seldom do we stop, look around and bless the present moment. Interestingly, in our front page piece today, Prahlad Kakkar's tip to achieve happiness is to stop pursuing greater glory or pleasures and to focus on simpler things. Kunal Vijaykar too offers a similar tip, asking people to chase their imagination rather than other people's jobs!
Another friend who was inordinately worried about her son's education at every stage, when asked if she was happy now her son had returned after post graduation abroad, said, "I am very worried about his job now!" We are always worrying about the next thing rather than enjoying the present moment! What about being glad for what we get and have in hand rather than pining for what is beyond reach?

Would you say that is a shortsighted view? Maybe it is, but maybe true happiness lies in the here and now, rather than in chasing whimsical, effervescent butterflies! If you let your body and mind follow the rhythm of time and allow yourself to flow along with life, your instinctive choices are almost always bound to be the right ones.

Just be sure to take responsibility for your own choices and not turn around to blame the one who helped you with some advice if things don't turn out as expected. Maybe what you didn't expect is the happier choice for you…who knows?
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Friday, January 1, 2010

A froth of your choice!

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Did you know that beer is the third most popular drink in the world after water and tea? And that it is the world’s oldest and most consumed Rockman's Beer Island beverage? That being true, isn’t it rather surprising that it took so long for someone to open a place dedicated to beer!

Rockman’s Beer Island located in Ambience Mall is the first of its kind. Guzzling beer is associated with fun, laughter and levity, and Rockman’s wide open spaces, big bar with comfortable standing space and German pub feel falls in line with this.

The corridor outside is fashioned like a German Street and decorated for Christmas when we visit. Rockman's has two sides, both of which serve the same drinks-the Bavarian pub and the multicuisine Kegs & Barrels. We do not even think twice and gravitate towards the pub, where we make a beeline for the bar stools. A mistake, because they are the most uncomfortable, slippery stools I ever kept slithering off. We chose not to change seats however because a pub means crowding around the bar. However Gurgaon seems to think otherwise, and most couples and after-conference groups present are seated around tables placed at comfortable distances from each other.

A state-of-the-art micro brewery, the Bavarian has six huge tanks of upto 2000 litres each for brewing, fermenting and storing the huge quantities of freshly tapped beer made here everyday. There is something exciting about sitting in the very area where your brew is being brewed. Entrepreneur C.S Aggarwal of Rockman Group of Companies, whose vision the beer island is, tied up with German company Kaspar Schulz, which has earlier set up more than 300 pub breweries across 50 countries. Weyermann Malts is another partner, known for developing varieties of malt recognised world over by the brewing fraternity.


The USP of Bavarian is freshly brewed beer with no preservatives and they serve four varieties of these – and none other. Though the bar stocks up on premium liquor, we will not even talk of that because how can you possibly visit Rockman’s Beer Island and drink anything but beer? Choose between four options – Lager Beer - (alcohol percentage 4.5, light gold in colour); Lager Strong (6.5, dark gold); Wheat Beer (4.5, light gold and the mildest), or Dark Beer (4.5, dark brown). You can ask for a tasting of each as we did, before you settle for the one you like. The Lager is a clear premium beer; the Dark Beer seems sweet at first sip but leaves a bitter aftertaste; the Wheat is a good option closest to what you would have been used to. It is cloudy, sweetened and more bodied. The beer is served in what the bar proudly announces are genuine beer glasses, a different type for each beer.

What I dislike about bars is that they do not serve munchies with drinks; this one doesn’t even stock any; so perforce you have to go for the food. In this case, not a bad thing to happen. The closest option for with-drink snacks are French Fries and must say, their platter is one of the best I have ever had! The food menu is straight from a German eatery and has some mouthwatering options. Try their Wiener Frankfurters Style and the Oktoberfest Hendl. The food is as much worth a visit as the beer is!
Rockman’s hosted a very successful Oktoberfest recently and plan to do so every year, which is when they brew their Oktoberfest beer, a famed beer with a milder taste brewed during the time in Germany. Once it catches on, one can just imagine what a success this festival would be! Rockman’s Beer Island also boasts of having the country’s second Smoke Solutions Zone (the first being at Indira Gandhi Airport) that provides a glassed-in area for smoking so that lovers of the poison stick do not have to step outside the mall for their deadly dose.

Did you know how beer is made?
We tried to find out at Rockman’s. Here’s how... Barley or wheat malt is mixed with crystal clear brewing water to create a beer mash. The wort (liquid extracted from mashing) is then heated to boiling temperature and the very best quality of hops (female flower clusters used as flavouring and stability agents) are added. This is the important part as it determines the flavour of the beer. When the mash process is over, the wort is separated from the solid component of hops and proteins, cooled to a temperature of 10 degrees centigrade, before cultured yeast is added.

Now the beer is taken to the fermenting cellar. Alcohol and carbon dioxide are created during this process. When that is over, the product we get is called Young Beer. This is stored in storage cellars within the premises and the beer is given time to mature. An ultra modern filtering process takes place before it is dispensed for consumption through pipes that lead straight to the dispensing taps.

And, your favourite froth is ready, bubbling and bursting with cheer...

Rockman’s Beer Island (Bavarian Pub, Kegs & Barrel)
Ambience Mall, Gurgaon
Category: Beer Bar
Opening hours : 11 am - 2 am
Dress code: 180 seated (Bavarian) 180 (Kegs & Barrels)
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Monday, December 28, 2009

The Year That Was!

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2009 was the year of sex, fallen heroes and aggressive PR, with stars being seen and heard everywhere!
As we allow the year to slip by, the first reaction is a sense of panic at how fast time flies. The next, a quick calculation of what we managed to achieve in these 365 days - the ups and downs, the euphoria and setbacks. And then, a list of resolutions for the next year to make up for what we lost and to achieve what couldn't be managed.


At this juncture, every news channel, newspaper, magazine, blog and every grandpa takes a stock of the year gone by, spelling out lessons learnt - the good, the bad and worst the year brought us. Some amusing, some disappointing, others quite predictable.

All I attempt here is three observations that struck me recently in the midst of some of the constant dance and interplay between celebrities and media …
No matter what, sex sells!
Some of the most salacious scandals that sent TRPs soaring and page views rocketing this year were incidents we enjoyed thoroughly before puckering up our brows and frowning. And all of them had to do with, yes, sex!   Be it a Shweta Tewari or Negar Khan bathing under a waterfall in a reality show; Neetu Chandra canoodling with Krishika Gupta for an ad shoot in 'gay' abandon, or golfing legend Tiger Woods being besieged by luscious ladies with fingers pointed at him - the underlying layer of sex is what appealed and fascinated all. These were the items of news that had most of us sit up and take notice, check out most frequently on internet, or surf television channels for. Indeed we may deny it all we like but reality is that the three-letter word sells!

Never take what you have for granted!
What is it that pushes people, particularly those in the public eye to court danger despite every likelihood of getting caught and losing everything they ever had? Does a celebrity status blind you to dangers? In that one moment of madness, how do they lose sense of who they are and the repercussions they would have to face for a single act? Does one start imagining that one is immune to any adverse reactions or sense of ethics? What did Shiney imagine when he allegedly pounced on his maid? Did he think she would quietly acquiesce to his demands or that nobody would point a finger at him? What did Tiger imagine during his many assignations and one-night stands - did he think the truth would never come out, or did he think he was above any accusations? Once caught in the wrong, nobody was ever saved because of his celebrity status. The public is morally uptight and unforgiving, particularly with those whom we seat on a pedestal.

In today's world, marketing or perception is everything!

In a world where perception is reality and publicity makes all the difference between success and failure, the accent on marketing is immense. We are bombarded with a blitzkrieg of ads everywhere. Without even realising it, our everyday choices are dictated by the papers we read, the channels we watch and the sites we visit, and the ad exposure each one of these gives us. If you have noticed, most stars give effusive interviews and make friendly appearances only on the eve of a release. Particularly notorious for this is Aamir Khan, who though unavailable and even irascible otherwise, dons a most unlikely public image soon as a movie is ready for release. So conscious are stars about publicity and marketing aspects that they even allow their names to be linked romantically with co-stars just to arouse interest in the movie. Needless to say, the public laps it all up!

Of course there were many more observations made, and we try and deal with some more in the limited space in this issue. Hope you enjoy it!
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Point of No Return

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You visit some bars for their music, some for their quality of drinks, some for the people they attract, and some for their convenient location. You would go to Rubicon for an evening of comfort and elegance along with some good classic drinks. And that would be your rubicon (point of no return).

You can grow used to such elegance and luxury. An unobtrusive alcove in the mesmerisingly glittery lobby of The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon leads you through a tantalising tunnel lit up in rich ruby colour into a welcoming lounge bar. The décor, the lighting, Chesterfield wing chairs, the glitter of crystal and twinkle of amber liquids, all conspire to give an immediate sense of well-being and having arrived.

This is the kind of place where you would automatically reach for the single malts and Scotches, for they belong. Carefully selected wines from the hotel’s state-of-the-art walk-in cellars would be a close second. Cocktails would still seem part of the environs, but beer would seem an insolence!

A low seating bar with a counter introduces a new concept inspired by Japanese bars. This goes quite well with the “Let me be” rather than the “Come see me” ambience of the Rubicon bar. So even if you choose to sit at the bar, you can be comfortably unobtrusive rather than seated uncomfortably on high stools. Alcoves and winged chairs in other places, some near the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Gurgaon highway, also assure privacy. Ornamental details with exquisite metallic lattice work by Japanese designers Design Studio Spin weave a special magic.

The bar boasts an enviable range of single malts and Scotches, while the wine cellar is more than adequate with a range of labels selected more for their uniqueness and importantly, value for money. And so the ubiquitous French wines are picked and chosen and a freer hand allowed to Italian wines, which Kunal Chauhan, the EAM – Food & Beverage, believes are more price friendly.

Kunal has been adventurous with his wine selections, taking full advantage of the open market status of Gurgaon. So Leela Kempinski keeps introducing new wines and replacing old ones with fresher alternatives quite often. Chilean and Argentinean wines are also popular, particularly the latter that go well with Indian cuisine.

The beverage list is very extensive too, with almost everything anyone can offer-rare single malts, 75 labels of whisky, vodkas, flavoured vodkas, cognacs, etc. Japanese whisky such as Nikka and Suntory are already available with other labels poised for entry.

Rubicon also has an extensive selection of cocktails but interestingly, they rarely follow it. Because next door is their 24-hour dining, Spectra, which has fresh ingredients flown in everyday. And so bartender Ankit Sadana reinvents his cocktails list everyday depending on fresh ingredients available. The Cherry Martini he offers today may become a Strawberry Martini tomorrow and so on. We try the Pomegranate with Lemongrass Martini and Elderflower Martini (both passably good at Rs 450 each).

At Ankit’s encouragement we try two drinks – the Maracusa (Rs 450) with Gold Tequila, White Rum, Cointreau, passionfruit and lemon juice; and Fifth Avenue (Rs 650) – Cognac with dark Crème de Cacao and a generous dollop of whipped cream. These are real winners and highly recommended.

Delhiites, in case you are wondering why you would travel to Gurgaon for your tipple, pricing is an attraction. The same Chivas or Absolut peg you get for Rs 550 each in a Delhi hotel, is available for Rs 400 at Rubicon. During Happy Hours (10-midnight), you can avail two pegs for the price of one. So you could get two pegs of the rare Ladyburn 1973 Vintage Single Cask at Rs 4000 (normally you get a single peg at Rs 5000 in Delhi).

Oh yes, an added attraction is the live singing. Few classy bars still have someone sing for you to the strumming of a guitar, most having given way to DJs, though live bands are coming back in a big way now. From 7 to 9 pm is Jazz Blues by a two-piece band, which turns to retro for an hour, before house and progressive to hip hop so the late night happy hours crowd (10 pm and midnight) can shake a leg too!

Reason enough for Delhi to visit Gurgaon?
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

No nude bar this

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NuDelhi. From a distance you are able to read just the first four letters, which is exactly how the patrons like it. Nude. Not that they mean anything vulgar or offensive by that.

But certainly the idea is to set tongues wagging. Not a very subtle way to do that but maybe it works for some.

“It is the era of marketing,” says one of the partners Atul Kapoor of WG Hospitality. “An element of mystery works. When we opened Q’ba, a lot of people wondered what it meant or stood for. We got asked why we didn’t call it Cuba? Then came our other Connaught Place offering, @Live. Here again the name is unusual and there was a great amount of curiosity around it. Now with NuDelhi, we have managed to arouse curiosity again, particularly by highlighting Nude!”

Curiosity does attract people frequenting Malcha Marg market to check out this new place that is strategically placed and announces itself as a bar and grill joint. However, I am not so sure that has much to do with the name. Located at a stone’s throw from the almost legendary Chinese joint Fujiya, NuDelhi is a much needed new entrant on the block.

Don’t be misled by the name; the bar has nothing that reflects Delhi, either old or new. Walk in past the smiling hostess and the décor is welcoming though a bit distracting. A big ship fashioned like a table holds pride of place, while light fixtures are also shaped like boats. The red ceiling lights have elements of the overpowering Veda in Connaught Place.

Take your seats at the bar. The menu contains many of the same drinks as their other outlets. Classic cocktails are offered up with interesting names though very little sense of adventure. Order your usual tipple and focus on enjoying the environs, the people and yes, the live music. NuDelhi has organised a band all the way from Thailand and plan to make music the USP of the place.

Unfortunately at the time we visited, which was just a week into the opening, though they had all their basic spirits, none of the aperitifs and liqueurs that go into transforming a drink from a basic spirit to an exotic cocktail, were available. So, if you opted for God Mother, they would have Vodka but not Amaretto; for Cassini, they had the Vodka and Cranberry Juice but no crème de cassis; and for lack of Cointreau, you couldn’t enjoy a Mojito Martini. The only beer on tap available was Fosters though we happened to ask for it just as the barrel emptied; we had no choice but to go for the Kingfisher bottles that everyone else in the restaurant seemed to prefer.

However to be fair, it does take a bar time to settle and we did land up at quite a wrong time. Tonight for its grand opening, we are assured the bar is well stocked and fully operational. They also have a fair selection of wines.

NuDelhi anyway is all about music and giving in to your choice of rock, blues or jazz, all of which the Thai band is proficient at. The bar has no designated dance floor but that is unlikely to stop the average client from pushing away furniture and swinging a leg, particularly over weekends.

You are not likely to find any fried stuff on the menu. It’s grills all the way and a fairly good option would be to try their kebabs. Do try the place for its location, the live band and their brand new enthusiasm. For those who stay in the vicinity, a one-time visit is a must and we bet the music will get you back again and again.

As one client from across the road, in the diplomat area said, “They say drunken driving is a crime. Now I can drink and just walk across the road home!”
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Tiger in the Woods

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The virulent attacks launched on a besieged Tiger Woods is a study in the pleasure people take in pulling down celebrities from pedestals they place them on Pop legend George Michael in an interview to The Guardian last week, lashed out at those, including singer Elton John, who insist upon thrusting their concern on him. "People want to see me as tragic with all the cottaging and drug-taking... those things are not what most people aspire to, and I think it removes people's envy to see your weaknesses… I don't even see them as weaknesses any more. It's just who I am."



Exactly. Ok, so Tiger Woods too had his weakness; he slept around. Wouldn't every man drunk on success and surrounded by swooning women begging to be propositioned? Anyone is liable to slip once in a while.



But that one act cannot take away everything else Tiger stood for. Do a few stray romps mean he loved or valued his family any less? Do a few meaningless encounters justify the public destruction of one of the best golfing talents the world has seen? Or, the frenzied "lovecheat golfer" tirade launched by Western media?



I would agree with George Michael that at times like these the deep-seated envy and grudge the common man bears towards the successful specimen comes to the fore. Fans or followers, each one of them out there would give their eye-teeth to be in the celebrity's shoes. Every man envies him those romps and every woman is curious about his prowess. And it is this unbridled jealousy that empowers the vicious attacks and supports the moral puke that is spouted the moment a chink in the celebrity's armour is detected.



We all know Tiger as an ace golfer. But why expect that to make him a paragon of virtue or moral righteousness! Tiger, the man is not as significant as Tiger Woods, the golfer. What the man does and his acts of infidelity should be of least concern to the world that admires his moves on the golf greens. The man has to be detached from the player. The player has responsibilities towards the game and his fans, which the man doesn't need to.



Entertainers and sportspersons have a responsibility towards their game. But, unlike politicians and public servants they are not beholden to the masses to demonstrate moral fortitude! You can pull down a Prime Minister like the Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi for not displaying morally appropriate behaviour, but the same rules cannot be applied to a performer, a pop icon, star or a sportsman!



Ace achievers like Tiger are national, rather world heritage stuff and should be treated as such. There is the danger that all the moral policing, the witch-hunting by media and public outcry may have irreversibly damaged his game; it has already shattered his image and near about broken his marriage!



The witch-hunting led by international media is amazing. Channels have withdrawn advertisements of products endorsed by the ‘tainted' golf legend! Newspapers and websites have actually set up special desks with dedicated numbers that scream out, "Do you know any women linked to Tiger Woods? Call us!"



Well, considering all those publicity seeking sharks out there living for their golden moment in the sun, such an open invite may be quite irresistible, and it is quite possible that more than half the women claiming a romantic connect with the slain Tiger, are nothing but opportunists waiting for moments like these!



One cannot close one's eyes to the phenomena of fans who seek brief sexual encounters or to the more determined female groupies, who are available and in fact actively seek sexual favours or even emotional connects with celebrities and figures of authority.




I'm not saying that what Tiger did was right. But I do want to meet the one man who can swear, hand on heart, that he wouldn't ever naughty text, flirt, or even indulge in an affair with women throwing themselves at him, given the opportunity.




As mistresses spilled out of the "Woods" — waitresses, porn stars, club hosts, TV presenters — Tiger made a touching appeal after apologising for his "transgressions", "There is an important and deep principle at stake, which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy... Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions."




It is under the pressure of media and public outcry that celebrity marriages break and a man is brought down to his knees in a manner far worse than his transgression deserved. Left alone to lick their wounds, a couple may well rally round and arrive at a compromise, as most couples do, to preserve their marriage.




We did this to Boris Becker and wife Barbara when Boris had a closet interlude with Russian model Angela Ermakova. The world cried foul; media and public outcry broke up his marriage. Hugh Grant had to grovel after being caught with a hooker in his car. He pacified the public with abject apologies and was then forgiven.




There is an element of perverse pleasure media and people take in the public humiliation of a celebrity. In a throwback to times of archaic public hangings and stoning, everyone seems to gleefully reach for the first stone to throw...

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