People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

British porn baron to close Irish paper over Kate Middleton pictures? -- “Goose-stepping” Richard Desmond is “very angry” at boob pictures

Posted on Monday, September 17, 2012 at 08:18 AM

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Richard Desmond threatens to shut down Irish Daily News of Kate Middleton mistake

The hypocrisy of the British media mogul trying to close down the Irish Daily Star for showing the braless pictures of Kate Middleton is incredible. Over 100 jobs are at stake.

Richard Desmond is shocked, shocked I tell you, that the Irish newspaper he co-owns with the Independent Media Group is showing half naked pictures of the royal figure.

On Saturday night Desmond said he was “very angry at the decision to publish these photographs and [was] taking immediate steps to close down the joint venture."

But wait. Is this the same Richard Desmond who made his fortune from sex hotlines, Penthouse magazine, and other numerous pornographic titles?

Er yes, which must qualify him as the biggest hypocrite since Newt Gingrich had Bill Clinton impeached over Monica Lewinsky while carrying on an affair himself.

But wait there’s more, as the ginsu knife salesman on late night television says.

Here is what the Daily Telegraph reported about him in October 2011 after he was invited to a Chequers dinner with British Prime Minister David Cameron. The columnist Mandrake wrote;

“Mandrake hears that the Prime Minister is entertaining Richard Desmond, the porn baron, at Chequers this weekend.

“As well as making his fortune from pornography, Desmond delivered a damaging blow to the self-regulation of Fleet Street by withdrawing his four national newspapers from the press watchdog, the PCC.

“The tycoon, who once goose-stepped around a boardroom and accused all Germans of being Nazis during a meeting with executives of The Daily Telegraph, was criticized at the Leveson inquiry.”

Hmm goose-stepping pornographer attacks Irish Star over half naked pics. The stench of hypocrisy Is overwhelming here.

Irish Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte has leaped into the row.

Rabbitte said, “I cannot understand how Desmond could reconcile the rather timid move by The Star with what he’s prepared to do in some of his publications in terms of the way women are presented.

“Desmond’s response to the photos of the former Kate Middleton being published in an Irish paper, while he has no difficulty publishing photographs of women topless is hypocrisy.

“I wouldn’t have made the decision the Star made - I wouldn’t make a lot of the decisions the Star makes - I would still defend its right to continue to publish its newspaper.

“The Star has a following in Ireland, it has a readership in Ireland… there are, I understand, 70 to 80 people employed there. So let’s keep things in perspective.”

As for Princess Kate, c’mon girl, you are the most public figure in the world and you strip off and cavort outside, not far from a public road and you get photographed?

Well guess what, it could and did happen. Time to wise up.

Read more: Board meeting to decide future of Irish Daily Star as Minister Rabbitte enters row

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