Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Room to not go to Rome


I've been offered a three-day trip to Rome courtesy of a digital channel. That's lovely, but I've turned it down. I can't bear the thought of being on an enforced jolly with a load of media people I don't know. The last thing I feel like is whooping it up with a load of freeloading journos. Besides, I've recently been to Rome and super as it is I'm in no rush to go back.

These places where the media converge are really not my bag. I love seeing all my old journalist pals at launches and parties, and if it were any of them who were going, I'd probably do it. But it's not. Most journalists I know are of the same opinion as I am about this sort of thing. None of us would ever want to be members of Soho House or Shoreditch House or any of the private media-friendly clubs. That's where you go to interview people. It's not somewhere you want to go for fun.

I can't think of anything less relaxing than staying at Soho House's West Country outpost Babington House. Can you imagine the braying, the competition, the beligerent bar staff? A whole hotel full of Nathan Barley's and dreadful PR women networking furiously into the night. I don't want to be anywhere near these people.

Let's go to the pub.

4 comments:

TimT said...

It's an age thing, isn't it? When I was young(er) and single I enjoyed the occasional excursion - a Guinness-fuelled two-day trip to Ireland courtesy of Fox Kids, who were promoting some long-forgotten children's show, comes to mind in particular. But the attraction has long since palled. Not that I get any invites these days, anyway.

Gwen said...

It does sound pretty bad. But, could you not take the trip to Roma and then go off and do your own thing while everyone else is doing their media thing?

Clair said...

I worked at the Edinburgh Television Festival many years ago. That was enough to make me want to poke needles in my eyeballs. Awful. I only remember one fun night. And the girl I shared a room with left a big poo in the lav that wouldn't go away, and I'm sure she was having it away in the room with a bloke she picked up in the bar at the George.

Jon Peake said...

Not really Gwen, it would be frowned upon.

And yes, TT, if I were a younger man I might want, perhaps need to do it, but not now.

Like the poo story Clair. Who is this woman?

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