http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-pietersen-has-style-of-original-brylcreem-boy-1816627.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-pietersen-has-style-of-original-brylcreem-boy-1816627.html ]]> <p>Andrew Strauss tells us that the South African origins of himself, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott are "a non-issue" for England's cricketers. Which is fair enough, but you can bet your last rand that they won't be treated as a non-issue by the South Africans during the forthcoming series of five one-day internationals and four Test matches. If the South Africa captain, Graeme Smith, doesn't encourage his men to target these perceived turncoats in the England team, then he's not the chest-thumping patriot I took him to be. And even if he doesn't – for he does seem to be mellowing somewhat – the home supporters in Durban and Johannesburg will most certainly let the abuse fly at those biltong-flavoured Englishmen, reserving particular vehemence for Pietersen, who is scheduled to join the party next week.</p> Brian Viner Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-much-as-it-pains-me-to-say-it-yorkshire-is-the-best-source-of-unusual-words-1814765.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-much-as-it-pains-me-to-say-it-yorkshire-is-the-best-source-of-unusual-words-1814765.html <p>My friend Ian, who has lived all his 50-odd years in a village on the Herefordshire-Shropshire border, introduced us some years ago to an expression so localised that nobody I've tried it on in Leominster, eight miles down the road, understands what I'm on about. </p> Brian Viner Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-up-and-away-with-you-critics-1813653.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-up-and-away-with-you-critics-1813653.html <p>A few days ago I went with my wife and children to see Up, the new feature film by those brilliant animators at Pixar. As you are perhaps aware, Up has been lauded to the skies as one of the greatest achievements in animated film-making since Walt Disney doodled his first mouse. </p> Brian Viner Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-team-spirits-from-beyond-the-grave-1812167.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-team-spirits-from-beyond-the-grave-1812167.html ]]> <p> It's not often that The Last Word falls on Halloween – roughly every seven years, in fact – so I've been racking my brains for some suitably ghoulish material. </p> Brian Viner Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-ive-opened-fetes-named-beers-judged-gardens-fairy-cakes-and-perry-1811080.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-ive-opened-fetes-named-beers-judged-gardens-fairy-cakes-and-perry-1811080.html <p>The voice on the telephone was frightfully well spoken. "Mr Viner?" </p> Brian Viner Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-blackpool-prom-and-holloways-illuminations-1808255.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-blackpool-prom-and-holloways-illuminations-1808255.html <p>Until May this year there was, in the public consciousness, only one man named Holloway associated with the Lancashire town of Blackpool. That was the comic actor Stanley Holloway, who in 1932 recorded Marriott Edgar's daft, delightful ode "The Lion and Albert", about "a grand little lad" called Albert Ramsbottom who was swallowed whole by Wallace, the scarred old lion at Blackpool zoo. "There's a famous seaside place called Blackpool," it begins, "that's noted for fresh air and fun."</p> Brian Viner Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-if-i-was-going-to-jump-out-of-a-plane-id-avoid-friday-13-and-halloween-1806801.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-if-i-was-going-to-jump-out-of-a-plane-id-avoid-friday-13-and-halloween-1806801.html <p>Our 16-year-old daughter Eleanor announced to us a couple of weeks ago that she intended to do a sky-dive in aid of a Hereford-based charity called Concern Universal. We blithely assumed that this was a vague ambition for sometime in the middle-distant future, but then she casually added that it was all fixed for 31 October. Now, if I was going to jump out of a plane then there are probably two dates I'd avoid: Friday 13, and Halloween. Yet she is resolute. In fact she'll probably ask if she can carry a broomstick, just to make the pictures better for her Facebook page. </p> Brian Viner Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-motty-still-puts-heart-into-art-of-commentary-1804252.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-motty-still-puts-heart-into-art-of-commentary-1804252.html ]]> <p> A few months ago I enjoyed a long and bibulous lunch with John Motson, who told me over the second bottle of white that there had been a divergence of opinion between him and Virgin Books, the publishers of his forthcoming memoirs. </p> Brian Viner Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-im-a-big-fan-of-haggis-even-dished-up-using--an-old-icecream-scoop-1802726.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-im-a-big-fan-of-haggis-even-dished-up-using--an-old-icecream-scoop-1802726.html <p>My son Joe shocked us all at breakfast the other morning by asking us what kilts, bagpipes, porridge, whisky, tartan and haggis have in common, and then announcing that none of them originated in Scotland. Apparently, kilts came from Ireland, bagpipes from central Asia, porridge from Scandinavia, whisky from China, tartan from England and haggis from ancient Greece – indeed Aristophanes wrote about an exploding haggis in The Clouds, 420 years BC. At least Joe didn't totally wreck our illusions by adding Irn Bru and Kirsty Wark to the list. That would have been too much to take.</p> Brian Viner Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-admission-from-yorke-leaves-his-pa-in-a-flap-1800488.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-admission-from-yorke-leaves-his-pa-in-a-flap-1800488.html <p>Dwight Yorke's autobiography, its title Born to Score a cheeky double entendre, has received more attention than an ex-footballer's memoirs ordinarily might on account of the Tobagonian's prodigious sexual appetite, and in particular his association with the model Katie Price, better known as Jordan. </p> Brian Viner Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100