Tell me why I don't, like, like the Brontës

The Times Online has an article on Peaches Geldof, daughter of Bob Geldof. The poor thing is only 16 (“Well, I am 16, I’m not like, 12!”) after all so don't be too cruel with her when you read what she's got to to 'say'. If you manage not to drown among all those 'like', that is. But what do you expect when she says things like this?

She wants to do her AS levels (History of Art, Classical Civilisation, Politics and English), then her A levels, then take a gap year with her boyfriend, go to New York University to study English and journalism, then become a full-time writer.

*Huge fit of cough*

I’m sure she’ll make a good journalist, and on her own merits. She’s bright, yet unintellectual, with a gift for the punchy phrase. Jane Austen, for instance, is “boring feminist crap”. What’s wrong with being feminist? “I don’t like feminists. I like the mild feminists – go for it – but not crazy I-hate-men feminists.” She thinks “the Brontës are boring” too. Despite brimming over with opinions, she isn’t, she insists, the voice of a generation. “God, I hate that, being pigeonholed into being this teen spokesperson. I’m just one girl.”

Everyone's entitled to like whatever they want, and the Brontës are not for everyone, especially if your vocabulary is, like, limited. The writer of the article also comments on it:

“He’s, like, hassling me? To work? All the time?” She means school work. “I think he’s happy because I got good results in my GCSEs [last summer]”. What did she get? “I’ve been told I’m not allowed to divulge that information, by my school.” Then she says, “I got an A star in English, so excited?” (I’ll go easy on the superfluous “likes” and emphases and interrogatives from now on – you get the idea.)

Oh, don't miss the rest of the article! It's one of a kind. Besides, it will help you get ready for the sort of journalism we are to expect in the future.

“Ohmigod, I’m so tired,” says Peaches Geldof when we meet on the steps of the hotel, “I was up till three! I’m, like, so behind on my English?”

We know, we know. No need to comment on it, girl.

Categories: In_the_News