Thought I'd take a break from the Mail and had a look at what was getting up the Express's nose. Didn't take long to find a hilariously bad article about a new comic tribute to Princess Di. Here's what I posted at http://www.p0pvulture.blogspot.com

The story that just won't Di

In an effort to help people make sense of the traumatic process of grieving, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identified the five key stages that people go through. At first we experience denial and isolation. followed by anger and bargaining. Atfter that comes a period of depression, before we finally move on to acceptance. Unfortunately, it seems as though the editorial staff at The Daily Express have been stuck in phase two for over 12 years.

When Princess Diana died, the entire nation went into shock at the news of this much loved young women, and mother of two, killed in a tragic accident. But after countless retrospective documentaries, thousands of commemorative plates, and an Elton John song that spent long enough at number one for him to regrow an entire head of hair, we moved on.

Meanwhile, the Daily Express refuses to let go. Trapped in phase two for the rest of eternity, it continues to churn out conspiracy theories, tributes and speculative articles in the hope of keeping the memory of the People's Princess alive. In 2006, just for fun, The Guardian ran a study and found that nine years after Diana's death, the Express ran 36 headline stories in just six months. Favourites include "Diana's death: poison expert called in" (unusual for a car crash) and "Perhaps Diana should have worn seatbelt".

Even now, any mention of Diana can stir up a storm of excitement in the pressroom, so much so that any semblance of journalistic integrity goes out of the window. Which is the only possible explanation for the stunningly ill-informed article that the Express ran yesterday. They're disgusted by the publication of a comic book called Female Force: Princess Diana, which tells her story in illustrated form. You'd think that they'd be happy to have a lavishly rendered book celebrating the life of their favourite martyr, but apparently that's not the case.

Rather than do anything so outrageous as actually read the book they're savaging, the Express simply roped in Margeret Funnell, co-founder of a group called the Diana Circle UK dedicated to the Princess' memory, to condemn it for them. Funnell fumes “It’s disgusting...they could have done it with lovely stories. They didn’t need to stoop to this. I find it quite cruel them showing the funeral. Had she lived until she was 85 and had a lovely life, that would be different."

The publishers of the comic, Bluewater, have issued a strongly worded response, pointing out that it's an accurate and completely respectful biography, with nothing salacious or controversial in its pages. Judging by the artwork published online, Female Force: Princess Diana is about as shocking as the comic strip life stories that Look-In magazine used to publish in weekly installments.

Speaking for the mental faculties of her group, Ms Funnell comments “Anyone with half a brain who had a love for Diana will hate it.” After all, what exactly is the point of a group dedicated to remembering Princess Diana:
"Remember Diana?"
"Yep."
"Me too. Same time next month?"
"See you then."

Just found that article. What they seem to find most reprehensible (because they mention in at least twice) is this:



Of course, the Express wouldn't dream of showing those pictures. Or at least, not more than, say, once a fortnight.

The Diana Circle again! Yeah, go Gloucestershire-based nutters!

Seriously, Margaret Funnell gets wheeled out by the local paper (the Citizen) on a fairly regular basis, mainly because she's a rentaquote, and she's local. Basically imagine a woman with cats, who actually sends off for the tat you see advertised in sunday supplements and parodied in Viz. That's Margaret Funnell.

She comes across as a very odd person. Basically the Diana Circle came about in those rather strange days back in 1997, in order to 'preserve Diana's memory'. Basically have a look at this to see how they do it (warning, link will seriously disturb you): http://www.5318008.co.uk/dianacircle/

Yup, nice sane people, right?

Basically they believe that Diana was simultaneously a quasi-divine being sent to Earth to spread joy, love and peace where'er she went and that short of saying flowers grew in her footsteps, she was the second coming; AND saying that she was this complex, tragic figure who suffered and, yes, had affairs which only makes her all the more human and flawed and tragic.

Essentially a sad group of souls with no clear purpose other than to have something to do or hold onto to make sense of the big old uncaring world and the starkness of existence in a Godless universe. Some people have sport, others have music. I dress up in medieval armour and spend weekends hitting fellow people with rubber weapons. And they have Diana.

What the actual fuck?

I stared at that for at least a minute in sick horrifying fascination.

I just had a look at that link too.

What are "communsts"?

Are we sure they really have their own website, and that thing wasn't set up by someone as a pisstake after they saw her been interviewed?

If it is real, I wonder where the money that foolish idiots who donate via that button on the site actualy goes to?

That link is a spoof.
The real site is here.

Most of the HTML is buggered, but here's a taster:




Aaargh! Retch! Puke!

Netherlands URL. Nice to see they aren't spending too much money worshipping Diana by not investing in a (more expensive) .co.uk, .org.uk or .com address

Yes, as a contributor to life in the 20th century Di is right up there with the Wright brothers, John Logie Baird, Sam Goldwyn, Marie Curie etc. And what a surprise they should have written to the Express of all papers!