In one of his Netflix specials, Dave Chappelle tells a story about how he was booed during a gig in Detroit, where the crowd were so incensed that they demanded their money back.
His answer was simple. “You are never getting your money back … I’m like Evel Knievel; I get paid for the attempt. I never said (this) would be funny.”
I thought of that this morning reading the transcripts of Charlie Nicholas latest rant. His bosses must pay him for the effort. It’s clearly not important that his work make sense or contain the slightest, smallest trace of internal logic. He’s not funny either, but then he’s never tried to be.
Reading him and watching you, you get the feeling he takes it all seriously.
His comments today were absolutely pathetic.
To criticise our transfer business – whilst at the same time puckering up for the Sevco posterior – was absurd. Celtic fans would be angry? The manager himself would be angry? What planet is he on? Because I’ve barely seen such total agreement amongst our fans about how a transfer window went, and all of it positive.
How is it possible for anyone to so completely misjudge the mood of our support and our club?
You really need to be on the outside – way on the outside – to think that Nicholas’ points were even remotely valid.
They are ludicrous.
Lennon did not hold back when asked about this today, as he collected the manager of the month award.
“If we’d signed Messi and Ronaldo (he’d) have found fault with it. He’s been negative about this club for years.”
This is undoubtedly true, but today’s comments went well beyond mere negativity for its own sake.
This wasn’t trolling either, because you need a sliver of intelligence to be an effective troll and I’ve never believed that Nicholas possessed enough working brain cells.
These were the squeals of a man desperate for attention of any sort, even the worst sort.
To try and speak for Lennon was ridiculous and offensive, but Nicholas thrives the limelight more than ever now that he’s had it taken away from him.
His firing from Sky hasn’t been explained, but let’s not kid ourselves that he’s going to be missed.
I never heard him make a valid point that wasn’t obvious to even the dumbest viewer.
He contributed nothing except a prime example of ignorance hiding behind his experience as a former player.
That he is profoundly anti-Celtic is undeniable, but he’s also a shameless egotist clinging on to the last rung of his journalistic career … and so maybe this was inevitable.
I am glad the manager slapped him down, and hard.
The press wanted Nicholas’ comments to be the story; instead Lennon’s response is instead.
That’s how it should be done.