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It’s been a busy day on the airwaves. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I managed to hit BBC World TV’s HardTalk interview and be on BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week, both in one day.
- We’ve made a page to gather all the reviews, press and media reports on The Wisdom of Whores. It’s at: What they’re saying: Reviews and press. You can go there for a comprehensive list of links to reviews, interviews and more. If you see any reviews or mentions elsewhere, good or bad we’d like to hear about them…
On HardTalk, Stephen Sackur spent a lot of time quizzing me about my mafia connections. Comments have ranged from “hard questions for a hard-nosed chick” to “what’s with all the make-up?”
You can watch the interivew here (23 minutes)
Start the Week on BBC Radio 4 was an altogether gentler and more convivial affair. I talked a tiny bit dirty to Andrew Marr, but was fascinated, too, by other guests on the subject of brains, east-west conflict and iconic love stories.
Download mp3
Stream it (current for week of 5/19 to 5/25)









Comment by Dag Brück, 20/05/08, 07:46:
I must say Sakkur gave you a hard time, also compared to other interviews on Hardtalk. I cannot help thinking that in a context like this you’d be better off with a change of sex, an extra 50 lbs, and less hair.
The interview clearly shows how differently you can read a text; your field work was not up for discussion, and there was little about prevention. Is the potential conflict with the “maffia” or African governments (there’s a distinction for you) really so central?
But overall the publicity has been extraordinary, the concept works!
Comment by Andrew, 20/05/08, 02:01:
I have not read your book, but as the head of a not-for-profit in rural Swaziland, your comments and perceptions were very refreshing. We have to take pc out of the debate. This issue is real and pepole are suffering. It is, however, so much more than a disease. It is a moral and social catastrophy. My only disagreement: The promotion of condom use has not and will not work. There has to be a change in behaviour.
Comment by Tope Akinwande, 20/05/08, 04:07:
Elizabeth,
I watched your interview on “HardTalk” and felt you had brought some controversial issue to the table. As somebody who enjoys “intelligent chin-wags”, I doof my hat for you.
Where I think you blew it is when you said that Africans have a sexual pattern that predisposes them to HIV. I think if that’s not racism, it’s the usual stereotyping.
It’s more depressing when you confessed that you didn’t know Africa very well!!!
As a young African who has spent his 37 years on earth equally in Africa and Europe (schooling in France and the UK), I can say that sexual behaviour in the West is not better.
Please keep that twisted stereotypical argument out of your brilliant arguments.
Comment by paul canning, 22/05/08, 12:58:
Hats off to you and your work Elizabeth. Enjoyed you with Andrew Marr but Sakkur’s unfortunately one of the male dicks employed by the Beeb.
I love your work. As a gay man driven out of aids work by grief as well as the PC I say god speed to you.
I recall having a nightmare time trying to get HIV- promoted as a status and being physically attacked for this whilst doing community-based prevention. I was pleased to see the Victorian Aids Council coming around to this finally but ten years late for me.
Pingback by Jakarta (berita baru, “the mad doctor”, and wisdom) « JAKARTA -INDONESIA- URBANBLOG, 25/05/08, 12:38:
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