GC

GC, aka George Clooney, is a minor irritant in my life.

A screen actor about whom I know virtually nothing, apart from having watched maybe one of his films, probably Ocean's Eleven, on the television. Nothing so grand as going to the cinema.

Who irritates because he is forever in the news. Scarcely a day seems to go by without his mug popping up in some newspaper or other. What is it about him and his doings which makes him such a hot property, at least to those hard pressed people who have to fill up the pages of our newspapers without recourse to paying journalists to get out there and find out about something interesting?

Wikipedia has him down as a sporty papist from nowhere who, during the last twenty years or so of the last century, managed to climb the greasy pole of television stardom. And goes on to say something like: '... In 2009, Clooney was included in Time's annual Time 100 as one of the "Most Influential People in the World". He is also noted for his political activism, and has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since January 31, 2008. His humanitarian work includes his advocacy of finding a resolution for the Darfur conflict, raising funds for the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Armenian Genocide recognition, the 2004 Tsunami, the victims of 9/11, and creating documentaries such as "Sand and Sorrow" to raise awareness about international crises. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations'.

Why do his greasy pole climbing skills qualify him to influence anything or anyone? Has he been in consultation with our own Bob Geldorf? I still don't understand and I expect that he will continue to irritate me.

PS: but then, one might ask the same sort of questions about his president.