Richard Cooper
@richardhcooper.bsky.social
Reads, writes, watches, gets increasingly leftwing as he gets older. I live in Battle, East Sussex. I’m 41. I try & write essays (on literature, film, TV drama, TV comedy) for my blog. I have an MA. I’m on the Spectrum. Socialism or barbarism.
Pinned
One Foot in The Grave: some thoughts on a masterpiece
One Foot in the Grave is one of the least suburban, least traditional sitcoms ever made. It's worth stressing this, because the Daily M...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com
new followers won’t have seen these so what the hell: essays on each of the four greatest sitcoms
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/11/like...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/05/essa...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2011/12/geni...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/11/like...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2012/05/essa...
richardhcooper.blogspot.com/2011/12/geni...
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Just a reminder that Queen Elizabeth II gave at least at £10M to Andrew to go towards paying the settlement with Virginia Giuffre rather than sending him packing.
She was no saint.
She was no saint.
February 19, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Just a reminder that Queen Elizabeth II gave at least at £10M to Andrew to go towards paying the settlement with Virginia Giuffre rather than sending him packing.
She was no saint.
She was no saint.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
i do not care for famous actors "writing" books with established fiction writers. there's a Reese Witherspoon/Harlan Coben "collaboration" that makes me roll my eyes every time i see it. stop devaluing the work of actual writers. stop polluting everything with your "brand."
February 19, 2026 at 5:36 PM
i do not care for famous actors "writing" books with established fiction writers. there's a Reese Witherspoon/Harlan Coben "collaboration" that makes me roll my eyes every time i see it. stop devaluing the work of actual writers. stop polluting everything with your "brand."
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Counterpoint: it's not remotely "wrong in principle," and there are a thousand reasons to go after the rich that have nothing to do with fixing broken budgets
If you accept, that is - though I suspect The Economist doesn't - that inequality IS wrong, in principle and practice
If you accept, that is - though I suspect The Economist doesn't - that inequality IS wrong, in principle and practice
It will not work, and is wrong in principle
Don’t go after the rich to fix broken budgets
It will not work, and is wrong in principle
econ.st
February 19, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Counterpoint: it's not remotely "wrong in principle," and there are a thousand reasons to go after the rich that have nothing to do with fixing broken budgets
If you accept, that is - though I suspect The Economist doesn't - that inequality IS wrong, in principle and practice
If you accept, that is - though I suspect The Economist doesn't - that inequality IS wrong, in principle and practice
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Gender Critical = misogyny & homophobia
Sonia Sodha is honestly on the wireless saying women are biologically better at rearing children than men. She found a single dad who agreed with her so it's all ok.
February 19, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Gender Critical = misogyny & homophobia
Reposted by Richard Cooper
I hope they don't just stop with Andrew, and I hope he faces further charges.
February 19, 2026 at 1:37 PM
I hope they don't just stop with Andrew, and I hope he faces further charges.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
“The fate of Charles the first, hath only made kings more subtle—not more just”
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
The last time a senior member of the reigning royal family was arrested: Charles I in 1647
🚨 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested on 66th Birthday
A seminal moment for accountability. The King's brother is in custody and searches are being carried out at his Berkshire and Norfolk homes.
A seminal moment for accountability. The King's brother is in custody and searches are being carried out at his Berkshire and Norfolk homes.
February 19, 2026 at 2:17 PM
“The fate of Charles the first, hath only made kings more subtle—not more just”
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Imagine thinking so little of your craft that this trash video causes you to crash out. Reactions like this say more about the person than the software.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ writer Rhett Reese reacts to viral AI video of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting:
“I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us.”
“I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us.”
February 19, 2026 at 3:53 AM
Imagine thinking so little of your craft that this trash video causes you to crash out. Reactions like this say more about the person than the software.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
It's not just that AI is not treated as an economic calamity. It's that the government is cheerleading its implementation as somehow "essential" to the economy ... without factoring in the mass unemployment and absolutely destroyed national tax income that implementing it will INEVITABLY cause. #AI
This would be the worst calamity to hit the American economy since 1929!! It's very weird that it is never treated as such!
February 19, 2026 at 8:27 AM
It's not just that AI is not treated as an economic calamity. It's that the government is cheerleading its implementation as somehow "essential" to the economy ... without factoring in the mass unemployment and absolutely destroyed national tax income that implementing it will INEVITABLY cause. #AI
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Happy to be left behind tbh
February 19, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Happy to be left behind tbh
Muppet Pastoral
I Married a Muppet
The Muppet Stain
I Married a Muppet
The Muppet Stain
The Pickwick Muppets
The Usual Muppets
February 18, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Muppet Pastoral
I Married a Muppet
The Muppet Stain
I Married a Muppet
The Muppet Stain
Flow My Tears the Muppet Said
The Pickwick Muppets
The Usual Muppets
February 18, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Flow My Tears the Muppet Said
The Muppet Without Qualities
Muppetship Down
The Pickwick Muppets
February 18, 2026 at 11:25 PM
The Muppet Without Qualities
Brief Interviews with Hideous Muppets
Kazuo Ishiguro’s NEVER LET ME MUPPETS
(The flaw in this one is one should ALWAYS muppets)
(The flaw in this one is one should ALWAYS muppets)
Our Mutual Muppet
February 18, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Brief Interviews with Hideous Muppets
“I CAN‘T CONCEIIIIIIIVE IT!”
“I have a cunning plot.”
Love those famous sitcom catchphrases
February 18, 2026 at 11:17 PM
“I CAN‘T CONCEIIIIIIIVE IT!”
That little pause before he says “can’t do it Sally.” #RobertDuvall
February 16, 2026 at 6:56 PM
That little pause before he says “can’t do it Sally.” #RobertDuvall
Reposted by Richard Cooper
One the best to ever do it. RIP.
February 16, 2026 at 6:37 PM
One the best to ever do it. RIP.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
One of the absolute joys of writing BOND, QUEER BOND is being able to interview DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER's Putter Smith!
Putter's insight & perspective is a definite treat & sweet Valentine for BOND, QUEER BOND! ❤️
www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-Queer-F...
#BondQueerBond
#PutterSmith
#JamesBond
Putter's insight & perspective is a definite treat & sweet Valentine for BOND, QUEER BOND! ❤️
www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-Queer-F...
#BondQueerBond
#PutterSmith
#JamesBond
February 14, 2026 at 12:09 PM
One of the absolute joys of writing BOND, QUEER BOND is being able to interview DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER's Putter Smith!
Putter's insight & perspective is a definite treat & sweet Valentine for BOND, QUEER BOND! ❤️
www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-Queer-F...
#BondQueerBond
#PutterSmith
#JamesBond
Putter's insight & perspective is a definite treat & sweet Valentine for BOND, QUEER BOND! ❤️
www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-Queer-F...
#BondQueerBond
#PutterSmith
#JamesBond
Reposted by Richard Cooper
Make the MMR vaccine mandatory. If people are going to be idiots, treat them as such. Vaccines are about protecting each other
More than 60 children infected in north London measles outbreak
Cases reported in seven schools and a nursery in Enfield amid concern over low levels of MMR vaccination in capital
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 7:50 AM
Make the MMR vaccine mandatory. If people are going to be idiots, treat them as such. Vaccines are about protecting each other
Reposted by Richard Cooper
In addition to the things I lead with when telling people why they should read Elizabeth Jane Howard—her insight into relationships, people, and especially women; her epigrammatic insights—she’s also a skilled storyteller. She takes you by the hand immediately, and you want to follow to the end.
February 16, 2026 at 1:52 AM
In addition to the things I lead with when telling people why they should read Elizabeth Jane Howard—her insight into relationships, people, and especially women; her epigrammatic insights—she’s also a skilled storyteller. She takes you by the hand immediately, and you want to follow to the end.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
AI is only growing in importance because everybody keeps saying it is, when everybody should be commenting on how rubbish it is as a technology. AP too is guilty of this. As in other areas of reporting, it's been deeply disappointing in the last couple of years. Please go back to proper standards.
February 16, 2026 at 8:59 AM
AI is only growing in importance because everybody keeps saying it is, when everybody should be commenting on how rubbish it is as a technology. AP too is guilty of this. As in other areas of reporting, it's been deeply disappointing in the last couple of years. Please go back to proper standards.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
My 1949 Penguin paperback edition of Wuthering Heights.
The pages have not yellowed, the sewn binding is still tight.
The prevalence of non-acid-free paper and glued bindings means I have hardbacks published less than ten years ago that have aged less well.
The pages have not yellowed, the sewn binding is still tight.
The prevalence of non-acid-free paper and glued bindings means I have hardbacks published less than ten years ago that have aged less well.
February 16, 2026 at 9:38 AM
My 1949 Penguin paperback edition of Wuthering Heights.
The pages have not yellowed, the sewn binding is still tight.
The prevalence of non-acid-free paper and glued bindings means I have hardbacks published less than ten years ago that have aged less well.
The pages have not yellowed, the sewn binding is still tight.
The prevalence of non-acid-free paper and glued bindings means I have hardbacks published less than ten years ago that have aged less well.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
We had a tentative but not unserious conversation about home schooling prompted by this news yesterday.
60 cases of measles in Enfield, all unvaccinated, 1 in 5 hospitalised
Well done anti-vaxers, slow clap 👏
64.3% of five-year-olds in Enfield are vaccinated, 95% is needed to prevent outbreaks
Measles is 6 x more infectious than Covid
Well done anti-vaxers, slow clap 👏
64.3% of five-year-olds in Enfield are vaccinated, 95% is needed to prevent outbreaks
Measles is 6 x more infectious than Covid
Fast-spreading measles outbreak takes hold among under-10s in north London
UK Health Security Agency urges parents in Enfield to get their children vaccinated as Easter holiday travels approach
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:02 AM
We had a tentative but not unserious conversation about home schooling prompted by this news yesterday.
Reposted by Richard Cooper
The Guardian edition today has re-upped their lovely obituary of Michael Slater from Boxing Day. Here it is again:
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
Michael Slater obituary
Scholar of Charles Dickens who wrote a definitive biography and shone a light on the writer’s more neglected works
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:21 AM
The Guardian edition today has re-upped their lovely obituary of Michael Slater from Boxing Day. Here it is again:
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
Reposted by Richard Cooper
When I was starting out as a writer, I listened to hours and hours of archived Bookworm shows. He was the greatest of literary interlocutors, elevating the thirty minute “books show” to new artistic and intellectual levels. Listening to him made me a better writer, and a much better reader. RIP.
Michael Silverblatt, 'genius' host of KCRW literary show 'Bookworm,' dies at 73
Michael Silverblatt, 'genius' host of KCRW literary show 'Bookworm,' dies at 73
Silverblatt’s 30-minute show, which ran from 1989 to 2022, included interviews with celebrated authors including Gore Vidal, Kazuo Ishiguro, David Foster Wallace, Susan Orlean, Joan Didion and Zadie Smith.
www.latimes.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:21 AM
When I was starting out as a writer, I listened to hours and hours of archived Bookworm shows. He was the greatest of literary interlocutors, elevating the thirty minute “books show” to new artistic and intellectual levels. Listening to him made me a better writer, and a much better reader. RIP.
Rewatched Wild at Heart. Still don’t understand why Marietta and Santos stop trying to kill Sailor when he comes out of prison at the end.
February 16, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Rewatched Wild at Heart. Still don’t understand why Marietta and Santos stop trying to kill Sailor when he comes out of prison at the end.