Matthew Bates
@thatmattbates.bsky.social
Actor/voiceover/audiobook narrator/ adoptive dad and doodle wrangler.
Scotland, London, Dudley. Brought up on LFC and narrow boats.
All views are personal.
https://on.soundcloud.com/zBEbgKRLwvyKEnwEA
https://app.spotlight.com/5650-9056-8846
Scotland, London, Dudley. Brought up on LFC and narrow boats.
All views are personal.
https://on.soundcloud.com/zBEbgKRLwvyKEnwEA
https://app.spotlight.com/5650-9056-8846
This is an excerpt from a book I’m currently recording that discusses the difficulties the BBC encountered trying to balance impartiality, fair commentary and political pressure just before WW2.
Plus ça change…
#BBC #censorship #audiobooks
Plus ça change…
#BBC #censorship #audiobooks
November 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This is an excerpt from a book I’m currently recording that discusses the difficulties the BBC encountered trying to balance impartiality, fair commentary and political pressure just before WW2.
Plus ça change…
#BBC #censorship #audiobooks
Plus ça change…
#BBC #censorship #audiobooks
Who decides what qualifies as ‘banter’?
It’s really simple…
The person on the receiving end.
Think about it.
Banter is inclusive, it’s teasing, play-fighting, give and take among friends.
What Farage is attempting here is to socialise racial bullying.
“I laughed, it was hilarious!”
It’s really simple…
The person on the receiving end.
Think about it.
Banter is inclusive, it’s teasing, play-fighting, give and take among friends.
What Farage is attempting here is to socialise racial bullying.
“I laughed, it was hilarious!”
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Who decides what qualifies as ‘banter’?
It’s really simple…
The person on the receiving end.
Think about it.
Banter is inclusive, it’s teasing, play-fighting, give and take among friends.
What Farage is attempting here is to socialise racial bullying.
“I laughed, it was hilarious!”
It’s really simple…
The person on the receiving end.
Think about it.
Banter is inclusive, it’s teasing, play-fighting, give and take among friends.
What Farage is attempting here is to socialise racial bullying.
“I laughed, it was hilarious!”
Ah yes… our whisky club takes a few days’ recovery afterwards, but it’s worth it. 🏴🥃
November 7, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Ah yes… our whisky club takes a few days’ recovery afterwards, but it’s worth it. 🏴🥃
An ex-fireplace salesman, deprived of his authority and prop spider, explaining the omnishambles that was the Education Dept on his watch during Covid.
So far, we’ve had the illuminating admission that he didn’t realise how big the implications would be of a pandemic.
🤦🏼♂️
So far, we’ve had the illuminating admission that he didn’t realise how big the implications would be of a pandemic.
🤦🏼♂️
October 14, 2025 at 10:06 AM
An ex-fireplace salesman, deprived of his authority and prop spider, explaining the omnishambles that was the Education Dept on his watch during Covid.
So far, we’ve had the illuminating admission that he didn’t realise how big the implications would be of a pandemic.
🤦🏼♂️
So far, we’ve had the illuminating admission that he didn’t realise how big the implications would be of a pandemic.
🤦🏼♂️
My money’s on Mads Mikkelsen.
September 25, 2025 at 7:02 PM
My money’s on Mads Mikkelsen.
As an English graduate, I don’t understand how the statement “the MAGA gang are trying to characterize the killer as anything other than one of them and score political points” is misleading.
It doesn’t say who the killer is affiliated with, but who MAGA are blaming pre-emptively.
It doesn’t say who the killer is affiliated with, but who MAGA are blaming pre-emptively.
September 23, 2025 at 6:38 AM
As an English graduate, I don’t understand how the statement “the MAGA gang are trying to characterize the killer as anything other than one of them and score political points” is misleading.
It doesn’t say who the killer is affiliated with, but who MAGA are blaming pre-emptively.
It doesn’t say who the killer is affiliated with, but who MAGA are blaming pre-emptively.
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
“Thoughts & Prayers”
When leaders fan the flames and demagogues become dictators for more than one day, we all hold our breath.
I apologise for not paying a
Human to make this image, but then they are rounding the humans up. Oh America, the bright day is done, and you are for the dark…
When leaders fan the flames and demagogues become dictators for more than one day, we all hold our breath.
I apologise for not paying a
Human to make this image, but then they are rounding the humans up. Oh America, the bright day is done, and you are for the dark…
September 17, 2025 at 7:46 PM
“Thoughts & Prayers”
When leaders fan the flames and demagogues become dictators for more than one day, we all hold our breath.
I apologise for not paying a
Human to make this image, but then they are rounding the humans up. Oh America, the bright day is done, and you are for the dark…
When leaders fan the flames and demagogues become dictators for more than one day, we all hold our breath.
I apologise for not paying a
Human to make this image, but then they are rounding the humans up. Oh America, the bright day is done, and you are for the dark…
For ‘most parts of the UK…should have clear skies’ read ‘most parts of England.’
Come on BBC Weather, did you run this by Carol Kirkwood? 🏴
Come on BBC Weather, did you run this by Carol Kirkwood? 🏴
August 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
For ‘most parts of the UK…should have clear skies’ read ‘most parts of England.’
Come on BBC Weather, did you run this by Carol Kirkwood? 🏴
Come on BBC Weather, did you run this by Carol Kirkwood? 🏴
The #GenZStare. It’s all over TikTok, where millennials and Gen Z are tearing into each other about android ‘glitching’ vs ‘why do I owe you a reaction?’
This piece takes the line bridging defence (we grew up drowned in a digital mirror, so of course we’re hyper cautious about what our faces do..
This piece takes the line bridging defence (we grew up drowned in a digital mirror, so of course we’re hyper cautious about what our faces do..
July 21, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The #GenZStare. It’s all over TikTok, where millennials and Gen Z are tearing into each other about android ‘glitching’ vs ‘why do I owe you a reaction?’
This piece takes the line bridging defence (we grew up drowned in a digital mirror, so of course we’re hyper cautious about what our faces do..
This piece takes the line bridging defence (we grew up drowned in a digital mirror, so of course we’re hyper cautious about what our faces do..
Bless Chris Peterson, but how could Eva Peron making a speech to adoring crowds from the Casa Rosada balcony be read as a private confession rather than public theatre? The cameras are absolutely to see behind the facade (even if some audience members can’t get over their financial fomo to notice).
June 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Bless Chris Peterson, but how could Eva Peron making a speech to adoring crowds from the Casa Rosada balcony be read as a private confession rather than public theatre? The cameras are absolutely to see behind the facade (even if some audience members can’t get over their financial fomo to notice).
Show me proof AI doesn’t read its own output.
April 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Show me proof AI doesn’t read its own output.
Trump wants “a more robust relationship” with Greenland and might “axe Denmark” to “establish a relationship that replaces Denmark”.
Why does this remind me of Biff Tannen bullying George McFly so he can grape Lorraine McFly? 🛹
Why does this remind me of Biff Tannen bullying George McFly so he can grape Lorraine McFly? 🛹
March 29, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Trump wants “a more robust relationship” with Greenland and might “axe Denmark” to “establish a relationship that replaces Denmark”.
Why does this remind me of Biff Tannen bullying George McFly so he can grape Lorraine McFly? 🛹
Why does this remind me of Biff Tannen bullying George McFly so he can grape Lorraine McFly? 🛹
Next year is the USA’s Semiquincentennial ( or 250th year of existence). 🎉🥳🇺🇸
I just looked up what was going on when Great Britain reached the same milestone in 1957.
Reader- there were echoes of a fading Empire overreaching itself abroad- and it didn’t end in national celebration…
I just looked up what was going on when Great Britain reached the same milestone in 1957.
Reader- there were echoes of a fading Empire overreaching itself abroad- and it didn’t end in national celebration…
March 26, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Next year is the USA’s Semiquincentennial ( or 250th year of existence). 🎉🥳🇺🇸
I just looked up what was going on when Great Britain reached the same milestone in 1957.
Reader- there were echoes of a fading Empire overreaching itself abroad- and it didn’t end in national celebration…
I just looked up what was going on when Great Britain reached the same milestone in 1957.
Reader- there were echoes of a fading Empire overreaching itself abroad- and it didn’t end in national celebration…
Man who walked into neighbour’s house and started punching the family there says his hand is starting to hurt, and wants police to remove the family.
March 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Man who walked into neighbour’s house and started punching the family there says his hand is starting to hurt, and wants police to remove the family.
The drinks are on me.
March 13, 2025 at 11:01 AM
The drinks are on me.
..and a new contender for the Fifth Beatle- Miss Froufy Sox III
February 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
..and a new contender for the Fifth Beatle- Miss Froufy Sox III
BREAKING NEWS: the NYSE and the Nasdaq have been scrapped for live monitors on POTUS’s diaper and Elon’s current K-hole.
I imagine once his bladder is gone they’ll both REALLY flood the zone.
I imagine once his bladder is gone they’ll both REALLY flood the zone.
February 3, 2025 at 10:47 PM
BREAKING NEWS: the NYSE and the Nasdaq have been scrapped for live monitors on POTUS’s diaper and Elon’s current K-hole.
I imagine once his bladder is gone they’ll both REALLY flood the zone.
I imagine once his bladder is gone they’ll both REALLY flood the zone.
Great. So he’s a flight investigator as well as an HR expert now.
WHY are we still reporting every moronic utterance of this andropausal goon?!
WHY are we still reporting every moronic utterance of this andropausal goon?!
January 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Great. So he’s a flight investigator as well as an HR expert now.
WHY are we still reporting every moronic utterance of this andropausal goon?!
WHY are we still reporting every moronic utterance of this andropausal goon?!
“Give him a break-
He’s just socially awkward…
My cousin is a puma, and he eats people’s faces all the time.
Y’all need to relax and give him more room.
He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
He’s just socially awkward…
My cousin is a puma, and he eats people’s faces all the time.
Y’all need to relax and give him more room.
He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
January 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
“Give him a break-
He’s just socially awkward…
My cousin is a puma, and he eats people’s faces all the time.
Y’all need to relax and give him more room.
He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
He’s just socially awkward…
My cousin is a puma, and he eats people’s faces all the time.
Y’all need to relax and give him more room.
He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
Lotta people say Orange, but I like golden. I’m in my golden age.
Smart people like gold- Elon prefers bitcoin but I like goooold. I like the feel of it, heavy & warm in my pants.
I have a diaper, it’s very secure. Mmmm….There we go.
Bow down, subjects.
Smart people like gold- Elon prefers bitcoin but I like goooold. I like the feel of it, heavy & warm in my pants.
I have a diaper, it’s very secure. Mmmm….There we go.
Bow down, subjects.
January 20, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Lotta people say Orange, but I like golden. I’m in my golden age.
Smart people like gold- Elon prefers bitcoin but I like goooold. I like the feel of it, heavy & warm in my pants.
I have a diaper, it’s very secure. Mmmm….There we go.
Bow down, subjects.
Smart people like gold- Elon prefers bitcoin but I like goooold. I like the feel of it, heavy & warm in my pants.
I have a diaper, it’s very secure. Mmmm….There we go.
Bow down, subjects.
Apparently Melania’s hat is called a boater or canotier.
When she wears it he can’t get close enough to kiss her and she canotier him. Win-win.
When she wears it he can’t get close enough to kiss her and she canotier him. Win-win.
January 20, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Apparently Melania’s hat is called a boater or canotier.
When she wears it he can’t get close enough to kiss her and she canotier him. Win-win.
When she wears it he can’t get close enough to kiss her and she canotier him. Win-win.
Wow. 😳 Ok, I’m here for it.
Bring on the nobbly knees.
Bring on the nobbly knees.
January 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Wow. 😳 Ok, I’m here for it.
Bring on the nobbly knees.
Bring on the nobbly knees.
In the new media democracy we can promote quackery and misinformation, using rhetorical fallacies and poor critical thinking.
And Elonia can sue us for harming his business interests.
So that’s good.
And Elonia can sue us for harming his business interests.
So that’s good.
December 13, 2024 at 7:44 AM
In the new media democracy we can promote quackery and misinformation, using rhetorical fallacies and poor critical thinking.
And Elonia can sue us for harming his business interests.
So that’s good.
And Elonia can sue us for harming his business interests.
So that’s good.
