UPDATE: The connection in Crownies to me is unmistakeable now, see update below.
Stranger than fiction shades of Ben Santer:
“Next time I see Pat Michaels at a scientific meeting, I’ll be tempted to beat the crap out of him. Very tempted.” – Dr. Ben Santer in a Climategate email
I was aware of this TV show last week as a couple of alert readers brought it to my attention, but unfortunately I couldn’t comment on it for two reasons: 1) The draconian ABC (Australia) copyright policy prevents it from being viewed in the USA, so I couldn’t see the scene or get the dialog and 2) If I commented on it, people would say I was the only one who sees the comparison, and that it was self serving. Tim Blair of the Daily Telegraph solves both problems. He transcripts the dialog and writes:
Idealistic young lawyer: “He’s a lead author for the IPCC. He’s a climatologist who put together a global temperature reconstruction going back 12,000 years!”
Legal secretary: “So he’s a geek.”
Idealistic young lawyer: “He’s been on Four Corners.”
Legal secretary: “A huge geek.”
Idealistic young lawyer: “And on Oprah.”
Legal secretary: “Slightly cool. And the alleged assault?”
Idealistic young lawyer: “He punched a climate change sceptic, James Watt. Watt runs a blog, CO2 Fraud, a bunch of anti-science crap.”
Legal secretary: “Sounds like a fun day in court. You haven’t had a win yet, have you?”
Continue viewing to see the impressive physical differences between doddery old denier and punchy professor, who must be the only climatologist in history with a $250 haircut.
Former Greens candidate Clive Hamilton loved it:
At last, the ABC has broadcast a program that accurately reflects the debate over climate science.
Yep – cool guys versus jabbering idiots who deserve a beating!
The program in question is the episode of Crownies aired last Thursday night. In it, DPP solicitor Richard Stirling (played by Hamish Michael and one of Crownies’ real stars) reluctantly has to prosecute an eminent climate scientist who allegedly punched a climate denier in the face. The denier James Watt (played with disconcerting accuracy by Richard Healy) had been harassing Professor Tim Coghburn for years, turning up at every public event to demand answers to his inane questions lifted uncritically from some denialist website.
Hamilton didn’t watch very carefully. The Watt character – possibly a dig at Anthony Watts – runs his own site. And the climatologist is Steve Coburn, not Tim Coghburn. Clive can’t even get TV credits right.
When Watt, after disrupting a public lecture, followed Coghburn out of the venue haranguing, insulting and poking him in the chest, the scientist finally lost his rag and lashed out. Who hasn’t wanted to do that?
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Read it all here at Tim Blair’s column
What is ironic is that when I gave public lectures in Australia, the only person who disrupted them was reef scientist turned activist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg.
Strangeness abounds. I’m not sure what to make of this. At least there is some comfort, according to my friends in Australia, the Crownies TV show appears to be tanking in the ratings. In a way though, the Watt character is an everyman, representing those who have doubts about the state of the science.
For anyone in Australia, here’s the episode, number thirteen.
Here’s the preview writeup.
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UPDATE: I still can’t watch this show, but commenter “pwl” did, and adds some transcript. It seems unmistakeable now that I am the inspiration for the character:
From the show at about 15:20 into it.
“Was he aware that the modern temperature record was utterly corrupt? They put thermometers next to air conditioning units and on airport tarmacs.” – Fictional James Watts
“So you think a few thermometers at airports accounts for the late 20th century rise in recorded temperatures globally?” – Fake Idealistic young lawyer DPP solicitor Richard Stirling
“With El Nino thrown in, yes.” – Fictional James Watts
“And the rise in ocean temperatures, the receding glaciers, the earlier spring flowering, the earlier bird and animal migration, the collapse of arctic summer ice cover?” – Fake Idealistic young lawyer DPP solicitor Richard Stirling
“Was that in my police statement?” – Fictional James Watts
“Not really.” – Fake Idealistic young lawyer DPP solicitor Richard Stirling
“Oh, then why ask it?” – Fictional James Watts
“I’m demonstrating how upset professor may have been with your line of questioning. It goes to motive.” – Fake Idealistic young lawyer DPP solicitor Richard Stirling
“Hm.. right.” – Fictional James Watts
Oh, the professors book was being launched at the meeting where the fictional punch took place. The funny part is that the book is entitled “Boiling Frogs”.
Boiling Frogs aka Richard Stirling, fictional lawyer.
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A rewriting of history based on a distortion of the Aldrin real-life punching episode …was John Cook involved?
Australia is very divided at the moment because of the impending Carbon Tax and everyone is getting on the band wagon. Your site has enormous credibility and the Warmists are getting desperate. As an Australian I hope you wont hold it against us. Sorry.
Should we add “terrible television sit-coms” to that ever-growing list of miseries caused by global warming? ;->
Despite show events like this, Romm and Revkin, among others, say that the MSM is supportive of the skeptic side. No matter what you see in movies or on TV, the radio and in print that dismisses legitimate questions with foolishness – like the recent explanation in Science News that the last 9 year of non-warming are the result of Chinese coal aerosols, small volcanic eruptions and the removal of oceanic heat to unknown places – the warmist believers say that as a whole the MSM is against them. So is Obama and all governors, big and small, as far as I can determine.
The knee-jerk, pro-CAGW stance of the media has had me tearing my hair out for years (even as I pay to watch the latest environmental disaster movie: who doesn’t like things blowing up on the big screen?). But perhaps R & R recognize something we skeptics don’t: that all this MSM warm-mongering is nothing at all but fashionable flair of the day. To skeptics it is significant, but perhaps the depth of belief in the MSM is so minor – and the warmists know this – that it could evaporate in a minute.
The warmists need a passion-fuelled crusade. Perhaps R & R correctly recognize shows such as this as signs of a teenage crush, bound to end badly for the one in love.
Ask why is it so? says:
October 4, 2011 at 9:27 am
……….. Your site has enormous credibility and the Warmists are getting desperate. As an Australian I hope you wont hold it against us. Sorry.
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Ask, I can’t speak for Anthony, but we Yanks have our own burdens to bear just as you Aussies do. The palpable desperation is win, both for Anthony and skeptics in general. No one believed they’d go away without shrill protestations. For forcing the misanthropist alarmists to resort to this sort of propagandizing, I can only say, good for you all! Keep it up!
At last, the ABC has broadcast a program that accurately reflects the debate over climate science.
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and at the same time, told even more people about WUWT………LOL
At least on ‘Celebrity Death Match’ you might get a fair fight. I remember the one where Hillary had it out with Monica Lewinsky, but I don’t remember who won. Come to think of it, that might have ‘The View.’
Anthony, a far better show than Crownies is ABC produced “RAKE.” A far less than orthodox barrister working in the Aussie justice system. It has gotten critical raves and is now on DIRECTV here in the States.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/premiums/audience/rake
But congratulations on being sourced for character. You are clearly making a difference in alarmist life!!
The gender and race stuff is especially annoying. Old white males with Asperger tendencies?
Well, nearly all the people who are deeply interested in this issue on BOTH sides are older white male nerds. Youngsters and minorities will obediently chant the Cultist slogans that the Estabishment media feeds them, but they’re not interested.
Females are rare in these circles, but oddly enough they’re distributed exactly equally, one major participant on each side. Margaret Mead co-founded the Carbon Cult. Sallie Baliunas co-founded the scientific side. And Judith Curry is a major Lukewarmer, if not a co-founder of the species.
They obviously don’t know Anthony. He would never harass anyone. The image of Anthony stalking and then poking anyone in the chest, for any reason whatsoever, is so far-fetched that it’s laughable.
Anthony’s gentle persistence is paying huge dividends in truth.
Keep it up, Anthony, they’re running scared…
Perhaps a warning to the warming brigade. They are getting frustrated. This was to warn them not to get violent.
Oh, yeah, that “James Watt” fellow.
Doesn’t he run that “James’ Up With That” website?
His rant “Up with that!” always cracks me up.
🙂
Any publicity is good publicity, Anthony – take it as a compliment :). The other thing is that, under the law (wherever it may be), no amount of provocation, real or imagined, justifies violence. The “cause” has shot itself in the foot, again. Hands up who is surprised? Didn’t think so :).
No resemblance to reality anyway…just like climate models
I wonder how Australian law works if that episode made you feel offended or threatend?
So, let me recapitulate. The “Climate Scientists”, who are cool, calm, calculating, logical, rational people (allegedly), insult us deniers, denegrate us, cast aspersions upon our sex & ancestry, call us Flat Earthers, dinosaurs, show us & our children being blown up & spattering our body parts & innerds all over our colleagues, now they show us being assaulted! Tell me once more, who has the moral high ground here, I am conffused!
Make a video where you thump him backl!
I have to admit to being shocked that an Australian program would appear to make a thinly-veiled attempt to suggest a physical attack on a known blogger. I don’t know what Australian standards are, but in the US I would imagine the producers would be in pretty hot water. I would expect ABC corporate to issue an apology/distancing letter from this sort of thing pretty quickly.
Ah! The taxpayer funded AB stinking C at it’s best/worst! Maintaining the rage on behalf of every leftist crackpot in town. Funded by all hard working Australians, producing lies and bullshyte on a daily basis. A bloody disgrace!
At last, the ABC has broadcast a program that accurately reflects the debate over climate science.
Right, Clive, as the Progressives have been incessantly trying to warn us by proclaiming that everyone else is really screwed up, their own Ids have actually taken full control and are finally freed to speak for themselves!
They might have bad humor but they do have interesting parades… Bikini Parades that is… Guinness World Record too…
James Watt was a Scottish engineer who designed and built the first reliable steam locomotive which ran on the Stockton to Darlington railway in the early 1800’s, moving coal from the mines. Somewhat ironic that the name of a major pathfinder of the industrial revolution should be given to a fictional climate denier, but bearing in mind the historical and scientific illiteracy of fringe greenies, I doubt that the allusion was intended.
REPLY: You are probably right, what with the invention of the steam engine being centric to the climate debate and all that, I’m sure you can find lots of examples where James Watt and Climate Science issues are tied together today and present them here. /sarc – Anthony
“A bunch of anti-science crap”
The knee jerk warmist reaction to anyone who drives a truck through their ‘science’, or for that matter politely points out errors, distortions and omissions in that ‘science’.
As a tactic, it is very sound, as it provides the average warmist with a good reason not to debate with someone who would obviously confuse him with the facts.
It seems like Anthony has become the equivalent of the infidel incarnate or the great heretic to the leaders of the AGW cult.
One day, not too far in the future, when people look back and wonder why so many believed the AGW nonsense, they will wonder why so many politicians were duped by what will then be aptly described – this time correctly! – as “A bunch of anti-science crap”
I can see it now. A new Bond movie. Good plot. Spy investigates an illegal plot to blow up the IPCC headquarters.
Who are you?
Watts,…..James Watts
Has a good ring to it.