June 01, 2003
DUCK THIS
Phillip Adams has somehow avoided Media Watch’s attentions over the past year or so, despite his crimes against journalism. But he still might find himself a candidate for the program’s coveted Campbell Reid Perpetual Trophy for the Brazen Recycling of Other People's Work following his Saturday column, which included the following:
Jacques amused himself, and others, with automata that played the flute and the organ. And then there was his immensely successful copper duck. History records that the creature would peck away at food, apparently swallow it through a flexible neck and then, voila! excrete it onto a silver dish. First displayed in 1739, the duck was the toast of Paris. “Without the shitting duck,” said Voltaire, “there would be nothing to remind us of the glory of France."
As the Bunyip reveals, Phillip’s shitting copper duck lines borrow heavily from the February 13 edition of The New York Review of Books:
While he entertained audiences with automata that played the flute and the organ, his most celebrated invention was a copper duck that realistically "gulped" food through a flexible neck and then excreted it on a silver platter. First displayed in 1739, the duck caused a sensation. "Without the shitting duck," Voltaire quipped, "there would be nothing to remind us of the glory of France."
Given Media Watch’s campaign against plagiarism, Phillip’s example should feature in Monday’s show. Unless, of course, Phil is considered to be beyond criticism.
Posted by Tim Blair at June 1, 2003 04:36 AMI've always thought it sadly odd that Adams get paid to write the nonsense he cranks out. Now it turns out he doesn't even write it.
Now I want to slap the bitch more than ever.
Posted by: ZsaZsa at June 1, 2003 at 05:02 AMPlagiarism is necessary. Progress implies it. It closely grasps an author's sentence, uses his expressions, deletes a false idea, replaces it with the right one. Lautréamont
Posted by: Ron Hardin at June 1, 2003 at 07:24 AMWell, he did say "history records." No one said he had to specify "history, which arrived in my mailbox just before this column was due, records..."
Posted by: Mike G at June 1, 2003 at 08:27 AMNew ad campaign:
The Australian: Now with 5% less plagiarism than the New York Times!!!
Do you think his mother Sylvia was made up, kind of like Jayson Blair's datelines?
Posted by: Melissa at June 1, 2003 at 09:13 AMI don't know which is sadder--that Tim still reads Phillip Adams' column so religiously, or that Tim is still so cut about Media Watch kicking his Geelong Grammar-educated ass so effectively.
Tim, build a Hindmarsh Bridge and get over it, already!
Posted by: Adrian Luca at June 1, 2003 at 12:51 PMAt least Tim hasn't plagiarised anyone, Adrian.
String the bastard up.
Posted by: Robert at June 1, 2003 at 01:42 PMIt was Geelong College, Adrian. Get a fact-checker. And what's to "get over" about plagiarism?
Posted by: tim at June 1, 2003 at 01:52 PMSorry, Tim.
Of course it was Geelong College. I was thinking of the wrong fancy-pants bugger-factory :-)
Phillip Adams - Who cares? If we ignore him he'll hopefully go away.
Posted by: Anthony from Chippendale at June 1, 2003 at 07:04 PMIgnore him and he'll go away?
I don't think so, AfC.
Millions - and millions - of Aussies have been ignoring him for years and he's still hanging around like a crusty bit of faeces on a sheep's tail dock.
Posted by: Pricey at June 1, 2003 at 07:46 PMSad but true. Nevertheless I still refuse to waste my time on him.
Posted by: Scott Wickstein at June 2, 2003 at 12:29 AM