One of the most controversial figures of the 21st century is bringing her one-woman show to my hometown of Felixstowe. Who is this person? Well, it’s none other than Katie Hopkins, who gained notoriety in the 2007 series of The Apprentice. Although I never watched the show, a quick search on Wikipedia informed me that she left before the final week. I also took a peek at some old clips on YouTube to get a sense of her time on the show.
Despite being offered a spot in the final, she chose to depart due to personal reasons. During her time on the show, she made several harsh comments aimed at viewers of television shopping channels, women on maternity leave, individuals with fake tans, and those who were overweight. Following her exit from The Apprentice, she sold her story to the News of the World and Heat Magazine, shedding light on her tumultuous personal life. However, I’ll spare the details of that part here.
Following her appearance on the reality series, she began to feature on various panel shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Loose Women, and The Friday Night Project, while also providing commentary on news reports for Radio Five Live. Initially, her rise to fame seemed like harmless entertainment, with her being just another reality TV “star” seeking a brief moment in the spotlight before fading, once again, into obscurity. However, sadly that was not the case. Somehow, she positioned herself as the “voice of the people,” landing spots on high-profile shows like Question Time and other news/political programs aired on the four major terrestrial channels at the time. In addition, she secured a regular column in The Sun. It was within the pages of this hate filled rag that her gradual transition from a sharp-tongued and occasionally amusing commentator to a purveyor of bigotry and hatred took place. Using this platform, she relentlessly targeted already vulnerable groups, such as immigrants, Muslims, and the LGBTQ+ community, employing derogatory language and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The extreme nature of her opinions and rhetoric only served to inflame tensions and incite violence, resulting in real-world harm and discrimination against those who are already marginalised. By propagating such a toxic and dangerous ideology, she not only exacerbates existing divisions within society but also fosters a climate of animosity rather than promoting unity and compassion. Her actions do nothing but sow seeds of hatred and intolerance where understanding and acceptance should prevail.
When the date for Katie Hopkins’ show in Felixstowe was announced, the local Facebook pages in Felixstowe were flooded with a mix of comments, some in support and others in criticism. I decided to steer clear of the debate, recalling a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: “Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.” I opted to wait a few days before sharing my views on my seldom-used blog.
The challenge nowadays is that civil debate seems increasingly difficult to have without one side resorting to personal attacks (I blame Brexit). Many individuals voiced their reasons for opposing Hopkins’ show in Felixstowe. Regrettably, a large portion of the responses simply dismissed these opinions with the term ‘SNOWFLAKE’. Others argued that Hopkins merely speaks what everyone is thinking (certainly not me!) and that the freedom of speech, for which people died in wars, should allow her show to go on.
Whilst free speech is important and a right we all have there is a line between free speech and hate speech. I believe that Hopkins errs on the later and social media bans, libel lawsuits and losing lucrative media jobs certainly backs that up. For clarity here is the difference between the two.
Free speech refers to the right to express one’s opinions and ideas without censorship or punishment by the government. Hate speech, on the other hand, refers to speech that promotes or incites hatred, violence, or discrimination against a particular group based on characteristics such as race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Hate speech is often used to spread harmful and discriminatory ideas and can contribute to a hostile and divisive social climate. Basically you can sway what you want but you have to own what you are saying and if it crosses a line then you have to face the consequences.
For fairness, I will call out those who claimed there should be a mass boycott of The Spa. I vehemently oppose that. If you don’t like Hopkins, then don’t go. It’s unfair on them; they are a business and if you don’t agree with a show, then don’t go. I’m sure the majority calling for a boycott would be upset at a permanent closure?
In conclusion, I personally find Hopkins to be an extremely disagreeable individual and have no intention of attending any event featuring her. However, I will not actively discourage others from going if they choose to do so. It’s their right and I’d hate to be part of any Nazi inspired cultural genocide regardless of how abhorrent that culture is!