Honorary degrees for Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie. WTF?

[editor]

Can someone tell me what is the point of these 'honorary degrees' and why a bunch of babbling radio jocks should be awarded with something that most people have to work hard for (incurring horrendous debt on the way)?

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-presenters-mark-radcliffe-and-stuart-maconie

 

[London_Calling]

Bolton University? A neat promo to the kids: What are their fees going to be?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Is that known as a BA (Hons (Hons)), then?

 

[Ivana Nap]

Ask Duffy, Bangor gave her hers on Monday
http://www.holymoly.com/celebrity/news/duffy-given-degree-services-music58042

 

[London_Calling]

Yep, a new twist in marketing I'd think.

 

[skyscraper101]

Totally agree. It often seems more like a PR move by Universities to get a bit of press and prestige rather than a recognition of lifelong contribution to their field of expertise.

 

[editor]

Did they really get Doctorates? That's really taking this piss if so.

 

[Voley]

Nothing for Andrew Collins? He must be well pissed off.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I don't see the problem, tbh. Everyone knows they're not real degrees.

 

[skyscraper101]

What's the point in them then? Other than a free publicity for the universities, and free publicity for the celebrities that...

...oh yeah

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Well before this thread, I did not know of the existence of Bolton University. It appears to work.

 

[Kanda]

Honorary degrees have been going on for centuries... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degree

Terry Wogan even has one

Slow news day??

 

[past caring]

I'm not sure why Radcliffe and Maconie deserve their honorary degrees any less than;

Sepp Blatter - Honorary Doctorate in the Arts, De Montfort University, 2005

Pierce Brosnan - Honorary Doctorate in the Arts, University College Dublin

Gordon Brown - Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law, Newcastle University 2007

Bob Dylan - Honorary Doctorate in Music, St Andrews University, 2005

(not very far through the alphabet yet)

None of these people have studied at the institutions concerned - the whole point of honorary doctorates is that it gives a needless slap on the back to the already famous and the university hopes that a little bit of the stardust might rub off on it in return.

All that said,

Fucking nothern monkeys.

 

[Limejuice]

I don't see the problem, tbh. Everyone knows they're not real degrees.

True. Very few honorary doctorates insist on being addressed as Dr whatever.

Two that spring to mind, though, are Dr Nina Simone (who had two honorary doctorates) and the Reverend Dr Ian Paisley.

ETA Late Dr Nina Simone

 

[joustmaster]

a sunderland footballer got one when i graduated

 

[Santino]

I don't think anyone ever got a job because they had an honorary doctorate. It's an 'honour', a little public ceremony to generate a bit of press. Really, it's nothing to get upset about.

 

[butchersapron]

True. Very few honorary doctorates insist on being addressed as Dr whatever.

Two that spring to mind, though, are Dr Nina Simone (who had two honorary doctorates) and the Reverend Dr Ian Paisley.

ETA Late Dr Nina Simone

How dare you. Paisley paid for that doctorate with his own good money.

 

[Santino]

 

[Santino]

Nothing for Andrew Collins? He must be well pissed off.

He already has one, from Northampton.

 

[killer b]

they look refreshed.

 

[skyscraper101]

We had jazz sax player Courtney Pine getting an honorary doctorate at my graduation

 

[peterkro]

Well before this thread, I did not know of the existence of Bolton University. It appears to work.

Very enlightening thread I'd never heard of Mark Radcliffe or Stuart Maconie before reading it I still don't know who the fuck they are but gather they're toilers in the broadcasting industry.

 

[skyscraper101]

They are past-it boring DJs on 6Music who like the sound of their own voices much more than playing decent tunes.

 

[audiotech]

At least Maconie has books published. Radcliffe? Ex NF.

 

[DotCommunist]

He already has one, from Northampton.

a ceremony at Park Campus will have reminded him why he fled for London

 

[butchersapron]

At least Maconie has books published. Radcliffe? Ex NF.

No he's not you fucking idiot. He played in Skrewdriver for a few months before they were racist and before he knew anything about them. Don't throw heavy shit like that around.

 

[Santino]

At least Maconie has books published. Radcliffe? Ex NF.

Radcliffe has had three books published, in at least one of which I imagine he explains that he left Skrewdriver before it became a Neo-Nazi band. (I genuinely don't know if there's any more to the allegations than that.)

 

[littlebabyjesus]

He isn't ex-NF at all. Even if he were, I don't see the problem if he makes it clear that he's changed his mind.

 

[audiotech]

No he's not you fucking idiot. He played in Skrewdriver for a few months before they were racist and before he knew anything about them. Don't throw heavy shit like that around.

I withdraw the NF claim, however, I understand that he fillled in as drummer on the odd occasion. Was that declared nazi bonehead, Donaldson, a member then?

 

[audiotech]

Radcliffe has had three books published, in at least one of which I imagine he explains that he left Skrewdriver before it became a Neo-Nazi band. (I genuinely don't know if there's any more to the allegations than that.)

One an autobiography I assume? What are the other two about?