THEY say being a journalist isn’t as glamorous as it looks – and if Chris Mason’s latest experience is anything to go by, that rule also applies to the fan mail.
The BBC News political correspondent and Newcast host shared a picture of a bizarre letter sent to him by an Andrew Marr Show viewer with some interesting opinions.
“Dear Chris,” the anonymous writer said. “Turning up on Andrew Marr in an open shirt is not cool.
“Nor is trying to hide your balding hair, brushing it forward in such a ridiculous way. Oh and please learn how to pronounce your R’s.”
Just basking in the warm glow of fan mail this morning pic.twitter.com/wmHcsgthq4
— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) June 8, 2021
Mason shared the picture jokily with comment: “Just basking in the warm glow of fan mail this morning.”
Social media users were perplexed by the correspondence. “Imagine getting up in the morning and thinking ‘yes, it will be a good use of my time to write and send this letter’,” said one commenter. “How empty would your life have to be?”
“Can we at least just appreciate that this seems to have be written with a fountain pen on decent paper,” added Peter C Barnes. “Content aside, I like the handwriting,” added another.
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There were encouraging messages for Mason, including from SNP MP John Nicolson.
“Before Twitter trolls had to post letters,” he recalled. “It required more commitment certainly. But, as now, they were often anonymous. And the angrier they got about declining standards the worse their spelling & confusion over plural & possessive. Rediculous. Keep on being you.”
It just goes to show, journalists have received nasty messages since long before the internet came to be.
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