At the age of seven I learnt about sarcasm and how to apply it in the classroom toward my unsuspecting teachers (to their surprise and horror). Ten years later at 17 years old I started reading Private Eye became a cynic.

The 'Eye' is written by a team of professional cynics who earn a salary by taking the p**s out of every politician, journalist, author, director... in the public eye.

Every personal flaw of any notable person is picked up and used to whap them where it hurts most. The number of liable cases the editors have lost in the past few years demonstrates this.

I now read the 'Eye' cover to cover every week and have even found myself referring to the eyes regular 'Guests' by the uncharming cruel-comic (is that an oxymoron?) names that have been allocated to them by the eye editors such as:.

Tony Blair - The Vicar
Mohammed Fayed - Fugger
Richard Branson - Beardie
John Prescott - Fat Northern Bastard
Pierre-Yves Gerbeau - PY Gerbil

Indeed it was the eye that first called the former LibDem leader Tarzan.

As a kid, we used to read the Beano and Dandy (obviously Beano was far superior).
The adult equivalent of these has to be either "Viz" or "Private Eye". I'm almost certain that the type of people who grow up to read "Viz" which is nothing more than a comic for morons, probably buy to by The Sun as well, although I have no doubt at all that it's because they find the articles 'interesting' as long as the editors don’t use any words that contain more than three syllables.

In contrast, I’m very tempted to say that the more educated probably tend to read "Private Eye" simply because it requires a fairly knowledge of politics, economics and current-affairs to understand the humour - but then again, to say that wouldn't be very politically correct would it now? Phaah... who cares!


The fact that so many idiots like Fayed continue to sue the editors of the "Ey
e" for deformation of character makes it worth reading and for £1.20 it's a steal and a subscription would make a perfect Birthday present for the disheartened voter.

Take the sophistication of the Daily Telegraph; add a pinch of euro-scepticism, the accuracy of Hansard, the comic genius of Ian Hislop and what you have is a masterpiece.


Try this link for the latest Eye Cover:

http://www.private-eye.co.uk/