Daily Mail Bowie Hypocrisy

Today’s Daily Mail has followed the rest of the press pack in marking the passing of rock legend David Bowie: their front page take is captioned “Bowie, starman still dazzling the world even in death”. There is fulsome praise from a host of hacks and pundits. Several pages of the paper are given over to features on his life, times, and music. And the whole exercise is a prime example of the worst kind of rank hypocrisy.

There’s an “exclusive” tribute from Boy George: “'I always dreaded this day, I hoped he was immortal': Boy George writes touching tribute to friend David Bowie after star's shock death … George penned a tribute letter for his friend David who died Sunday … ’I first saw David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust performing at Lewisham Odeon in 1973 just before my twelfth birthday,' George started his letter … The Karma Chameleon singer said Bowie 'validated me and made me realize I was not alone’”.

Young New Zealand singer Lorde was also represented in the Mail: “'I've never met a hero of mine and liked it... he was different': Lorde joins the outpouring of grief for David Bowie who died after a secret cancer battle”. There was even a “close friend” on hand to tell the Mail about Bowie’s battle with cancer.

“David Bowie fought liver cancer for more than a year because he wanted to live to see his daughter grow up, close friend reveals as fans party through the night in memory of their idol … David Bowie told close friends that he was suffering from liver cancer in 2014, according to director Ivo van Hove” told the headline.

But the Mail didn’t know until his death was announced. And that means, despite gushing articles like “The daughter who made David Bowie yearn to live: How birth of Lexi put singer's workaholic tendencies 'into perspective' and gave him the will to stay healthy after his first heart attack”, and also “Shock and mourning at death of David Bowie turns to partying into the night: Fans celebrating life of their music idol turn out in their hundreds at his hometown - and even the statues wore the 'Aladdin Sane' logo”, Mail staff will be hoping that their worst Bowie hypocrisy does not attract too much attention.

Because yesterday’s paper, published before news of the death was announced, contained a typically nasty hatchet job on Bowie from the pen of Jan Moir. Under the headline “THE BITTERNESS OF MRS BOWIE”, readers were told “She claims he forced her into a debauched open marriage - then 'poisoned' their son against her. Now Angie Bowie's hitting back in viciously indiscreet style”.

Bowie’s first wife Angie, from whom he was divorced in 1980, is part of the latest Celebrity Big Brother line-up (I know, I know, “for some value of ‘celebrity’”). So the Mail despatched its cattiest Glenda to arrange a payday for Angie, and a hit-job for the Dacre doggies, unaware that David Bowie was terminally ill with cancer. And they got caught out.

It takes a certain kind of brass neck to run articles like that, and then splash on the fulsome tributes the next day. Being the Daily Mail means never having to say you’re sorry.