'Monty Python is mocking, but there are those that are not laughing’

This morning when I switched on, the Inbox contained scans of my appearance in Vikend, a Slovenian publication with a circulation of 232,000 which is part of both Delo* and Slovenske novice. They gave me a spread, which I find a rather bizarre.

It certainly presents something of an odd sight. For a start, there I am on the blue bridge, hair flowing and looking mildly aggressive in one of Nicola’s publicity shots from last summer. Below me are photos of a Masonic handshake and the reverse of the Great Seals of the United States as seen on a one-dollar bill.

My Slovenian is restricted to ordering beers and a bit of swearing, but it appears a vague translation of the headline running across two pages is: 'Monty Python is mocking, but there are those that are not laughing’. Dosjeji zarot gets name-checked and if Mladinska knjiga had any decency they would owe me a favour for the mention they get.

There is also another of Nicola’s pictures – me sitting on the steps of a barge – used on the index page. This leads to nice coincidence of me in an eyepatch and wearing a black Captain America T-shirt positioned next to a shot of Toby Maguire in the black Spiderman costume. It looks like a piece of skilled Marvel product placement.

The email that accompanied the scans contained the line: ‘Sorry I could not get you on the cover, Spiderman is a tough one to beat!’ As if I would mind not getting a cover when Spidey in black is around. They certainly know how to tickle a meejah hor in Ljubljana.



*This reminds me of the old saying from the former Yugsalvia that in terms of the leading papers the Slovenes prefer work (Delo), Serbs politics (Politika) and Montenegrins warfare (Pobjeda – victory).

Slovenian Meejah Hor

I have agreed to do some more publicity for the Freemasons On Trial documentary, but only because it is publicity for Slovenia. The countries that emerged from the Yugoslav Wars of Dissolution have a special place in my personal history. I get a certain kick out of being translated into Slovenian, Serbian, Croatian, Bosniak, Montenegrin, Macedonian and Albanian, (that list alone should tell you an awful lot about the Dissolution Wars).

This means that when I get an interview request for ‘the most read Slovenian print medium’ and it ends ‘I send you best regards from Slovenia’ I feel like being incredibly helpful. I am not sure whether I can be classed as a Slovenian Meejah hor as there is no money or other discernible benefit to myself involved in giving an interview*. Still, I am sure it will give my Slovenian acquaintances something to chuckle about.

*Dosjeji Zarot is still in print in Slovenia, but neither Kid Dork nor I are getting any royalties.