Tag Archives: Floella Benjamin

The art of interviewing: Class notes (Feb 11th)

Posted on February 11, 2014 by samiraahmed

These are the examples/clips I used in today’s class: The Q&A that goes with the flow: Tom Baker interview (Metro) A great questionnaire format: Big Issue Letter To My Younger Self Influential magazines/format: The “Who The Hell Does..” interview from … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Kingston University class notes, Media, Music, Radio, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Swinging racism: Floella Benjamin’s memoir of 60s London

Posted on January 13, 2011 by samiraahmed

Talking to Linda Grant earlier this week about her 60s/70s novel about the privileged babyboomer generation, who “had it so good”, got me thinking again about the remarkably different 60s experience of one of Britain’s best known presenters — Baroness Floella Benjamin. Her frank autobiography about her teenage years is a harrowing account of daily racist abuse, in Swinging London. I thought it worth posting the long version of my exclusive interview, which appeared in The Independent in October, and examines her journey to the House of Lords. The Age of Aquarius musical, Hair, did actually change her life, though not in the way you might think… Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children, Culture, Media, Politics, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment