No Rock And Roll Fun

BASHIR BASHFUL: It's odd how most people who make their living asking questions come over all shy when they find themselves being asked in their turn. So it is that Martin Bashir has begged Judge Melvile to not make him appear in the Michael Jackson trial, on the grounds that his work "speaks for itself." Which is true - it really does say "Here is a man who will schmooze anyone, providing they're rich and famous enough", but that's not at issue in the court.

He's claiming protection under the Shield Law, a Californian rule which allows journalists to be spared from being forced to testify about things they see during the course of their work. It seems strange that Bashir, who set this current hare running with his Living With... programme, doesn't feel in any way inclined to take the stand and, for example, confirm that the show was a fair representation of what he saw.