No Rock And Roll Fun

HAVING HIS DAY IN COURT: We've just been watching Channel 4 News' coverage of the first day proper of the Jackson trial; his fans manage to come across as even more potty than he does. Or rather, just insufferable: they may disagree with the opinion of a woman C4N were trying to interview (she was there to speak up for victims of child abuse) but standing beside her bellowing over the top of her isn't really making a point, it's just showing yourself up.

Not that there's as many supporters of Jackson as you might have been lead to believe - although they were expecting 5000 to turn up, only 200 actually showed up. Maybe the run of leaks have worked away some of his support over the last few months. Even so, Santa Maria hotels and rental properties are enjoying a mini-boom as journalists digging in for a long stay aren't in anything approaching short supply. Amongst them, casting an amused eye over the proceedings, is Peter Bowes, contributing a newsblog.