Dawkins meets St Peter('s)
I've been dashing around again. This time we're in Oxford, where, this morning, we filmed an interview with Richard Dawkins for the TV series (draft titled: William Crawley meets ... ) to be aired in a few weeks. The series will probably begin with Bishop Gene Robinson and the Dawkins interview will probably be the second in the series; each interview runs to 30 minutes. Inevitably, it's all "probably" this and "probably" that at this stage in the production. We decided to film the interview with Dawkins in the chapel of an Oxford college -- St Peter's (named, appropriately enough, after the first apostle), and Dawkins is seated in front of the chancel area with the altar and cross clearly in view behind him.
I'd never been to St Peter's College before (incidentally, it's a new college in Oxford terms -- founded in the 1920s), so I got a tour of the place after the interview. Then we went for lunch at the Eagle and Child, the pub where C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein and the other "Inklings" gathered each week to discuss their work-in-progress over beer. They met in a secluded area of the pub called "The Rabbit Room", which, by a nice coincidence, is where we ended up being seated for lunch. On the way in, Stephen Douds, the series producer, pointed out that I'd disgracefully neglected to mention Gary Carville, our cameraman, in my blogs from Princeton. That's a dreadful oversight on my part since Gary is the reason why we have and pictures at all -- and the term "cameraman" doesn't really do justice to his many roles on a shoot. In any case, he is now well and truly blogged.
I'll let you know the transmission dates for the interviews in dure course. Needless to say, Dawkins is a provocative and engaging interviewee. I don't know why he has a reputation for being stand-offish and a little "difficult"; in person, he is charming company, and clearly enjoys having his views challenged and debated.
Right, I'm off ... we've a flight to catch at Heathrow.
Comments
Good catch, William! A lot of people seem to like doing Richard Dawkins down, presumably because that's an easy alternative to dealing with his arguments.
All sounds like fun William...I'll make sure to catch the series.
A friend of mine is in Oxford - he's called David. Tell him I said "Hi," if you happen to bump into him ;)
SG
Stephen, you DO have a sense of huour after all! Hi to you too!
Will how could you interview Dawkins without checking first with Michael Hull what the questions to ask are? Sooooooo insensitive of you! ;-)
Hello Helen!
Will was right to go ahead. I had no questions for Dawkins. After the recent discussions on this blog I wonder if there is anyone out there who does ;-).
Given that Dawkins likes Christmas trees and Christmas ornaments
I'm sure the background for the interview of the altar and the cross was most appropriate.
Best regards,
Michael
Interviwing Richard Dawkins in the chapel of St. Peter's College in Oxford was a nice touch. Quite obviously, though Dawkins has opposed the presence of "Thought for the Day" on Radio 4, he had no particular objection to being interviewed in a place of worship. Thomas Huxley, Darwin's foremost disciple and defender, engaged in a famous debate with a Bishop in Oxford.
I think Dawkins was annoyed that thought for the day excluded atheists. He has a point there. It's not called sermon of the day or religious thought of the day so why shouldn't HE be allowed to use the 4 minute slot to argue for his beliefs too? he's a license fee payer like the rest of us.
Kel HP mentions the licence fee and Thought For The Day. I've always thought that licence fee-payers should be able to take turns on the air. Isn't it a 'public service broadcaster'? William- I'll be in next week to tape a programme. Tell them to make sure the studio is free.
I thought I had heard Dawkins on the radio doing something similar to Thought for the day. THat was about 4 years ago, but I'm sure it was radio 4.
Many people other than RD, have been campaigning re Thought for the Day ( yes - radio 4)
It's absolutely not acceptable that in a country where belief in supernatural beings has almost dissapeared should have it's premier public service broadcaster still putting out this drivel!
alan
I love you David.
Why do you think I subject you to such venom?
It's simply to disguise my love.
Stephen G.