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Frank the Fraud Lampard

toothlighttoothlight
edited December 2014 in Writing
Okay I'll wait for the defence, but I was sick to read a two page spread in today's The Times about this ego trip, overpaid footballer. Once again the subject of his books was discussed, especially since it is claimed they have sold 100,000 copies ( hooray shout his supporters). You may remember that when they came out he was interviewed and said he written "a few words", though the actual word were never disclosed. When asked the same question today he said: "These are completely my ideas, from the birth of the characters to each storyline." If he had been man enough to admit that a ghost writer did the actual WRITING (not a few words), he would earn my respect, but nothing has changed my mind that he is a fraud.

Comments

  • snailmalesnailmale
    This might cheer you up, toothlight:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/11277201/zoella-girl-online-ghostwritten-zoe-sugg.html

    Although, probably not.
  • snailmalesnailmale
    And another thing...

    With Frank now being an established author, acknowledged by the glitterati, and a competition judge to boot, he might well feel moved to join Talkback to give us lesser scribes the wisdom of his experience.

    And what would be the first thing he would see? toothlight calling him a fraud, that's what he'd see.

    Don't fancy your chances in the High Court, toothlight old son.

    *pretends not to know toothlight*
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Sounds like ghostwriting's the business to be in.
  • CarolCarol
    He wouldn't need to join, this is an open thread, open to the world and lawyers. :-B
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    I love Frank!

    :-*
  • CarolCarol
    As a footballer he's okay, but anything else. :-B
  • Mrs BearMrs Bear
    Um, who is Frank Lampard? I don't believe in football, so don't know anything about him.
  • caseycasey
    Mrs Bear when you say you don't believe in football do you mean you don't believe it exists? It's on my TV all the time :-(
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    So is Santa at the moment...and that Jebus fellow :P
  • datco2014datco2014
    I think I'll ghostwrite a ghost story (yeah I know doesn't add much to the discussion) thing is he's only been earning £120,000 per week for 10 years or so / so probably needs the money.
  • toothlighttoothlight
    snailmale. I am entitled to call him a fraud if I am of the opinion he did not write the books. It is up to him to prove he did write them. I have read the Daily Telegraph piece, and was aware of the ghost writer for Katie Price, but I have always said she has my respect because she has admitted the situation, as did Colleen Rooney. Many biographies are ghost written, with the celeb having the information, but not the writing skills needed. Nothing wrong in collaborating with a seasoned writer to produce an interesting, readable book. Should royalties be split or a flat fee? One could argue, but as long as the writer is happy, that's what counts. I'd be happy to go head to head with Lampard and write a short story for kids, based on a given circumstance, or (even better) a few objects.
  • LizLiz
    edited December 2014
    I don't think you are entitled to call him a fraud - he hasn't said he wrote the books, he's said he had the idea. He has heretofore said he didn't write more than a small part of them. Having an opinion is no point in law, you must have proof before you call someone a fraud in public.

    It's not up to him to do anything, and you are bringing this website into disrepute by your obsession.
  • danfangodanfango
    I'd be happy to go head to head with Lampard and write a short story for kids, based on a given circumstance, or (even better) a few objects.
    Well, no one's stopping you. Write a series of fun adventure stories for children, with a footballing theme. Frank's kindly warmed up the market for you already.

    It would be a significantly better outlet for your energies than all this negative, petty jealousy.
  • toothlighttoothlight
    Liz, IN the recent Times interview, he intimated he HAD written the books, therefore-in my opinion) that's a fraudulent claim. I'd suggest all my detractors look up the Guardian interview of June 1st 2013, where it all began. danfango,I'm not jealous of a celeb who, via a ghost writer, tries to kid us he/se is a real writer.IF we had the money, we could all employ a professional, and put out the book in our names. Why should I be jealous when I was taken on by a publisher, albeit one who soon went bust owing me money, but saw the book on Waterstones shelves in various cities, knowing I had written every ruddy word? My 'challenge' was to be given a few objects and then asked to write a short story for kids. It is something I do when running workshops in schools. I think this theme has run its course, so will sign off, with my respect for Lampard nil.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    He wouldn't be the first person to be misquoted in an interview.
  • Mrs BearMrs Bear
    'Why should I be jealous when I was taken on by a publisher, albeit one who soon went bust owing me money, but saw the book on Waterstones shelves in various cities, knowing I had written every ruddy word? '
    I don't follow that sentence at all. Take out the 'albeit' clause, and you have:
    'Why should I be jealous when I was taken on by a publisher but saw the book on Waterstones shelves in various cities, knowing I had written every ruddy word?'
    No - doesn't make sense.
  • CarolCarol
    As I said elsewhere about the latest incident, there'd be much less irritation and annoyance, if publishers and 'names' didn't make comments that inferred they were actually writing the books themselves.
    Because someone will find out that the construction and tidying up work has been done by a ghostwriter and it will be in the press with the resulting trouble.

    But, any 'bad' publicity will sell books, so it's a win win situation...
  • toothlighttoothlight
    Carol, so very true, and you must be aware of the comment:
    'There's no such thing as bad publicity, only no publicity.' As regards everyone finding out they didn't actually write the book, sadly, the gullible public will still want to believe their hero/heroine DID write the missive. After all, that well know footballer with an IQ of..(has he got one?) Wayne Rooney 'wrote' his FIRST autobiography at the age of 21 years. Shall we now consign this theme to the archives.......until the next amazing celeb
    launch their book?
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    As I've also said before, I would never have known about Frank's books without TB - so I agree, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
  • NefertariNefertari
    David Walliams has brought out a lot of books for children, has he written them himself? One of them is being screened this Christmas, 'Boy in a dress' I think it is?
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    He does have 'writer' on his CV - for the TV programmes he's appeared in, so there's a very good chance he does write his books.

  • CarolCarol
    I think Walliams may have done the writing himself, Nefertari.
  • snailmalesnailmale
    He co-writes 'Big School' I think, but we'll keep him in custody and perhaps burn him at the stake alonga Frank if Christmas gets boring.
  • heatherheather
    A lot of comedians do write their own books , as they usually write their own material.
  • doradora
    *yawns, stretches, burps*
    A lot of comedians do write their own books , as they usually write their own material.
    The way I see it heather, is a lot of comedians* seek out their own material be it words, pictures, camera shots, invasion on privacy of others, whatever. They then re-assemble that material into an order according to their comedic slant.

    To the untrained eye this order looks like it's their own material. I suppose you could say they're glorified bin men, whiffing not of bin juice but of that scent not unfamiliar to a trainee in Ikea.

    They extract the wheat from the chav of life and turn it (or at the least some manage it) into a smile.

    *other writing occupations are available


    *stretches, yawns, goes back to sleep*


  • toothlighttoothlight
    In my opinion I believe David Walliams does write his own books: he has proved his writing talent in his sketches. I was VERY surprised to learn the late Ronnie Barker wrote 'Open All Hours,' most of 'Porridge,' and the numerous sketches he did with Ronnie Corbet (the one I always remember being 'Fork 'Andles.') He never told folks, and never insisted in being credited either:a man who has (should say 'had') my highest respect. I trust this post finally lays to rest the charge that I am jealous of successful REAL writers!
  • LizLiz
    David Walliams writes his own books, yes, he does. He has won several prizes, and been shortlisted for the The Red House Children's Book Award 2012.
  • DeneBebboDeneBebbo
    I guess the Lampard thing is just like novels "by" Katie Price, or perfume or aftershave named from someone famous. It's just celebrity branding, and the person whose name is hung on it may not have had much involvement in the product.
  • toothlighttoothlight
    Indeed, but the difference between fraudster Lampard and Katie Price is she admits her ghost writer and think I'm correct is saying the front cover says something like 'in collaboration with...'
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