Morgan Freeman Actor
I’ve spent hours captivated by his storytelling and reminded of the beauty and fragility of the world we share. David Attenborough is one of my favourite narrators, bringing the wonders of our planet to life in a way that’s both inspiring and unforgettable.
Michael Palin Presenter, comedian
When Monty Python first aired, the BBC put it on late, hoping no one would notice. At a BBC event, the only one who’d talk to us was David Attenborough, then director of programmes, who told us the more they tried to stop it being seen, the greater would be our cult following. He was right. Years later, David, now the most respected man in television, was to receive an award at the Canadian embassy. He strolled in alone, unnoticed. I told him I admired him for arriving with so little fuss. Almost apologetically, he said, “Oh, I came here yesterday as well. It was the wrong night.”
Margaret Atwood Author
I was living in Edinburgh when David Attenborough’s first series launched. Nobody was to be seen on the streets on those nights. They were all home watching – a look at nature as they had never seen it before.
He turns 99 on May 8th.
I’m not sure why people are already saying it’s his birthday… that feels too much like tempting fate to me.
Seriously, remember Betty White? Articles about her 100th birthday were already written when she died 17 days short of it.
Writing in advance is one thing. The tech industry does that all the time and then sit and wait for the embargoes to expire.
But publishing or even distributing in advance seems like something the entire industry would have already agreed is a big no-no. You’re inviting embarrassment.
Like Newsweek’s “Madam President” issue.
I’m thinking specifically of People magazine. With paper magazines, the time to print and distribute come into play. If they had waited until after, the article wouldn’t have hit store shelves until late mid February, after it was most relevant.