Betty's in an ugly mood!

Betty’s been in a sour & sullen mood ever since she got caught with her royal knickers down. Seems a usually discreet (meaning he doesn’t object to the idiocies of moochocracy) BBC reporter named Frank Gardner started name-dropping on an unscripted BBC radio program & blabbed about Betty’s political views. He said she was aghast that Abu Hamza, a Muslim cleric facing imminent extradition to the US, could not be arrested at his London mosque where he expresses “vehement anti-British views”. Her tolerance of free speech apparently doesn’t meet the standards of the US Bill of Rights but is in full accord with Obama’s NDAA: if you don’t like what they say, lock ‘em up! Our less-than-Frank Gardner is the BBC security correspondent reporting on “terrorism-related issues”. He breached the unwritten but respected convention (called obedience training outside of media circles) that when Betty expresses repugnant views in an interview, they are considered confidential & not to be repeated.

Mum’s the word from Buckingham after this breach of obedience protocol, but the best part of the story is the BBC’s reaction: groveling, sniveling apologies to Buckingham & Betty. Can somebody in England tell them the guillotine is gone & the Tower of London is just a tourist trap now!? The BBC director general tried to put a dignified spin on groveling but even better minds have failed to make the unseemly appear noble. There’s no news of less-than-Franky’s future assignments; actually there’s no news of his present whereabouts, so maybe BBC is right to grovel. After all, they do know those things said behind closed doors that we do not. (Photo by Peter Morrison/AP)