‘I found myself getting bored by the third episode’

Docu-drama: Rich, self-entitled people behaving badly in White Lotus 3: Montecito. Picture: Netflix

Welcome to the column where you provide the content. As Prince Harry and Meghan’s multi-million dollar Netflix documentary shockingly exploded like a tsunami of sound and fury onto our screens, planet earth was subsumed in a great chorus of yawns. Susan S made it through the first two episodes:

“After watching the documentary last night I came away with a few thoughts about Meghan and Harry: they do appear to actually be in love, Meghan was ‘on the hunt’ for a successful, high profile man and I am now sure she went after Harry; which is not unusual for a confident woman with the right social contacts. I am now thinking the bullying charges are probably true but taken in context, are more of an overconfident young woman who was, from childhood, used to speaking out and having things her own way - a brash, pushy American type persona which comes across as bullying. A Trump-type personality.

“I think the race card has been overplayed because she was accepted at first by the British people with open arms. The wedding was huge, expensive, and she had total control over how it rolled out. Charles walked her down the isle after a rift between Meghan and her father (who is pictured quite a bit in these first episodes because they obviously had a close relationship). I can only think that even if he was a good, generous and doting father she believes he betrayed her so to be in control of this aspect of her life, she cast him aside without forgiveness.

“She is a complex woman and it’s not hard to see that she also ‘has full control’ over Harry. He sometimes looks like a deer in the headlights when he watches her talking on camera and she reassures him she knows what she is doing by taking his hand frequently. I think this first half of the documentary takes aim mostly at the British press with a couple of digs at his family, about the other men marrying for duty rather than for love and that the RF didn’t provide sufficient security for Meghan because they didn’t realise her ‘race’ attracted more personal intrusion by the press, into her life.

“It will be interesting to see what the second half portrays. I found myself getting bored by the third episode and scrolled through some scenes, it’s not a series that I would watch again.”

Phillip frothed:

“Damn it Susan, you have written such a compelling summary I read it, all. Now let’s stop it, you have lead me deeper into this tale than I ever wanted to venture. You made a lovely point of comparison with Meghan (is that how you spell her name?) and Trump, perhaps explaining why Trump allegedly said to be wary of that woman. He may have recognised himself in her.”

Ken confessed:

“I had to take a lot of breaks while watching the first 3 episodes. A lot of it was dull, and these two contradict themselves a lot. Very one-sided ‘experts’ banging on about Britain’s colonial past and how racist Britain is. So far that seems to be the main message. If Britain is so racist, it makes no sense that people from all over the world have flocked to live there.”

Mayhem got the message:

“Harry’s message is definitely about racism. We are in denial if we deny the message – it was the reason Lady Susan Hussey’s remarks forced her to relinquish her position in the Royal Household.”

AGGF* said:

“ ‘Harry also says there is a ‘huge level of unconscious bias’ in the royal family..’ It’s good to know there are some humans on this planet who aren’t afflicted with that terrible human condition known as a ‘huge level of unconscious bias’. For example, Harry and Meghan.”

GPH56 said:

“The last time an American divorcee got involved with the British Royal Family it didn’t end well either, one senses a pattern here. On the matter of actresses marrying princes. One Grace Kelly made a pretty good fist of it with her Prince. But then she was a class act. It has been my experience in life that with very few exceptions, people tend to marry and are happiest with those who are more like themselves. That doesn’t mean it had to always be that way. “More to the point, unlike most walks of life, marrying into a Royal household has many challenges, Harry knew and still knows this. To ‘rush in’ to this relationship like he did was grossly unfair to Meghan. Harry knew what the pressures are and were. He has had a lifetime of training and experience, he knew that being royal was being a person of service.

“Meghan did not and from where I sit, still does not have the vaguest notion of what selfless devotion to duty means. This is a sad and tawdry affair and Harry carries the bulk of the blame. I am deeply sceptical about his motives, if wanting to withdraw and be private was his goal, he has a funny way of showing it.”

Neville smelled a rat:

“Given the extent of all the pictures of Harry & Meghan it is apparent that their has been a concerted effort to document every aspect of their relationship, much of which was no doubt posed and in some cases required practice. Bearing in mind that even supposedly intimate times were accompanied by a film crew or at least one photographer up close. Hard to view this as anything but a self indulgent Hollywood style movie.”

Suzanne wondered:

“What I don’t understand is, having trashed their royal relatives M and H will have ruined the only thing they have to sell – their ‘royal’ connection. How then to support their opulent lifestyle?”

Best seat in the house: Meghan got used to thrones at a young age. Picture: Netflix

Geoff agreed:

“I was thinking the same thing. What will they do for a second act? It’s not as if the Royal Family are going to let them in on any family secrets any time soon is it? And there are already enough competent royal commentators around, most of whom don’t have an agenda like this pair. Dicky Arbiter is one of my favourites.”

Mike of Mollymook was confused:

“Don’t want media in their lives but get $100m from Netflix to get media in their lives …. hmmm.”

John knew where the action was:

“I didn’t read the article; just went straight to the comments.”

Ellie was blunt:

“Delusions of grandeur writ large, and a very unhealthy sense of entitlement.”

Clifford was waiting for the sequel:

“Maybe Netflix should sign up the Royal family to do their own series on the ‘Sussex’s’ plan to destroy the Monarch, once King Charles, (Prince at the time) closed up the purse strings to this pair who didn’t want the job of working as a royal, wanted to escape the media glare, (unless it was on their terms) but wanted to be free to exploit the benefits of being in the royals, to make their millions. A right of reply seems only fair.”

Leon M was team Sussex:

“Harry and Meghan did the right thing. Why should they be harassed by media and media have no respect for them? They are right to take control and they choose the media and get paid for it too and do the media in the comfort of their home and chosen time.

“Till now paparazzi thought they owned the royals’ lives and look where it ended up Diana and nobody can claim more the hurt the son feels.”

Todd was up for the challenge:

“Watching the 3 episodes tonight. Producers of Netflix are good and can angle the story line to the American market especially on the race card and skewing the facts. It is a Hollywood story really to be fair.”

Quoth Anton:

“ ‘The vulgar mistake of dreaming you are being persecuted when you are merely being contradicted’. Emerson.”

Ken said:

“I can’t believe Netflix paid them so much money for this. I recommend ‘Wednesday’, another series on Netflix (directed by Tim Burton). So much more entertaining and it doesn’t pretend to be factual!”

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Albonomics: Calculating the coal price cap was a gas. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Household rebates will be paid to families struggling with power bills while they wait for the supposed benefits of the PM’s coal price cap to kick in. Amela was unimpressed:

“Dumb and dumber! You couldn’t make this up. As somebody who lives in the regions my fervent wish is that the entire eastern seaboard collapses and that city dwellers are without power and gas for months. I’m so over stupid people who vote for climate policies without being aware of the consequences of such policies. I have a backup generator and can comfortably live without power and gas. Bring on the breakdowns and the blackouts. No power, no gas, frequently no water and most importantly no money – because the jobs are gone!”

Richard raged:

“First governments create the problem by creating a system that makes coal- and gas-fired generation unprofitable, then they use our money to accelerate their decline. Just so we can make ourselves 100pc reliant on the weather, and Chinese-manufactured capture and storage devices, to switch our lights on, cook and cool/heat our homes.”

Jeffrey’s summary:

“Kicking the can down the road.”

A dud, said David:

“In WA we get a $400 annual rebate on our power bills. NSW and Queensland are getting dudded.”

Chris was concerned:

“Putting a price cap on any commodity is economic stupidity. Next we’ll have a price cap on bananas, or carrots, or ... Rather, we should have a ‘price cap’ on government expenditure, because Australia doesn’t have that lovely Magic Pudding which Labor keeps imagining will support its funding of renewables.”

David Lind said:

“Just like the German plan which is reliant on 4 x current pumped hydro output and hydrogen power which remains uneconomical even in todays high price market. Germany forecasting total transition costs well over $1 trillion but they don’t really know.”

Mr Brightside said:

“The absurd thing is, most of the electricity generators are paying less than the $125 cap for their coal currently anyway. Sure, the thermal coal spot price is around $400 tonne. But thats a very recent phenomenon.

“For the past 10 years, up until the start of this year, the average coal price had been around $75 tonne, fluctuating between 50 and 120. Generators buy coal on long term contracts (for certainty reasons) are are locked in at prices within the 75-125 range already. So its not coal prices that have forced energy costs up. It’s the massive investment many of the generators have had to spend on renewables, and shock horror, they want a return on that investment and to cover the costs, along with the fact their has been less demand for the coal powered energy during the day, meaning those generators have to make their revenue over shorter periods.

Little if anything to do with spot market coal prices.”

Simons said:

“What a shambles Albo’s energy policy has become. Bowen, Greens and Teals want to ban coal and gas but Albo wants to reduce the price of coal and gas thus making it more attractive – can it be any more silly?”

Meredith did the math:

“If the energy package provides help for low income earners I look forward to reaping the benefits as earlier this week the same govt described those on $150k as struggling. If $150k is your benchmark many of us will be in the frame for energy assistance.”

No flies on David:

“There’s that $275 (up to $280) election promise being ‘honoured’. What a joke! We will be funding our own rebate. This is so cynical. It’s all about being able to stand up in parliament and spruiking that you have done something to reduce energy prices when the reality is that Labor’s own renewable energy policies have caused this catastrophe in the first place. A farcical and dishonest means of treating the electors with contempt.”

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Clone arranger: Put on some Barry White and get down to some serious cell division.

Sex is the root of all evil and has become even more fraught since it ceased to be binary, wrote Phillip Adams. In these debauched days of same-sex marriage and gender fluidity, no one knows whether they’re coming or going, and we would all be much better off when we can simply clone ourselves. Des declared:

“I guess when you get old, when the desire or capability fades and/or fails, you can speak about the futility of it all. Along with many other endeavours. That’s fine, but to think of trying to alter that natural magnetic attraction that occurs between humans, the change goes deep, ultimately removing love, a concept that Alduos Huxley explored in his masterpiece ‘Brave New World’, which ultimately found that to do so requires dehumanising humans. Maybe that’s what the lefties’ ultimate objective is?”

Patrick took a cold shower:

“By the time this generation complete their 3 years of consent training, and in the heat of the moment complete the appropriate forms in triplicate or download the app, then find out their potential partner doesn’t have the kit down below they thought due to mistaken pronouns, nature will have to find another way …”

Sky Pilot said:

“Your theology leaves much to be desired. Sex is a God-given blessing to the human race as long as it takes place in a man/woman marriage. It has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people.”

Michael replied:

“And it’s given just as much if not more joy outside the bonds of man/woman marriage, be they man/woman, man/man or women/woman. Of course, these days there are many more combinations who can enjoy love and sex. As an atheist, I don’t have worry about whether God is happy watching me have sex or not with my wife of over 37 years.”

Joe43 pointed out:

“In another article somewhere it says that in approx 10 million years the Y chromosome will be extinct and human female eggs will have learned how to fertilise themselves. Sex will be ex. Maybe males too.”

Neil was disappointed:

“Anticipation beats the result.”

Murray was happy:

“A chronic illness and the necessary medication to control it have robbed me of any desire for sex. Far from being dismayed, I find it a blessing to have that monkey off my back.”

Sandalwood said:

“Tony Curtis, in old age, after a lifetime of sex with beautiful women said that he was glad to get the monkey off his back. As I slip into my late 70s, I now appreciate what he meant. It’s going and almost gone, not coming!”

Last word to Gobibuz:

“I disagree Sandalwood. I’m in my mid seventies and I would go to the Beatles song line ... ‘Got to admit it’s getting better, better all the time.’”

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