DIARY: HOTCAKES

With the pugilistic phenomenon Fight Club about to debut on the

silver screen, bare-knuckle boxing looks set to become the new black

(and blue). It’s a shame, then, that a well-known tabloid newspaper has

banned us from telling you that one of its sales executives once made a

living belting the daylights out of all-comers in dodgy pubs.

Apparently, it’s not the image the paper wants to project. One thing’s

for sure - Hotcakes isn’t going to pick a bun fight about it.

Winner of the ’dodgy press release of the week’ award goes to the crew

at jewish.co.uk. The PR department issued a release this week stating

that the death of former UK chief rabbi, Immanuel Jakbovitz, had

increased traffic to the site.

Fortunately, however, the site has ’shown a mark of respect’ by not

having a message board for those who wish to express their feelings

about the late Lord. Stranger and stranger.

Hotcakes recently observed a strange new trend among Underground

passengers - Metro rage. It was just after lunchtime and copies of the

freesheet were in short supply at Victoria. As a District Line train

pulled in, a lone Metro could be seen on an empty seat. As the doors

opened, two customers made a dash for the paper. The bulkier of the two

men was victorious, allowing himself a smug smile of satisfaction as he

turned to the sports section.

Cue lines about unfurling hoses and spurting nozzles. Company magazine

recently got into bed - if not literally, it was not for want of trying

- with a bunch of hunky firefighters, to promote the magazine. Apart

from producing a very fetching (ie tacky) calendar of the chaps in their

kecks, they also sent the firefighters to do a tour of the agencies.

Can’t imagine all those laddish buyers getting excited, but they can

come and point their hoses at smouldering Hotcakes anytime.