ABSTRACT
A celebrity wishing to develop an image of being a hard-drinking rebel, constantly pushing the boundaries of unacceptable behaviour, would find their reputation just as badly damaged by the discovery that their downtime was spent helping out a soup kitchen on the way home from church with their family. If one’s reputation or public image, as self-controlled, remains pretty close to reality then there can be no damage; to publicise that the artist Grayson Perry often wears women’s clothes in public as his alter-ego “Claire” is to merely confirm the truth of the image Perry is happy to present in public. The publication of the book sparked headlines around the world; it was serialised in the Daily Mail and provided a field day for satirists and comedians. Absolute privilege is granted to those actually involved in public debate – in the courts, parliament, local government or public meetings.
