Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
Historian, writer, broadcaster. She/her. Latest book, FALLEN IDOLS, shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022. HISTORY’S SECRET HEROES and THE LUCAN OBSESSION on BBC Radio 4. One of the Silk Road Slippers https://www.silkroadslippers.com
Pinned
Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Fifty years ago, a possibly mistaken murder and the disappearance of a playboy aristocrat gripped the nation. My documentary The Lucan Obsession starts this lunchtime at 1.45pm on BBC Radio 4. Or you can binge all 10 eps (they’re only 15 mins each) on BBC Sounds now. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
I misunderstood this story from the headline because I strongly believe that the only meat that belongs on a pizza is pork. So I thought “good, if he puts chicken on a pizza he should go.” In fact he just wanted to sell fried chicken instead of pizza. Even weirder www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Peak pizza? Domino’s boss ousted after launching shift towards chicken
Firm says Andrew Rennie departs ‘by mutual agreement’ but it is thought he faced tensions with the board
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I misunderstood this story from the headline because I strongly believe that the only meat that belongs on a pizza is pork. So I thought “good, if he puts chicken on a pizza he should go.” In fact he just wanted to sell fried chicken instead of pizza. Even weirder www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Poorest man in the world
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Poorest man in the world
Dharmendra has died at 89. One of the handsomest men ever to grace a screen. Just look at him in Tum Haseen Main Jawan. Devastating m.youtube.com/watch?si=u9K...
Tum Haseen Main Jawan Title Song (HD) | Tum Haseen Main Jawan (1970) | Dharmendra | Hema Malini
YouTube video by Shemaroo Filmi Gaane
m.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Dharmendra has died at 89. One of the handsomest men ever to grace a screen. Just look at him in Tum Haseen Main Jawan. Devastating m.youtube.com/watch?si=u9K...
It may not have been published as ragebait but this is a terrible piece. Unbalanced and unchallenged. Who does this woman think should pay taxes if not her, on her massive unearned windfall?
I don't think this was actually deliberately published as ragebait, but the entitlement contained within is remarkable and a classic example of the sort of sentiment governments sometimes just have to face down inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...?
We were hit with a £148k inheritance tax bill when mum died at 97 - it's disgusting
Jill Lemon has labelled inheritance tax as 'cruel', 'horrible' and 'unfair'
inews.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
It may not have been published as ragebait but this is a terrible piece. Unbalanced and unchallenged. Who does this woman think should pay taxes if not her, on her massive unearned windfall?
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
100% hit rate RIP king
November 24, 2025 at 3:57 AM
100% hit rate RIP king
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I found 2024 incredibly frustrating. Because I (and lots of other people) kept explaining that the fiscal position of all parties was literally impossible but broadcast (in particular) was never willing to go that far.
The fact that in both 2019 and 2024, the winning party did so with a set of manifesto promises that could not be kept and dissolved upon contact with actual office is something that as an industry we should be much more bothered by than we are.
November 23, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I found 2024 incredibly frustrating. Because I (and lots of other people) kept explaining that the fiscal position of all parties was literally impossible but broadcast (in particular) was never willing to go that far.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Latest Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio. This was a fun one to do: assessing the difference between the reality of politics and diplomacy, and the fictions and satires. With @alexvont.bsky.social, John Everard and @quantick.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...
Stranger than fiction? - Monocle
Many politicians and diplomats serve during incidents that feel stranger than fiction. Veep writer David Quantick and former UK ambassador John...
monocle.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Latest Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio. This was a fun one to do: assessing the difference between the reality of politics and diplomacy, and the fictions and satires. With @alexvont.bsky.social, John Everard and @quantick.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...
There are plenty of links between the anti-trans “women’s rights” movement & anti-feminist conservatism. And opposing abortion is a logical conclusion for a movement that says no, you should not have agency over your own body; no, you do not know best about yourself; no, you have no choice.
No way I’m sharing Stock’s UnHerd article. But I am going to point to this bit which amply demonstrates the anti-trans=>anti-women’s rights pipeline. “Abortions should only be done for a highly restricted set of reasons. They should not be just nodded through for any reason a pregnant woman likes.”
November 22, 2025 at 10:40 AM
There are plenty of links between the anti-trans “women’s rights” movement & anti-feminist conservatism. And opposing abortion is a logical conclusion for a movement that says no, you should not have agency over your own body; no, you do not know best about yourself; no, you have no choice.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
They line up perfectly.
November 22, 2025 at 2:32 AM
They line up perfectly.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
a 34-year old DSA legislator turned mayor has MAGA's god emperor at heel like a geriatric puppy, what a world
Q: Just days ago you referred to Trump as a 'despot.' Will you retract?
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
November 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
a 34-year old DSA legislator turned mayor has MAGA's god emperor at heel like a geriatric puppy, what a world
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
donald trump endorsed zohran mamdani before chuck schumer lmao
November 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
donald trump endorsed zohran mamdani before chuck schumer lmao
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Credit to James on this one, he called it
Trump in a room with a very charismatic person results in like half a day of Trump agreeing with everything that person said, so this has the potential to be very, very funny.
Trump says he’s meeting with “communist” Mamdani at the White House on Friday
November 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Credit to James on this one, he called it
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Reporter: Are you affirming that you think the president is a fascist?
Mamdani: I've spoken about --
Trump: Just say yes, it's easier than explaining.
Mamdani: I've spoken about --
Trump: Just say yes, it's easier than explaining.
November 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reporter: Are you affirming that you think the president is a fascist?
Mamdani: I've spoken about --
Trump: Just say yes, it's easier than explaining.
Mamdani: I've spoken about --
Trump: Just say yes, it's easier than explaining.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
He’s surrounded by such wormy little losers at the White House that I think he was like wow a cool guy
November 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
He’s surrounded by such wormy little losers at the White House that I think he was like wow a cool guy
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
November 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
one thing about this is that in the wake of all of this kirk is basically forgotten. he was barely cold in the ground before his allies — before his *wife* — started scheming over what they could take for themselves. a real life parable.
New: Reuters has tallied job losses, suspensions and investigations stemming from the reaction to Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10 assassination. Its findings: More than 600 Americans have been punished, and the figure is likely to be an under-count.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 19, 2025 at 3:38 PM
one thing about this is that in the wake of all of this kirk is basically forgotten. he was barely cold in the ground before his allies — before his *wife* — started scheming over what they could take for themselves. a real life parable.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
See also Curtis Yarvin's remarks in a recent Oxford lecture:
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
November 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
See also Curtis Yarvin's remarks in a recent Oxford lecture:
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
You got wormfished by a guy who eats roadkill and looks like fucking Krang. A guy you were tasked with covering neutrally, for half a milly a year, while he ran for fucking president on an "every disabled person should die" ticket.
Well, now your career is back, and so is measles. Well done.
Well, now your career is back, and so is measles. Well done.
November 17, 2025 at 3:36 PM
You got wormfished by a guy who eats roadkill and looks like fucking Krang. A guy you were tasked with covering neutrally, for half a milly a year, while he ran for fucking president on an "every disabled person should die" ticket.
Well, now your career is back, and so is measles. Well done.
Well, now your career is back, and so is measles. Well done.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Look, if you are trailing a budget and then immediately walking it back, before trailing an asylum bill and immediately walking it back, then you are just bad at politics and policy. There are no redeeming features here.
November 17, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Look, if you are trailing a budget and then immediately walking it back, before trailing an asylum bill and immediately walking it back, then you are just bad at politics and policy. There are no redeeming features here.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I feel like the pope being an American cinephile is God finally rewarding Scorsese for a lifetime of devotion
November 17, 2025 at 4:35 AM
I feel like the pope being an American cinephile is God finally rewarding Scorsese for a lifetime of devotion
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
It's corruption only it comes from the Corruptian Mountains of Eastern Europe, otherwise it is just a sparkling gold bar.
To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar"
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:08 AM
It's corruption only it comes from the Corruptian Mountains of Eastern Europe, otherwise it is just a sparkling gold bar.