Thursday 11 January 2018

FIRE and FURY: Inside The Head's Office

With all 3 copies of it at Hampstead's Library currently on loan, we caught up with Michael Wolfe, author of the sensational new book Fire and Fury: Inside The Head's Office to discuss his insider's peek into the day-to-day runnings of a place that has been dogged with controversy since the Head took his office. Since the book was released, various revelatory claims in it have lead to fresh condemnation of the Head's leadership.

Trash Intern: The Head referred to you as a "complete loser", adding "he didn't even pass his English GCSE [...] I had to organize the provision of special classes!". How do you respond to this?

Wolfe: 'Your mum.'

Trash Intern: You describe the day Dr Brookman [a senior adviser to the Head] was forced out in incredible detail. How did it feel to stand there as all these events unfolded? 

Wolfe: Strange.

From the book:
"Brookman left today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure. It was a strange occasion nonetheless. Like so many times before, the Head's hand seemed to rise of its own accord. Guided by an unearthly presence. The words seemed to fall out of his mouth like pasta does onto a new white shirt: 'You're fired'. We were all expecting it, but it still came as a surprise."
Trash Intern: How did the Head react to news that planning permission for his "border wall" between Hampstead School and nearby UCS had been denied? 

Wolfe: I'll say what 100% - 100% - of people around him say: "Like. A. Child."
"Ever seen a year seven walking up the stairs? ...neither have I - they're just too short. I imagine however that they would be incredibly uncoordinated and largely oblivious to their surroundings. But in comparison to the man who has somehow found himself in charge of this sinking ship [Hampstead School], they ought to be praised as specimens of graceful coordination and sharply tuned awareness."
Trash Intern: How did you gain so much access to the Head's office?

Wolfe: With as much ease as someone might have gained access to 400 sets of personal information... 

Trash Intern: And what about the infamous excerpt from Brookman about the meeting in Jacques Tower [formerly the English Block]? How did you get him to go on record saying something like that?

Wolfe: Easy. One, the guy secretly despises the Head. He just wanted to see in a Republican and was then waiting to be sacked. He wanted to be the opposition again. Two, he didn't know he was on the record.
"The three senior leadership guys thought it was a good idea to meet with an underage minor inside Jacques Tower in the conference room on the 25th floor - with a policeman present and no parents. They didn't have any parents. Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad s***, and I happen to think it's all of that, you should have called home immediately."

Since the book has been released, the Head has branded it "defamatory", "untrue" and containing masses of "mad writings. Sad." prompting many to go out a buy a copy. He recently attempted to involve the law by calling the police to arrest the writer, but the police said there had been "no wrongdoing." 


Michael Wolfe served as head editor of ETC. before resigning to accept a lucrative book deal with the Trash. His other works include World Fury and Accidents and 'Fire in a Crowded Theatre'.


FIRE and FURY: Inside the Head's Office is out now via Hampstead Trash Books Inc.

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