Spice Girls 12: Geri 2 - X factor, books and giving the finger

She gave you the finger, you took her to dinner, and you made her laugh. Its time to respect
the painfully derailed second solo career of Geraldine Estelle Halliwell.

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Welcome back to Pod of the Pops.
Just like an apple, cut down the middle, she only has one matching half…….. If you don’t
know the lyrics I’m referencing then THIS podcast is going to be an EYEOPENER for you.

The second Geri Halliwell career is really a long road of threats to release an album. She hits more road bumps than Rita Ora.
Start the podcast in true Geri style….. an interview in The Guardian where she denounces
herself as a feminist: “For me, feminism is bra-burning lesbianism. It's very unglamorous...We
need to see a celebration of our femininity and softness”
Constantly comes back to her not knowing what her greatest assets are. I used to picture
her as a great speaker, politically engaging but actually – she is a monkey at a typewriter.
If you type a thousand scripts, eventually one will say SpiceWorld.

Example: I'm learning every day as a mother. I'm learning that she's like a flower
that thrives when it gets sunlight, and the sunlight is confidence, and I feel that
when I'm confident it gives her self-esteem. And that gives me motivation to go on
and be the best.……I, I, I, i…. iSpice

On 12 April 2007, it was announced that Halliwell had signed a six-book deal with Macmillan
Childrens Books. The books follow the adventures of nine-year-old Ugenia, a character based
on Halliwell,  alongside her friends Bronte, Rudy, and Trevor.
Each title feature a newsletter from Ugenia highlighting lessons she has learned, along with
quizzes, riddles and crosswords, and available in an audio book edition read by Halliwell.

Geri described it as “The rebith of girl power. Handing on the baton through a different medium.
(If she has handed on the baton it would explain the next 7 years)
There were rumours Geri had based one of the characters, Princess Posh Vattoria on her fellow
bandmate, Mrs Victoria Beckham. Another character is called David Bockham. Not the most
cunning disguise, it is. She loves an obvious dance move; she loves an obvious character name.
She appeared in early drafts but removed. 

According to the official site, the book sold more than 250,000 copies in its first 5 months, making
Halliwell 2008s most successful female celebrity childrens author.
In September 2009, Halliwell, in her role as a Goodwill Ambassador of UNFPA, visited Nepal to
help launch a national campaign to stop violence against women
In 2009, she also makes a movie cameo. In the Jason Statham action comedy, Crank: High
Voltage. It’s a sequel in which Chev Chelios must electrocute himself regularly to stay alive –
whilst a group of assassins take out hits on his life.
Geri appears in a flashback; as the role of Jason Stathams mother. (I am assuming they used
the scene from SpiceWorld where they play mothers as their inspiration). Clip. Clip.
Now – I know this is just a bit of fun BUT can we discuss, for a moment, the role Geri played
in early feminism. And the irony then, that in 2009 she would appear in a film the Guardian
accussed of “extreme misogyny and racism” and “although nothing should be off limits in
comedy” it amounts to “flashy, arrogant, emptiness”. Now, I haven’t seen

2010 had the makings of a big year for Geri. She has put wheels in motion; Scream if you
wanna go faster. We start getting a lot of “Geri is coming back to music”. This is 5 years after
her last album (2005 Passion).
March: Vocal coach Carrie Grant, famous as one half of the husband-wife team that coached
contestants on reality TV show Fame Academy is being interviewed on The Alan Titchmarsh
show (all big names) and she says Geri is working on a return to music.

We also cover:
- Her episode of Piers Morgans: Life Stories
- Fashion Spice: she releases 3 collections with Next. A beach wear collection, a red carpet ready gown collection and a very patriotic Olympics range
- Judge Spice: X factor UK and Australias got talent
- Her foray into sitcom, with Trollied and the pilot of her own show, Life Sucks.

- Her wedding to Christian Horner. With only one Spice Girl in attendance

- "Other half of me" her Australian only single with some, ummm, questionable dance moves and lyrics
- Her leaked country album, Man on the Mountain
- Presenter Spice, hosting the One Show and her own driving show: My Drive to Freedom

- George Michael charity single, Angels in chains, raising money for Childline

- BBC talent show, All Together Now. Where Geri is blostered by 99 other panelists.