Ever since Alan Sugar was bunged a Knighthood by his fellow New Labour cronies, he's been going around insisting everyone call him "SIR" Alan.

Does anybody agree with me that its kind of tacky to force people to address you as "SIR" rather than simply by your name? Michael Parkinson today received his Knighthood and he said he would only use his "SIR" in exceptional circumstances. To me, this is a much more dignified way of going about things.

I have a feeling those people that insist on being addressed as "SIR" when they are given Knighthoods are deeply insecure individuals. Sir Alan really needs to lighten up and accept his Knighthood for what it is; A load of outdated nonsense. Sure, its a nice acolade and its a recognition of achievement, but it doesn't mean anything in the end. It certainly doesn't elevate him to a better position than everybody else, as I suspect he thinks it does.

One question though. Do you think Mrs (or should that be Lady?) Sugar has to address her husband as Sir Alan when she brings him his morning cup of coffee?

In his defence, I've noticed that Nick has sometimes called him Alan, so I'm sure he doesn't insist that family and friends call him SAS.
Last edited by *Laura* : 05-06-2008 at 01:06

Sir Alan is a man of many contradictions - his inverted snobbery yet insistence of being called 'sir', being one.

After watching this series, I think he's a bit of a pillock. In fact, isn't he more of a failed businessman, rather than a success? (relatively speaking that is)...wasn't his Amstrad business worth over a billion in 80s, but he ended up flogging it for millions?

Knighted in 2000, donated money to Labour in 2001 (hmmm).

I don't know what happened to his buisness, but I had an Amstrad VCR in the 80's and a bigger pile of cr*p you would never find!

Is it really true that he insists on being called 'Sir' Alan???

I wouldn't instantly distrust someone just because they make this stipulation - however, I do find it rather odd. It's surely a sign of arrogance or conceit of some kind, and I say this not as a dig at Sir Alan, but simply because were I to be knighted I would be too embarrased to insist on people using the 'Sir' (although to be honest, it isn't something that would even cross my mind in the first place!).

I suspect Sir Alan does have a touch of arrogance about him - I recall in an earlier episode, when the candidates were having some kind of do in a department store, SA arrived and was milling around, and someone had the effrontery to walk up to him and say Hello - SA looked at him like he had just farted very loudly, and turned away from the peasant in question very slowly, with squinted eyes! I found this episode rather amusing, and obviously quite strange.

However I suppose he has every right to have a bit of arrogance and conceit about him, considering where he started in life and what he has done since then - building successful companies and earning hundreds of millions of pounds etc.

Maybe if I had done what he has done I would feel I had earned the right to be addressed as Sir; until then you can all keep calling me 'your greatness', as usual

I think its the BBC who makes the "sir" so important!!

If I ever meet him I might just call him Al.

arent you naughty

He's just role-playing. I doubt the " real " Alan Sugar is anything like the one portrayed in the Apprentice.

Allegedly, actor Ben Kingsley insists on being called Sir Ben.

When he was on the Jonathon Ross show - he insisted JR drop the Sir.

None of his interviewing colleagues called him Sir Alan

Yeah, I've haerd that. It must be a hang up all socialists have

Why don't you pop over to the Amstrad thread?

I recall Surallun talking about this. Even before his knighthood he couldn't stand people being 'matey' with him when he didn't know them - so if this show had been made in the '90s it would be "Mr. Sugar" and not "Alan".
I suppose he inists on "Sir" now as to continue to insist on being "Mr." could be seen as an insult to the Queen who bestowed the honour on him?

I suppose it depends on whether you are use to addressing your boss by their first name or not I would have no problem calling SAS Sir Alan same as where I'm employed all the bosses are called Mr Smith, Mrs Smith or Miss Smith

I know he seems like a sweetie when he appears in interviews with Jonathan Ross, but I've heard he's quite the bastard when the camera's off and he's outside the television environment...

lol. I remember before the series started there was an article in the Guardian about the show, starting by mentioning how SAS gave his wife of forty years a birthday card recently and signed it,

"from Alan Sugar"

It's silly the way they all the contestants say "Sir Alan" in unison every time he asks a question. I wonder how many "takes" they have to do to get it just right.

Its a brand thing! The man has been very clever about it.

And if you want to look up the ettiquette then its entirely appropriate. They should either call him "Sir Alan" or "Sugar"

"Sir" Alan is like Lee - he has an inferiority complex. That's why he fires the capable but posh (Raef, Lucinda) and prefers to invest in dimwits and arse-lickers who make him feel better.

Too true - a close relative of mine was a receptionist in that Big Brown Building in Brentwood back in the 80's, back when Amstrad was small and shared the premises with a paint company. Anyway, she was continually surprised by the staff turnover, the number of people who were given a bollocking and WERE (NOT GOT!!!) fired/quit each week. Management With Menaces...

This reminds me of an anecdote I've read about a distinguished, knighted actor - he's very famous, but I've still managed to forget his name! Posters advertising his shows had been put up, with the cast listed, headed by 'Sir' Wotever-iz-name-woz. Apparently he saw that some wag had scribbled a derogatory message next to his name saying that the actor had forgotten his roots and got too big for his boots after acquiring a title. The actor was upset enough by this to promptly write to the broadsheets, explaining that he didn't expect people to address him as Sir, that he found people who did so rather prepretentious, and that (obviously) the posters weren't his personal creation.

I admire his attitude.

That said, if Sir Alan or anyone else with a title wants to use it, that's their affair of course!

there are two other people who insist on being called 'Sir' - Ben Kingsley and Michael Winner

which says it all really

You know when they chorus "good morning Sir Alan!" Does that take anyone else right back to morning assembly at primary school?

"Good morning, Miss Whatsyername, good morning everyone".

Sir Alan Sugar just has a classic case of SHORT MAN SYNDROME.

Money can't buy you height