Film at Eleven

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s a sensitive soul. After having been criticised earlier this month by representatives from Graz, the Austrian town where he grew up, for his decision to deny clemency to death row inmate, Tookie Williams, the Governator has decided to cut all ties with his former home town.

Schwarzenegger’s initial response to the criticism was to demand that Graz stop using his name for a sports stadium and send back a “ring of honour” bestowed on him in 1999.

The Mayor of Graz, Siegfried Nagl, tried to mollify the Governator by blaming left-wing opposition parties for stoking the row and expressing the desire to hear the phrase “I’ll be back” again in the town. Which is probably not the most desirable thing to wish for given the amount of gunfire usually associated with the phrase.

And, on the subject of guns, Schwarzenegger stuck to his and, yesterday, the town of Graz complied with his demand to have his name removed from their local football stadium, which has now reverted to its original name of Liebenau Stadium. And, today, Graz has removed Schwarzenegger’s name from their websites.

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