David Bowie’s son has hit out at RT for quoting his late father – and produced the ‘perfect comeback’, according to Twitter users.
Duncan Jones took to the social media platform after the state-backed Russian broadcaster tweeted a story about NASA with the caption ‘Ground control to Major Tom’.
The lyric is from Bowie’s 1969 hit Space Oddity, and Mr Jones was seemingly less than impressed by the channel, formerly known as Russia Today, referencing his father’s work.
He swiftly replied, quoting the tweet and simply writing: ‘Wrong song’ alongside a Ukrainian flag and two heart emojis, as well as an image of poignant lyrics from another Bowie classic Heroes (1977).
Social media users were quick to reply to Mr Jones and brand his reply a ‘perfect comeback’ amid the Ukraine crisis.
David Bowie’s son (pictured together in 2009) has hit out at RT for quoting his late father – and produced the ‘perfect comeback’, according to Twitter users
Duncan Jones took to the social media platform after the state-backed Russian broadcaster tweeted a story about NASA with the caption ‘Ground control to Major Tom’. He swiftly replied, quoting the tweet and simply writing: ‘Wrong song’ alongside a Ukrainian flag and two heart emojis, as well as an image of poignant lyrics from another Bowie classic Heroes (above)
The lyrics tweeted by Jones on Friday were: ‘I, I can remember (I remember). Standing, by the wall (by the wall). And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)
‘And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall). And the shame, was on the other side. Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever. Then we could be Heroes, just for one day.’
Delighted by Mr Jones’ response, one person wrote: ‘Well if that isn’t the perfect comeback.’
Another said: ‘This has always been my favourite of your dad’s many brilliant songs, for very emotional, personal reasons. It has never meant more to me than it does now. #GloryToUkraine.’
A third added: ‘This tweet is the tweet of the decade’, while a fourth wrote: ‘The old man’s grinning now mate.’
Social media users were quick to reply to Mr Jones and brand his reply a ‘perfect comeback’ amid the Ukraine crisis
It comes after media regulator Ofcom yesterday began 15 investigations into the ‘due impartiality’ of RT.
The move, which increases the likelihood of RT losing its UK licence, relates to 15 editions of its hourly news show aired on Sunday.
The EU has banned the channel but Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned a similar move in the UK was likely to lead to the BBC being banned in Russia.
She added: ‘We want the Russian population to hear the truth about what Putin is doing.’
After days of speculation, Ofcom revealed it had ‘observed a significant increase’ in the number of shows on the broadcaster that ‘warrant investigation under our Broadcasting Code’.
Mr Jones (pictured in 2018) was seemingly less than impressed by the channel, formerly known as Russia Today, referencing his father’s work
It is understood the investigations mainly centre on reporting from correspondents on the ground – in places like the Donbas region of Ukraine – rather than the handling of stories by presenters in the studio.
RT, which has a number of British presenters and reporters, has reportedly referred to the invasion of Ukraine as a ‘special military operation’.
Ofcom said yesterday it was expecting ‘full-cooperation from RT’, adding that the investigations will be ‘expedited’ given the ‘severity and urgency of the current crisis’.
On Sunday, Boris Johnson said the channel had been ‘peddling’ content that was ‘doing a lot of damage to the truth’, and called for Ofcom to look at whether it was ‘infringing the rules of this country’.
Last week Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries used a letter to Ofcom to accuse RT, previously known as Russia Today, of being ‘demonstrably part of Russia’s global disinformation campaign’.
Media regulator Ofcom yesterday began 15 investigations into the ‘due impartiality’ of state-backed Russian broadcaster RT
But yesterday Miss Truss admitted any move to ban the channel here could lead to retaliation against UK broadcasters like the BBC.
She told Parliament: ‘We are looking at what can be done on RT but the reality is that if we ban RT in the United Kingdom, that is likely to lead to channels like the BBC being banned in Russia.’
The Foreign Secretary added: ‘And what we want is we want the Russian population to hear the truth about what Vladimir Putin is doing.’
Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said last night: ‘Given the serious on-going situation in Ukraine, we will be concluding our investigations into RT as a matter of urgency.’