Film, Media & TV1 min ago
Savile
44 Answers
Tonight's Louis Theroux prog as strange as its subject, Jimmy Savile. Of course I don't condone what Savile is alleged to have done, but that's all there have been...allegations. He never stood trial for anything in his lifetime, and nothing in this programme proved anything either. What do you think?
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The "grope" footage referred to by hereiam was much hyped in the press, but watching it in this programme nothing appears to happen except Savile had his arms round mum and daughter and draws them closer to him. One of many attempts by Theroux in this prog to portray Savile as perry when all he came across as in clips was a bit touchy freely and seedy
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anneasquith - //And that was the power of the man, no one would have been believed he was capable, //
That is an absolutely essential point to bear in mind when talking about Jimmy Savile.
We all have 20-20 hindsight which inevitably colours our views, but if anyone had tried to deal with this at the time, they would have found it seriously hard given the twin issues of Savile's monumental celebrity and popularity, combined with his own steely tenacity in protecting himself from any harm to his persona or career.
Dave Lee Travis summed it up by saying that he had known and worked with Savile for decades, and ever got anywhere near to a straight answer to the most innocuous personal question, always being diverted with a stream of 'Now then now then lordy, good heavens uhhuhuhuhuhuh....' nonsense which killed the moment.
That is an absolutely essential point to bear in mind when talking about Jimmy Savile.
We all have 20-20 hindsight which inevitably colours our views, but if anyone had tried to deal with this at the time, they would have found it seriously hard given the twin issues of Savile's monumental celebrity and popularity, combined with his own steely tenacity in protecting himself from any harm to his persona or career.
Dave Lee Travis summed it up by saying that he had known and worked with Savile for decades, and ever got anywhere near to a straight answer to the most innocuous personal question, always being diverted with a stream of 'Now then now then lordy, good heavens uhhuhuhuhuhuh....' nonsense which killed the moment.
The documentary is fascainting on many levels.
There is his ex P.A. who simply does not want to believe that Savile was an evil man.
There is the Stoke Mandeville lady who wants to remember his fund-raising, not what may have gone on while he was there working.
And there is Savile himself, relishing his ability to hide in plain sight - realising that his celebrity and power or personality has made hum untouchable, and then exploiting it totally.
I would suggest that he was a sociopath - unconnected to, and therefore immune to the feelings and responses of other human beings. It would explain almost all his behaviours - the compete self-centeredness and desire to manipulate and control everything and everyone in his orbit.
It is a stark lesson about the adoration of celebrity.
People who are already prone to appalling attitudes and behaviours, simply magnify and expand them when given the power to do so by fame and adoration, be they footballers, pop stars, film stars, politicians, and of course, TV presenters.
If we learn nothing else from Savile, let's put the brakes on our unconditional adoration of celebrities, and our willingness to overlook their unsavoury behaviour because we think it is simply what they do.
There is his ex P.A. who simply does not want to believe that Savile was an evil man.
There is the Stoke Mandeville lady who wants to remember his fund-raising, not what may have gone on while he was there working.
And there is Savile himself, relishing his ability to hide in plain sight - realising that his celebrity and power or personality has made hum untouchable, and then exploiting it totally.
I would suggest that he was a sociopath - unconnected to, and therefore immune to the feelings and responses of other human beings. It would explain almost all his behaviours - the compete self-centeredness and desire to manipulate and control everything and everyone in his orbit.
It is a stark lesson about the adoration of celebrity.
People who are already prone to appalling attitudes and behaviours, simply magnify and expand them when given the power to do so by fame and adoration, be they footballers, pop stars, film stars, politicians, and of course, TV presenters.
If we learn nothing else from Savile, let's put the brakes on our unconditional adoration of celebrities, and our willingness to overlook their unsavoury behaviour because we think it is simply what they do.
ummmm - //It's not the public that should be learning from Savile. It's those in charge! He was a sexual predator who got away with it because the authorities didn't act... //
I don't think you can draw lines where celebrity adoration - and more importantly, indulgence, occurs.
The BBC were blinded by the celebrity and personality of Savile, his connections, and the massive regard in which the public held him made acting on rumours very dodgy indeed.
We all have hindsight - and the different varieties of it in this programme are part of its fascination - but hopefully we will be more aware of avoiding such dreadful situations in the future.
There is an apocryphal story that Roman generals celebrating their victories in parades had a slave walk behind them whispering variations of 'Remember you are just a man / Look behind you and remember that you too must die ...'.
Sounds like an excellent idea - no wonder the story has survived over 2,000 years!
I don't think you can draw lines where celebrity adoration - and more importantly, indulgence, occurs.
The BBC were blinded by the celebrity and personality of Savile, his connections, and the massive regard in which the public held him made acting on rumours very dodgy indeed.
We all have hindsight - and the different varieties of it in this programme are part of its fascination - but hopefully we will be more aware of avoiding such dreadful situations in the future.
There is an apocryphal story that Roman generals celebrating their victories in parades had a slave walk behind them whispering variations of 'Remember you are just a man / Look behind you and remember that you too must die ...'.
Sounds like an excellent idea - no wonder the story has survived over 2,000 years!
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How many of you realise the huge part Margret Thatcher played in making Savile 'untouchable'
http://
She insisted he had the same status as a paid director of Stoke Manderville hospital , with his own private offices .Were it not for this I am sure he would have never have been allowed to get away with what he did.
He often threatened to involve Thatcher when anyone got near finding out what was going on.
http://
She insisted he had the same status as a paid director of Stoke Manderville hospital , with his own private offices .Were it not for this I am sure he would have never have been allowed to get away with what he did.
He often threatened to involve Thatcher when anyone got near finding out what was going on.
EDDIE51 - //How many of you realise the huge part Margret Thatcher played in making Savile 'untouchable'
http://
She insisted he had the same status as a paid director of Stoke Manderville hospital , with his own private offices .Were it not for this I am sure he would have never have been allowed to get away with what he did.
He often threatened to involve Thatcher when anyone got near finding out what was going on. //
I think a lot of people are aware of Savile's connections in high places, including Buckingham Palace.
But again - hindsight is a wonderful thing, and if all you see of Savile is his fundraising, then it's easy to assume that that is all there is.
http://
She insisted he had the same status as a paid director of Stoke Manderville hospital , with his own private offices .Were it not for this I am sure he would have never have been allowed to get away with what he did.
He often threatened to involve Thatcher when anyone got near finding out what was going on. //
I think a lot of people are aware of Savile's connections in high places, including Buckingham Palace.
But again - hindsight is a wonderful thing, and if all you see of Savile is his fundraising, then it's easy to assume that that is all there is.
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