Jade Goody was “barely educated, ignorant and puerile” and represented “all that is paltry and wretched about Britain today.”
So say former chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson, 74, of the reality TV star who died from cervical cancer recently.
What’s more, says, Parky, she was no certainly no Princess Di, referring to Di-like scenes at her funeral last weekend.
The latter at least is indisputable.
Parky, who was often accused of being the blandest of interviewers on his Saturday night chat show for the BBC and then ITV, has acquired a sharper tongue since ITV declined to renew his contract.
His real beef, one suspects, is with a changing TV establishment that prefers the likes of Jonathan Ross to him.
But Wossy’s nearly 50, maybe he’ll be pensioned off a couple of decades before Parky was.
4 Comments
jade goody was a down to earth girl who by no fault of her own was born on the other side of the tracks but she crossed that hurdle and managed to the other side who the hell are you parky who do you think you are its the public like jane goody and us that got you where you are today my dont we have a short memory just you remember what goes around comes around you could still come down with a bump you arigant twit i hate you now
Well said Parky …..at last some sense
Totally agree with Parky. My mother died of cancer when we were young, but she did not suffer in public to prevent upsetting family and friends. People like her are “brave”. I have been very uncomfortable with this Jade Goody show, as Max Clifford has used his power in the press to hijack and exploit cancer to make money. OK, she made money for her kids (but they already had millions) and ignorant people are following up smear letters (for a while), but it just went on for too long and became vulgar. And then all this weird adoration just because she is dying. The problem is you cant just blame Max Clifford and Jade for manipulating us. The public, whether they are fans or critics, have BOUGHT INTO Jade. There are people who are obsessed about defending her or criticising her on blogs. That gives attention and money to these type of manipulative people. Max Clifford KNOWS that and he would be jobless if his rubbish was not in demand. He and Jade did not CARE if you like or hate them - its about MONEY. This is why I was unhappy about this. Those people who are directly addressing Jade in blogs as if THEY KNOW HER … I just dont know what this country is coming to.
Jade Goody’s ‘ignorance’ was something she readily held her hands up to, but had little or no control over. She was though more naive and ill-educated than ignorant in my view.
But what excuse does Parkinson for issuing this disrespectful attack on a young woman who in life made the very best of what she had, and in her final months demonstrated great dignity and fortitude?
No, of course Jade was not a Diana figure, but there are millions who have been genuinely touched by her life and have shared in the tragedy of the way her final months have played out.
I’m disgusted that many public figures have repeatedly taken every opportunity to attack Jade - based on their own ignorant impression of who they believed her to be.
But there is no greater or lower insult than speaking ill of the dead - who obviously cannot defend themselves. Parkinson behaved deplorably by attacking Jade Goody. I hope we never see his wrinkled pedestrian act on screen ever again. And I used to be a huge fan.