Is it me, or does anyone else find Jimmy Savile's organisation for his own funeral just a little bit odd? The lying in state (in a Leeds hotel), the gold coffin, the three days of "mourning" and the burial of the coffin at a 45 degree angle in Scarborough ( so that he could "see" the sea), smacks to me less about of a sense of humour and more about a degree of pomposity.
It screams Showbiz without much of the show and now, not much of the Biz
Perhaps I am being somewhat unfair.
I actually met Mr Savile many years ago now (God I sound a little like Tom here), it was at Stoke Mandeville Hospital during one of the inter Unit Spinal Injury Games. He was larger than life, that was certainly true, but I did find him a slightly odd character who was somewhat full of himself.......perhaps it would be more charitable to say that I didn't warm to him...despite the fact he seemed such a benevolent character on screen and on the radio.
His funeral, to me, didn't feel quite right...it shrieked of "look at me, I am loved".....however, as I am writing this all I can think is "what the hell"...... if it gave the old guy pleasure , planning it all...what does it matter eh?
Perhaps it is me that is not being very charitable
You are not being very charitable to me, either. Jimmy Saville - even in death he is an egocentric twat.
ReplyDeleteLouis Therouxs documentary with JS showed him to be all of those things mentioned....horrible little man, with an ego the size of Russia.....
ReplyDeleteIn many ways John I think he was quite a sad character. He never seemed to have any real friends - only show biz ones. I suppose the one thing in his favour is that he really did raise a lot of money for charity and raised the profile of several charities on the way.
ReplyDeleteBizarre to me, too. But I've read that his family/friends (the funeral organizers) created this trying to guess what he would have wanted (that he didn't set this up in advance). Either way... Glad he raised money for charity. Odd way to exit.
ReplyDeleteHe was definitely an eccentric of sorts, but at least he did a lot to improve the lives of other people, not just his own. I haven't seen any reports about his funeral myself but the showy flamboyance and indulgence doesn't surprise me. He was no shrinking violet.
ReplyDeleteall I remember of Jimmy was Top of the Pops and a very bad haircut.
ReplyDeleteWell if he died with the thought of being buried at 45 degrees so he could see the sea, more madness to him.He did raise a lot of money for charity so fair enough. A sad and lonely man perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI also met Sir Jimmy Savile. Of course he was "odd". He would have said that himself. What we should all remember is the Herculean efforts - often quiet and unseen - that he made on behalf of those in need. I doubt that there any other showbiz characters who have ever done as much for charity as Sir Jimmy Savile. In that sense he set a marvellous example to us all. Lying in state at the Queen's Hotel in Leeds was madcap Sir Jimmy all over. He was a one off, a true Yorkshireman like Brian Clough, J.B. Priestley, Geoff Boycott, Henry Moore, David Hockney etc.. Sir Jimmy proved that you can be yourself. You don't have to play the game by other people's rules or give a flying fig what they might think of you. Rest in Peace Sir Jimmy.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that he did plan it, I don't think any of his friends or family would have anticipated his very particular wishes.
ReplyDeleteI've got my send-off planned, although I'm not popping off just yet, hopefully. I don't know why it matters, as I won't be there, but my mind is at rest knowing my folks will do it the way I wanted. I intend to lie in a recycled cardboard coffin, which my family will decorate with photos and stuff and my guests can sign with felt tip pens.
Barmy? yeh probably :-D
Yes we all know about his charity work. He wasn't alone in what he did lots of others do the same with far less noise.
ReplyDeleteActually there was something about JS that I did not like and was unable to put my finger on and that bothered me......
I don't like funerals much. I plan on being created and scattered to the winds above my favorite place on the farm...no fuss.
ReplyDeleteDad's was simple. With a 21 gun salute, a psalm reading by a friend, a song by a neighbor and a few words by me, he was laid to rest and would have been proud with the respect and love the ceremony held.
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ReplyDeleteJimmy Savile came to open a local record shop in the 1960s and we did very well out of snipping locks off a blonde girl and selling them as genuine Jimmy hair.
ReplyDeleteI also heard Edwina Currie on the radio saying that he once asked for a meeting in the 1980s to hand over information he had on IRA attempts to infiltrate parliament with a view to bombing it. So he was a spy as well. A pity they didn't succeed though.
Yes, he was odd, but I think we knew that.
If I had his money, I'd plan a grand funeral for myself. Perhaps a pyramid on top of Kinder Scout!
Not having a clue who this character is/was, my impression would be that he was a needy fellow....to feel he required such attention even after his death! What's up with that!
ReplyDeleteHe simply fixed his own end. How's about that then boys and girls?
ReplyDeleteMy apologies for deleting,John, I made a complete hash of that!
ReplyDeleteI know that you saw my post about Jimmy, so I'm not going to say much more, other than that there are many facets to diamonds and if just one face is stared at in close up then it simply appears as a sheet of plain glass; it is only by stepping back and viewing from a distance that the other facets can be seen and the light bounces off, causing the diamond to shine. Jimmy had the sometimes hard to fathom Yorkshire psyche deeply set within him, but don't be deceived - he did care what people thought of him. X
I'm not familiar with this gentleman, but I hope the people who handled his funeral arrangements genuinely cared about him. We're all alone in the end, but it'd be nice to think one's passing means something, and leaves a tiny void behind, if only for a little while.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Scarborough. I never met the man but I heard a lot of stories.
ReplyDeleteAs a result I don't like him very much.
Well he liked his jewellery so I'm not surprised by the gold coffin, but the lying in state is a tad over the top.
ReplyDeleteStill, he did loads for charity, kept the impressionists employed, and I always enjoyed Jim'll Fix It.
Cro Magnon - hahahahaha.
I hadn't heard about his funeral but each to his own and all that.
ReplyDeleteI cracked out laughing at Cro's comment.
I now know a little more about Jimmy Saville than I did before reading your post...I was once told by someone who knew my Don that people either loved him or hated him...I loved him. Apparently Saville was a character with the same effect on others!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I always suspected he was a very objectionable man - though that was probably part of his fascination for the public, that strange mix of the camp and the commonplace.
ReplyDeleteAnd am I being pedantic when I point out that you can't see the sea once you're dead?
Well, I bet that funeral director made a pretty penny on that affair.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of the man, but seeing as you can't take it with you, I can see why he'd spend it going out.
ReplyDeleteRadio Leeds has been full of Jimmy Saville tributes over the last few days - and to be honest they all seem pretty heartfelt and genuine.
ReplyDeleteHe was a complete egomaniac sure, and a slightly odd character to say the least. However say what you will about him - he used is powers for good and not evil.
I think the thing that impressed me most is the fact that as well as volunteering as a porter in the nice media friendly St James Hospital, he did the same in the rather less media friendly Broadmore.
I chuckled when I read this ~ I think funerals sometimes can be odd or different.. This one truly was because Jimmy had no idea what was happening to him after he died.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)
Exactly, Cro!
ReplyDeleteHowever you saw him, he was genuine, and his loudness hid the privacy of the man.
Talented cyclist too.
I always think it's very self-centred of people to demand what should be done with their remains after death. If they're dead and gone, what does it matter? It's just a pain for the relatives who're supposed to go along with all the nonsense.
ReplyDeleteBurial at a 45 degree angle? Bonkers.
Agree - very odd man. And my wife has a Jim'll fix it medal, and appeared twice on the show! But that's another story and I want to stay married.
ReplyDeleteA master of self promotion...even when dead.
ReplyDeleteSP
Many people arrange their own event. You know, if you want it done right, do it yourself.
ReplyDeleteI've found that most people that plan their own don't want a lot of show and thus make sure of it by doing it themselves.
To toot your own horn seems a little weird.