We are still smarting from the demise of Jade Goody, a “national treasure” who was lovingly called “the princess of
During her stint in the show, she became a favourite of the viewing public and lasted relatively long in the Big Brother house although she did not go on to win. However, what she did go on to do was to become the darling of the media with her own reality shows and perfume lines. Eventually, she returned to the source of her fame, perhaps to bolster her status as a celebrity in the aptly titled “celebrity Big Brother” 2007 edition. Her stint in the same house which catapulted her to fame was to bring her nothing but trouble this time around. After a series of vicious shouting matches and racially suggestive comments between herself and fellow housemate Indian actress Shilpa Shetty, she was evicted from the house and Channel 4 received complaints in the multiples of tens of thousands.
Following this incident, Jade’s image went on a downwards spiral, her autobiography and perfume were taken down from stores and some companies withdrew their advertisements from running during Big Brother as they wanted to publicly show they were not in support of the alleged racism on the show.
The love the public had for her was suddenly transformed into contempt and that lasted till 2008 when she went to
Another reality show began, where she was followed through her last few months on earth, showing her battle with cancer, her wedding to her on-off partner (which was broadcast to the public) and a few weeks later, she passed away, once again the darling of the British media, to be buried in a ceremony which will be televised.
Jade Goody is the perfect example of a star in the true sense of the word and what it means to be a star in today’s world. She had no notable talent; she was loved for being a “regular girl”, someone with a likeable character (at times). She represented a true British or more specifically,
Ohhh, don't get me started on Jade Goody! I find it ridiculous that she became a 'star' in the first place, proposterous that she was allowed to appear on TV promoting racist, bigoted values, and utterly unbelievable that after her (very sad and unfortunate) death, she was called a 'saint'. Insane. She was no saint. She was a stupid, racist bigot. Sure, she's dead. Sure, it's very sad when people die young. But they do die young, and for those of us who lost young friends around the same time as she died, it seemed somehow horrendously unfair that Jade was paraded as some kind of saintly figure when good young people who live loving and caring lives die quietly all the time without anyone noticing.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the whole saint thing...apparently, they are trying to get approval for a statue of her in Bermondsey or wherever....not sure if this is true but I guess I hope it is.
ReplyDeleteAt least her kids might have something to remember her by, maybe talk to it and bond with it as well...as they probably didn't get too much of a chance to do that during her last couple of months on earth.
Oh...maybe I shouldn't say that actually, they will after all attend private schools and have a lot of money put away for them. Guess that means it was all worth it....or was it?
I find my self asking why on earth certain people are famous like Kim K and Paris Hilton, we can only blame ourselves because we create these celebs by giving them the attention that they so blatantly seek!... at the end of the day are they wrong for establishing their selves as celebrities through whatever means the choose (sex tapes) afterall thats what makes them happy who are we to judge?? We ave no one to balme but ourselves
ReplyDeleteJade first came into the Public Eye via a platform that may not be respected (even though the Public continue to watch it!). She ran around naked in the house, was said to have had sex IN the house - She seemed to be vile. However, that was going by OUR values and she acted as she had always done probably fuelled by the fact she was locked in a house with twelve, hormones rising and attention seeking. Q : What do we say about Ignorant people who act solely based on what they know?
ReplyDeleteA : It's just not good enough. That's not a reason to act a fool.
Here is where Jade Goody becomes a star. She didn't make it her reason. Instead, she made herself! She transformed herself into a different person and picked up responsibilites on her own accord along the way, determined her young boys would not have the same life that she had. She didn't have to! She could have been a crackhead like her mother AND father ! She returned to the screens on CELEBRITY Big Brother this time and made an awful awful mistake! She said something that was wrong and politically incorrect but she didn't just crawl into a hole afterwards. She got hate mail (understandably so) and all sorts of death threats. Yet, she didn't pull a Kerry Katona ! I was personally rather irritated by the Public's reaction towards the Big Brother situation because as diverse a nation as the United Kingdom is - they are NOT ! They saw a scape goat and everyone seemed to jump on the band wagon. This is a personal opinion ofcourse! Jade continued to reform herself after that and didn't take her clothes off to make her money, instead she went out the way she had come in - but on a higher scale. She made reality TV shows based on a passion of hers (hairdressing), and wrote books. It may seem like I'm a FAN - Not so much, but I believe she earned the respect she got - and not just because she died a 27-year old mum of two who had had a roller coaster of a life in the public eye and out of it too. She made her mistakes and she wasn't let off for them, but she WAS given another chance. She proved herself till the end. RIP Jade