To be devastated about Rolf...

[GiddyStars]

So Rolf Harris joins the list of those who have been arrested as part of Operation Yewtree (I know this is old news elsewhere but I don't read the Australian press).

I am distraught. I love Rolf and have always thought that he was a genuinely sweet and kind man. In fact I have said in the past to DH (following other high profile arrests), that if it ever came out that Rolf was horrid I would be devastated. And now I am.

He maintains no wrong doing. I will be upset either way. If he is found guilty and I have been wrong all these years or if he is innocent and an old man is about to be dragged through the mud.

Anyone else feel all out of kilter on hearing this or AIBU and a silly nostalgic?

I read about it this morning and it just made me feel sick. It makes you wonder how many famous celebrities are doing the exact same these days and using their celebrity status as a cover up.

Just after Saville died , there was a chorus of "I won't ever believe this of such a wonderful man". Those voices soon trailed off to silence in the following weeks. Some even retracted their initial statements. Hindesight is a wonderful asset but now, given the things we know about how different people can be in their private life, lets just not get to uppity about what we are willing to believe.
You should have seen the man that sexually assaulted me. affable, fluffy, wouldn't hurt a fly, father of my friend and close neighbour. Turns out, no one was safe around him, given the right conditions. No one reported him as they knew they would not be believed. So he kept right on going.

"I dont feel he is likely to have done anything horrible"

Because he seemed nice on telly?

You are serious?

Mind you, we should also become a bit more savvy about the impact and manipulation of things in "celeb" situations. be a bit more careful about what we buy into or even let our kids buy into. Time to reasses the influence media.tv. and all the rest has on us and start to know our own minds.

Have not read thread but YANBU - not Rolf, not Rolf, for the love of god not Rolf....

Just to add, I do not wear or own a tinfoil hat. though they are trending for autumn/winter but none the less.

Fanjo - that's just what I meant - my own feeling on the matter. Not based on any evidence, factual or otherwise - sorry for any misunderstanding.

None of us has any idea what he is really like. I just wanted to contrast it with how I felt about JS which was very different.

This of course means nothing.

It makes me wonder how many 'lovely old Grandpas' are quaking in their boots that some 'little' misdemeanour from their past will come out now.

It's just a shame it took so long for attitudes to change.

Agree Beer and Lola, have we learnt nothing from the past year?

But to say of anyone "Oh no, he seems like a lovely man on the telly!" is silly.

It's true. It is. But i'm feeling it all the same

I think it may be because i was a child when i formed this opinion of him. Like many here. A time when i was innocent. I feel fooled somehow.

If it were someone more recently famous, in my 'adult' time, i wouldn't feel the same way about it.

Interesting.

"I dont feel he is likely to have done anything horrible"

I hope to god you never end up on jury service.

I think i need to get me one of these extra layers beer

YABU (I'm biased, I've never liked him) I knew people who worked with him many moons ago who have tales ot tell that don't corroborate the 'happily married good guy' image

I don't want to believe Rolf Harris has done anything wrong either. I didn't like Jimmy Saville that much but never in a million years did I think he was as evil as he was. It's all quite terrifying really.

There are probably people on jury service that are predisposed to believe the worst of people, perhaps because if their own life experiences. This is equally as harmful as people who have a tendency to see the best in others. That's why there's more than one person on a jury.

Rolf Harris is really weird, I've always thought that.
I never could understand his popularity. Not saying he's an abuser but slime-ball is my impression of him.

I believe it

A friend told me over 15 years ago that he was a great entertainer but by God you'd never leave your kids with him - her words.

I took it with a pinch of salt but when it all came out I thought 'Bloody hell, x was right!'

"It's all quite terrifying really"

But no, it just isn't.