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AIBU?

to hate it when famous people die

217 replies

2rebecca · 06/12/2013 21:22

OK I'm in for a flaming, but I'm in my late 40s, I lived through the ANC/apartheid/ "free Nelson Mandela"avoiding S African fruit in supermarkets/ being delighted when he was released and became an excellent president, sad when his successor was an HIV denying plonker,and the fact that S Africa is developing corruption levels like the rest of Africa and still has a huge violence problem (mainly black on black), but find the wall to wall media coverage completely OTT.
Obituaries are interesting when they are brief and concern someone whose story you don't know. When they are endless and cover someone whose story has been extensively documented it just makes me avoid the media.
It's nothing against Nelson, when the queen dies it will be even worse , and every time a media luvvie dies the media goes into overdrive.
All I needed to hear today was "Nelson Mandela has died", not everyone and their dog repeating stuff I've heard before, especially as I heard it last night anyway.
Someone famous dying is news, endless anecdotes and preprepared staements aren't news.

OP posts:

Report

NigellasTinsellyGuest · 06/12/2013 21:50

I'm dreading it when Her Majesty goes....

stephenisjustcoming · 06/12/2013 21:51

I don't mind the obits so much as the endless po-faced 'personal memories' of celebrities who once bought a Free Nelson Mandela t-shirt and called their cat Madiba as a mark of respect for the worldszzzzzzz.

History-making elder statesman dies. Sad but inevitable news, and his achievements should be duly documented for those who don't know. But his legacy is not enhanced by days and days of hearing how much Gary Linekar is going to miss such a great guy.

I blame Twitter

Mintyy · 06/12/2013 21:55

I almost never watch tv and have been out all day so haven't felt affected by the extensive coverage of Mandela's death. The BBC will doubtless show an excellent documentary about him in the very near future (which will have been prepared in advance, as would most of his obits) and I look forward to seeing that. But I agree that it is not SAD that he has died. It is only sad for his loved ones. He was 95 ffs! What was he supposed to do?

msmoss · 06/12/2013 21:55

He was an inspirational figure and I think reflecting on his life and the contribution he made to the world is incredibly worthwhile, so in that basis YABU. On the otherhand the whole 24 hour news, social media approach to such stories is often quite over the top so you're not unreasonable on that point.

Thymeout · 06/12/2013 21:56

So when do you do the retrospectives? Seems a bit tactless to commemorate someone's life before they're dead.

And you may know all about him, but lots of younger people don't. And should. He was a monumental figure of our time.

LostInWales · 06/12/2013 21:59

Good post Iamsparkly, a good discussion of how circumstances lead to behaviors would be interesting, he did things that we probably wouldn't countenance but with the benefit of years could be said to be the right thing. The whole 'perfect man, best thing ever, the whole world loves him' makes my teeth hurt like too much sugar and misses the point of his whole existence. Or I'm too impatient and not respectful of the death of a great man. Somewhere between the two probably.

Ledkr · 06/12/2013 22:02

I can't stand all the "celebs" all rushing to jump On the bandwagon and trying to gain some credibility by claiming some association with him.
We don't need to know that surely.

fancyanotherfez · 06/12/2013 22:02

I can't see how you can compare violence in the name of 'God told me to do it' with a fight against severe and completely unjustified oppression of your people by a minority group in your own country.

Mandela never said he was a saint. He is being praised more for the fact that he didn't turn to violence after he was released and didn't seek revenge after the end of aparthield, but forgave and strove to work together with those who were his oppressors.

Im glad teenagers' facebook pages are filled with tributes. They should know who he was and what the world he fought against was like.

bearleftmonkeyright · 06/12/2013 22:03

He is so much more than a "dead famous person". His death obviously isn't surprising but an important moment in history. Of course people want to reflect his legacy. Shrugging our shoulders and a collective "meh" seems somewhat depressing when a monumental person such as Mandela dies.

squoosh · 06/12/2013 22:04

'I can't see how you can compare violence in the name of 'God told me to do it' with a fight against severe and completely unjustified oppression of your people by a minority group in your own country.'

Exactly.

That people can't see the difference is pretty astounding. And depressing.

jammiedonut · 06/12/2013 22:05

I don't find his death sad, but the implications of his death scare the living daylights out of me, as I have elderly, vulnerable relatives in South Africa at the moment facing a very uncertain future. He absolutely should be remembered for his actions,and is one of the only people I believe that truly deserves this sort of coverage. He wasn't simply famous. He was an inspirational, selfless human being who deserves our respect. Turn over if it bothers you so much.
And for all those comparing him to the bloody IRA . . do fuck off.

2rebecca · 06/12/2013 22:06

When do you do the retrospectives? Why not space them out a bit. It's not so much a properly edited retrospective I'm complaining about, I'd probably watch that, more the fact that hour long news programmes are 50 minutes of obituary. Have 10 minutes of obituary and then deal with the rest of the news as other stuff hasn't stopped happening and save the other stuff for proper retrospectives that don't involve celebrities but people who actually knew him, present an unbiased programme presenting him as a man not a saint, I don't mind that he did some bad things, that just makes him human.
Space the programmes out a bit rather than a few days of OTT coverage that sickens people and then nothing except anniversary pieces.

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jammiedonut · 06/12/2013 22:07

That should read "I don't find his death sad, because at 95, death is a release to a much better place".

Feminine · 06/12/2013 22:08

So does anyone disagree that he was instrumental in murders taking place?

I can't get past that bit.

Why has NM history only started since he came out of prison?

2rebecca · 06/12/2013 22:09

Sickens was a poor choice of word, sorry, the coverage doesn't sicken me it just bores me because it is repetitive and poorly done with too many celebrities

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jammiedonut · 06/12/2013 22:10

Feminine, who are your heroes? Out of interest, not to cause a row, but genuinely who do you admire and why?

DavidHarewoodsFloozy · 06/12/2013 22:11

"He was a murderer" innocent people die when states are unjust.

I don,t think the policy of "good neighbours" (nice quaint word for repressive, racist state) went down too well with those being repressed.

South Africa's story is always good to hear. The word great is bandied about, but Nelson Mandela truly was a great man.

Sixweekstowait · 06/12/2013 22:12

Do some of you REALLY understand what apartheid was about? Do you know about the murder of Ruth First by the SA Security Services? Do you know about Steve Biko? Do you know about the Pass Laws? Sharpville? The pencil test in the hair ? FFS - some of you are a bloody disgrace. IRA my bloody foot !! And as for the use of the word 'famous' to describe him! You ought to be bloody ashamed of yourselves

harticus · 06/12/2013 22:14

it just bores me

Then turn it off FFS. Nobody is making you watch it.

Theknacktoflying · 06/12/2013 22:14

I find it a bit ing the complaining about NM.

Our newspapers have also been wall to wall with reporting on Nigella lawson and Saatchi's miseerable divorce ...

Maybe there is an element of going overboard, but then we are still talking about the death and lots of rehashing of Kennedy's assassination

harticus · 06/12/2013 22:15

Well said Bourdic
Exceptionally depressing some of the posts on here.
Talk about clueless.

2rebecca · 06/12/2013 22:16

You don't think he was famous then? He was amny other things as well but the reason I used the word famous is because the British media only ever goes OTT about the deaths of people who are famous ie people who are household names. if an eminent scientist hardly anyone has heard of dies they aren't interested.
He was more than just a famous person but he was extremely famous.

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daisychain01 · 06/12/2013 22:17

I must say, I thought Prince William sounded a plonker when he said that Nelson Mandela's death was "sad and tragic".

Dying peacefully at the age of 95 after a very eventful life was NOT "tragic". Wrong choice of word IMHO

saadia · 06/12/2013 22:17

YABVU he will be remembered for a very long time, his legacy is phenomenal.

Thymeout · 06/12/2013 22:18

I agree about the contributions of celebs. Fortunately, I've managed to miss most of them. Tho' enjoyed hearing again the quote about what an emotional moment it was for him meeting the Spice Girls. Such irony!

As for the rest of the news, must say I wasn't at all put out to have a discussion of Osborne's Autumn Statement abruptly truncated on News 24 to go over to S.A. for Zuma's announcement. Talk about having your thunder stolen.

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