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Jimmy Saville documentary on Netflix

365 replies

AlternativePerspective · 07/04/2022 12:39

Have just watched this, obviously we all know what he did and the absolutely reprehensible individual he was.

But watching the documentary and all the clips they played, even if he hadn’t committed all those hideous acts, he was a really creepy repulsive bloke. So why did the nation love him so much?

I’m not talking royals and other celebs etc, but ordinary people. The people who filed past his coffin after his death, and mourned his passing, sent in hundreds of tributes etc. Why? He was just so repulsive. Or is it just me?

OP posts:
Valencebalance · 07/04/2022 12:42

It’s not just you, he was very creepy. I think this about lots of famous people though, I’m never surprised when it’s come out a celebrity has done something because they’ve always made me feel eurgh.

I was watching a Netflix show yesterday and the presenter was massively creeping me out, I ended up fast forwarding most of it just to see the necessary bits to see what happens.

Chikapu · 07/04/2022 12:44

I always thought he was repulsive, he sickened me even a child. We were asked to write to Jim'll fix it at school and I refused because no way in hell did I want to go on there. I don't know why people thought so highly of him and the public grieving after his death was nauseating.

emmetgirl · 07/04/2022 12:45

He was very creepy. I'm 55 so I remember him from my childhood. My only memories are of thinking he was a bit strange. I've always been suspicious of people who do lots for "charity" in the public eye. Not that I had any inkling of what he was up to I just find it dodgy. Good documentary though.

phishy · 07/04/2022 12:47

I can’t fathom it, OP. I used to change the channel as a child when Jim’ll Fix It was on. Even at that age it seemed like something for other people, not me.

It seems people still happily listen to Gary Glitter and Lost Prophet songs even now.

petridishmystery · 07/04/2022 12:47

I had heard of him as he was a household name and sort of knew what he looked like but otherwise knew nothing about him till after the abuse had been revealed, so whilst he looks utterly grim to me I’m never sure how much is down to me already knowing what a monster he was.

Onlyhuman123 · 07/04/2022 12:48

I feel sorry for all those kids who have got a Jim'll fix it badge!! 😕 🤮

wouldukissafrog · 07/04/2022 12:50

The police knew for ages he was a paedo they just did nothing about it

Lovebroccoli · 07/04/2022 12:59

I'm watching the documentary. The trouble is, he wasn't seen as repulsive (a bit odd, of course) or particularly 'creepy' at the time. I'm not too sure of how you define 'creepy' to be honest. The word is bandied about a lot but I've never heard anyone properly explain what they mean by it. Phrases such as 'makes my skin crawl' are obviously exaggerations.

It's only with hindsight that people think of him as repellent. He certainly did a lot of good and raised millions for charity during his life, even though his horrendous secret life was going on at the same time.

At one time he was a national treasure and the nation loved him so much because of his enormous publicity. He aligned himself with popular figures such as the Rolling Stones and The Beatles, as well as Margaret Thatcher and royalty, with the result that he partook of some of their aura. He was a very complex character.

If you read his autobiography you will see that a lot of his traits stemmed from his childhood which was what we now define as disfunctional.

It's very easy to say in hindsight, 'I always thought he was creepy and repulsive,' but I'm not sure how true that is.

Lovebroccoli · 07/04/2022 13:02

I've always been suspicious of people who do lots for "charity" in the public eye

Really? You're suspicious of Captain Tom, and of all the famous people who raise money on Red Nose Day?

Snog · 07/04/2022 13:03

I found him freaky and scary as a kid but obviously still wanted the Jim'll fix it programme to make my dreams come true.

I don't think he himself was popular with kids it was his show and his promise to make your dreams come true that were popular. I also didn't like how he mocked people on the show, it was just uncomfortable.

phishy · 07/04/2022 13:06

@Lovebroccoli

I've always been suspicious of people who do lots for "charity" in the public eye

Really? You're suspicious of Captain Tom, and of all the famous people who raise money on Red Nose Day?

Neither Captain Tom or those others spent hundreds of nights at Leeds Infirmary over 13 years or more as far as I am aware.
Snog · 07/04/2022 13:06

It's also true that at the time there was just SO MUCH open sexism and misogyny that it was NORMAL. It always felt horrible when I heard it as a female child but people didn't challenge it because it was normal. So watching it back it seems shocking...but at the time it seemed horrible to me but not shocking and certainly not unusual 😞.

phishy · 07/04/2022 13:07

@Snog

I found him freaky and scary as a kid but obviously still wanted the Jim'll fix it programme to make my dreams come true.

I don't think he himself was popular with kids it was his show and his promise to make your dreams come true that were popular. I also didn't like how he mocked people on the show, it was just uncomfortable.

Why ‘obviously’? Some people didn’t want anything to do with him.

I was completely fooled by Rolf Harris though.

LiveatCityHall · 07/04/2022 13:09

I think its because we know now what he did that when we look at old footage of him we can blatantly see just how vile he was.

AnotherPoster · 07/04/2022 13:09

I'm late 50s and of that era. Yes, he was odd, but a lot of the comments you heard him make in the documentary - along the lines of 'what are you doing later?' and suggestive comments about girls - were totally commonplace in those days. I don't mean I approve of them, but whenever I hear people talking in the 70s, clips from game shows, vox pops, etc, I am shocked by how much has changed in what is deemed acceptable.

So yes, we all thought he was eccentric and odd, but his public persona was very much one of doing tireless work for charity. Of course, knowing what we now do, it is impossible to hear his comments and not see them as creepy.

Clawdy · 07/04/2022 13:10

I couldn't stand him, though I had friends who thought he was quirky and fun. I wasn't too surprised when the true story emerged, and don't know if I really want to watch the upcoming drama with Steve Coogan.

ohidoliketobe · 07/04/2022 13:12

Well I don't think anyone's going to cone forward now and say 'Oh I didn't think he was creepy as all, I loved him as a child'.
I'm in my early 30s, my only knowledge him was from the Louis Theroux documentary and then everything which came out after his death so I find it very bizarre that a character like him was such a mainstay on prime time tv. But he was. And was apparently so popular he was seemingly untouchable by those who knew about some of his activities

Notjustanymum · 07/04/2022 13:12

His behaviour was normalised, even in his family. Everyone knew he was a wrong ‘un - even a close family member of his that I worked with.
I think they were a bit scared of him, because he used his wealth to help them so they couldn’t be comfortable about saying something to the authorities. Blackmail.

Lovebroccoli · 07/04/2022 13:12

Neither Captain Tom or those others spent hundreds of nights at Leeds Infirmary over 13 years or more as far as I am aware

At the time he did that, it was viewed as voluntary work to help the hospital. Spending time at a hospital isn't, in itself, a sinister thing to do. Hospitals have thousands of volunteers who act as drivers etc.
It was his hidden activities there that were the issue.

Snog · 07/04/2022 13:12

Similarly rich men "frolicking" with women in their teens (say over 16) was seen as red blooded and approved of by the media in general 🤮 So I understand why Prince Andrew feels hard done by. I don't know if he would have been ok with his teen daughters being involved with much older men?

I don't approve at all of older men having sexual relationships with young girls but the media attitudes have most definitely changed.

I remember Mandy Smith and Bill Wyman 🤮. I think she was maybe 14 years old?

Snog · 07/04/2022 13:15

@phishy most young kids would say yes to swimming with dolphins even if it involved having a creepy guy hang a medal round your neck afterwards and if he also said some stuff that made you feel uncomfortable well that happened every day with other adults so it was normal.

Lovebroccoli · 07/04/2022 13:17

Well I don't think anyone's going to cone forward now and say 'Oh I didn't think he was creepy as all, I loved him as a child

I used to enjoy Jim'll Fix It, and I don't remember having any opinion at all of him when I was a child. I certainly didn't love him, but didn't see him as anyone to be frightened of either.

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised by all these people who say they 'always knew' or 'always thought he was creepy.' It's blatantly obvious that most of the population thought he was wonderful.

phishy · 07/04/2022 13:21

[quote Snog]@phishy most young kids would say yes to swimming with dolphins even if it involved having a creepy guy hang a medal round your neck afterwards and if he also said some stuff that made you feel uncomfortable well that happened every day with other adults so it was normal.[/quote]
But like a pp, I wouldn’t have contacted Jimmy Savile in the first place. I remember thinking that it wasn’t for me because of how he looked. However, I would have jumped at the chance to meet Rolf Harris.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 07/04/2022 13:24

I too an highly suspicious of all those who "knew", said he was creepy.
He was a character, not unlike lots of "celebrities" in the 1970s. Every DJ was a character. He raised stack loads of money for charity, ran marathons before it was a thing. Surrounded himself with pretty women.
Of course he was utterly reprehensible and his victims we not listened to and ignored. Those that were told did not act.
But to the general public he was just a bit of an odd bod DJ celebrity who was on the telly.

Ludo19 · 07/04/2022 13:24

Was never allowed to watch Jim fix ot on TV my mum hated him. I never really understood it at the time. After hearing that Esther Rantzen knew what was going on at the BBC and kept it to herself as her career was just taking off. She has stated that's one of the reasons she started up childline. It's abhorrent that they all knew what was going on but turned a blind eye.
The thing in the documentary that stood out for me was when the female police officer was interviewing him and her gave her a veiled threat. Then the three complainers weren't told about each other and the case was dropped. Corruption from the police down. Despicable.

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