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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:
somewhereoverthechipshop · 09/04/2022 08:59

He was creepy and disgusting looking back, but as a child I thought his show was great and just wanted to do some cool experiences, didn’t think much about the presenter. Sadly I don’t think much has changed. It’s just hidden in the acceptance of porn..and child safety guidelines are being blurred and losing their power due to the prevalence of not shaming anyone for their lifestyle or ‘kinks’.

StopGo · 09/04/2022 09:31

JS was a common or garden predatory pervert. His tastes were very varied, male, female, young children, teens, young people, old people, able bodied, severely physically disabled or those with varying degrees of learning difficulties. Let's be honest having a pulse was optional.

He was a very shrewed man and surround himself with a wall of (mainly) men who had similar dark secrets and often positions in society that they needed to protect.

Such predators have walked among us since time began. More openly at times and deeply hidden at other times. These predators are overwhelmingly but not exclusively male bodied adults.

It's still happening today and 'society' protects these people.

Horological · 09/04/2022 10:42

@JustDanceAddict

why were women obsessed?

I really don't think women were obsessed with him and I think that is what the programme brought out. He didn't actually attract women or have relationships with them. He hinted that he did, but it was an act.

In reality he didn't have relationships with women, he just had abusive encounters with children or other vulnerable people who couldn't resist him, or who had no power and wouldn't be believed if they told anyone.

I am also totally mystified at anyone who thought he was 'trendy' or wore 'trendy' clothes. I am 60. At no point did he come across as trendy, just really odd. Looking at him through the lens of 2022 his odd outfits might come across as things that trendy people might have worn at that time. But they didn't.

MermaidEyes · 09/04/2022 10:45

@Sixlegsfoward88

I must admit I get a sort of creepy vibe from Russell Brand but of course that is just a feeling of mine, it's not based on fact, and I have never met him. He might be a fine upstanding person for all I know .

I don't like Russell Brand either. Also David Walliams makes my skin crawl.

mscynical · 09/04/2022 11:34

Also very telling (not in the programme I think) that the BBC man who started Children in Need categorically stated that JS was NOT to be involved at all. I think this indicates that some people (or more) at the BBC knew what was going on.
I think JS also had a creepy brother.
Didn't Margaret Thatcher choose 'Two Little Boys' by RH for Desert Island Discs?

LuaDipa · 09/04/2022 13:59

I never liked him, I remember him being quite abrupt and unkind to some of the kids on the show. My ddad always said he was a nasty piece of work too (never met him afaik, just didn’t like the look of him). I definitely had no idea about the extent of his cruelty and I’m pretty sure my ddad didn’t either. He just gave off bad vibes.

That being said, I’ve recently read about his Big Brother appearance and some of the comments he made. Dh and I watched that at the time and while we eye-rolled at some of the comments he made, we didn’t see anything sinister in his behaviour (well nothing beyond that of any other old letch). Of course, now it’s obvious.

foxster22 · 09/04/2022 17:22

@MermaidEyes yuck David Williams
What is he up
To?
So creepy and so weird the relationships
Much younger women and the abandoned son (?) never seen in public

Booboobagins · 09/04/2022 17:35

He gave me the as as a kid as did Gary Glitter and I never like Barrymore or Prince Andrew either I think my gut works fine. I can't bring myself to watch this programme....

Mamamia7962 · 09/04/2022 18:04

foxster - Lots of celebrities don't wish their children to be photographed in public. Quite often their faces are pixelated over.

Where have you read that David Wallians has abandoned his son?

Trixiefirecracker · 09/04/2022 18:14

@mscynical

Also very telling (not in the programme I think) that the BBC man who started Children in Need categorically stated that JS was NOT to be involved at all. I think this indicates that some people (or more) at the BBC knew what was going on. I think JS also had a creepy brother. Didn't Margaret Thatcher choose 'Two Little Boys' by RH for Desert Island Discs?
Yes, his brother also an abuser.. www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-31646006
Herani · 09/04/2022 18:21

Interesting….was discussing this thread with DH and I said both Russell Brand and David Walliams give me the same creepy feeling that I got with Saville when I was younger.

Not to say they are predators, but something ‘off’ as though they are wearing a mask about something - not being themselves. Something uncomfortable as though they are ‘distracting’ from their own true personalities.

Mimilamore · 09/04/2022 21:47

Always, always made me cringe and I hated the format of the programmes he fronted....looking back it was so
Obvious what a creepy bloke he was but so were a lot of things in the 70s/80s and the general public love to be told what they should like...

BurgerKingAddict · 09/04/2022 22:33

He was in a perfect storm of terrible attitudes towards young women and girls, a lack of knowledge about the extent of child sexual abuse, an incompetent police force and rich friends in high places.
The brave lady who spoke about her abuse from that monster was truly amazing - it seems that his victims were too scared to tell anyone and then were not believed and also lied to. My sympathies are with them and I hope now the truth is out it gives them even one minutes peace.
For what it’s worth I am so sorry it happened to them and I believe them Flowers

mrwalkensir · 09/04/2022 22:38

Seem to remember Johnny Rotten also saying that in the early days of his career, he accompanied a female friend to a party at the House of Commons. He was bemused that he was assumed by people there to be a rent boy. Like that was normal there...

SaxendaSummer · 09/04/2022 22:46

it was a good documentary. well done netflix

back then he didnt seem creepy just different. I remember writing to jim'll fix it as a child in the 70's. my mum didnt like him though, i often wondered about that

used to see him run up Alwoodley lane when I was a nanny in Leeds. He was openly telling us who he was wasn't he?

WingBingo · 09/04/2022 22:56

I had a boyfriend that worked at Balmoral and JS spent quite a bit of time there.

It was the Balmoral running race one day, not sure they still do it. JS was there, said bf handed his phone to me to speak to JS. He was very creepy

Kept saying I sounded like a lovely young lady, I bet you’re a lovely girl and stuff like that.

I found the whole conversation creepy and very disturbing.

kierenthecommunity · 09/04/2022 23:16

Around 2:10

Now, GG genuinely gave me the heebies- that’s not with the benefit of hindsight, he used to scare the hell out of me

kierenthecommunity · 09/04/2022 23:17

(That was supposed to be replying to someone mentioning JS and GG with their arms round teenagers)

HRTQueen · 09/04/2022 23:26

I think because he did so much for charity and was constantly telling the public what he was doing and him being eccentric excuses were made he also blinded people with his strangeness and overbearing personality

I remember my Nan saying he was an awful man and a friend suggesting we write to him and I refused I imagined myself on Jim I’ll Fix it and felt panicky/upset but I didn’t understand why

I also remember hearing years ago he was into necrophilia I didn’t know what it meant someone had to explain it to me. This was before the internet I have no idea how the subject came up. I told my mum and she said she wasn’t surprised he was known to be a very creepy man

How did so many people know

Trixiefirecracker · 09/04/2022 23:26

Steve Coogan is playing JS in a mini series due to come out soon I think. Not sure if I will be watching it.

HRTQueen · 09/04/2022 23:29

There is absolutely no need to be making this series

And by the BBC Hmm

pinpluf · 09/04/2022 23:31

It's also true that at the time there was just SO MUCH open sexism and misogyny that it was NORMAL.

this

crepesncream · 09/04/2022 23:33

I found it strange that some of the royals depended on him for advice.

pinpluf · 09/04/2022 23:40

I find it interesting at how PR savvy he was, very ahead of the game

pinpluf · 09/04/2022 23:42

Also very surprised that a child sex abuse unit was only set up in the 90s.

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