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Genealogy
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Do you really care what your ancestors did? Watching Patsy Kensit just now and...

149 replies

PeaMcLean · 13/08/2008 21:56

wondering why she's getting soooo emotional about what someone did 200 years ago.

Now, I am only half watching, and I am interested in what my ancestors did, but I don't think it would move me to tears.

She seems to really think that what her ancestors does somehow reflects on her.

Am I odd in thinking that who your great great great great great grandad was does not impact on who you are today.

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WilfSell · 13/08/2008 22:37

yeah she was searching for some farking redemption for her awful acting instead of JeremyPaxmanWhoCanDoNoWrong's real empathy.

edam · 13/08/2008 22:38

All the kissing the vicar stuff was wrong and bad.

Paxo and Fry were quite different - they had very good reasons to be moved, they were discovering (very different) tragedies.

Odd that the curate's daughter married a walking stick finisher, though. And that weird stuff about her Grandad being illegitimate but having his father's name on the birth certificate - very unusual. And that his father was a beadle and sexton but didn't make his son marry the girl he'd got up the duff. Maybe he was trying to distance his terribly respectable family from the Kensits!

Mamazon · 13/08/2008 22:39

OMG i have heard of Jimmy the Dipp! would never had thought he was related to PK.

Charlie Richardson is related to me somewhere or other. i know he is my 3rd cousin but no idea how.

we are related and i know that various other members of my closer family (not immediate) have also lead a criminal life, but their actions are nothing to do with me.

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:39

yes, edam... ALL very interesting questions. none of which were asked by Pats.

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PeaMcLean · 13/08/2008 22:40

Sal, she was crying about a bloke in the early 1800s. Yes, ok, he was impressive, but he didn't define who she is now, any more than her father does.

I guess I just think it's possible to separate yourself from the dodgy things your family do. Whilst still loving them as family members.

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fishie · 13/08/2008 22:41

but she did know exactly what her father was

what dilly said.

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:41

actually that's crystallised what pissed me off about it, edam. she didn't want to ask any interesting/complicated historical or sociological questions, it was a good news story/familial redemption she was after. wilf's right.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 13/08/2008 22:41

Actually, I can understand why she was very emotional about it, and (charitably) why she was rendered speechless several times....

If you'd spent your life thinking you'd come from 'bad blood', and been somewhat ashamed of your background or family history, then find that actually, you had several members of your family to be immensely proud of, tht you could tell your sons about whilst brimming with pride - I think it would be very moving.

Her father's criminal background seems to weigh heavily on her and her brother so to find that your great great grandfather's were pretty important, well respected people who did lots of charity work - well, yeah, I can understand it.

I do think BJ's one will be facinating though. I'm really looking forward to that one.

WilfSell · 13/08/2008 22:42

[sorry, can't help myself]...

But how did she get to look 10 years older than her older brother with all that surgery?

Ask for a refund I would.

edam · 13/08/2008 22:43

Well, call me a journalist (it'd be a fair cop) but I would want to KNOW about those things.

Wish I was a celeb, would love to find out about my mother's family (adoptive and birth would be nice). My dad's digging about in his and the only 'criminal' he found was a working class boy who was fitted up by the squire for not doffing his cap.

Mamazon · 13/08/2008 22:43

absolutly. I have closer cousin's who are still quite involved with the whole underground naughtiness. i don't ask what they do and they don't tell me.

i love them as they are my family but that doesn't mean i condone what they do.

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:44

yeah... but this being ashamed thing, vvv, it's fairly recent. she's banged on about the kray connections when she wants attention in the past. basically... not a good ep of WDYTYA imo, if i'd been series producer i'd have thought hard about scrapping it.

edam · 13/08/2008 22:45
DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:45

she knows where you live.

BigBadMousey · 13/08/2008 22:46

I agree with VVVQV entirely and think the all you nasty lot are jealous (or watch too much Holby City)

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PeaMcLean · 13/08/2008 22:46

OK VVQ I concede. I guess if you think that's all your family is, then yes, you'd be relieved.

(she did cry too much though )

In my case, rellies were distanced from us as I was growing up (in prison and no contact) so it was just a curious story from a distance.

It must be awful growing up with secrets.

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ranting · 13/08/2008 22:50

Well I don't know a lot of my Dads family but they are still interesting to me, especially the mystery surrounding who sent my dads mum to a concentration camp, doesn't matter if you know them or not ime.

And I'm especially curious about the former Stassi member in the former East Germany too and I've only met him once.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 13/08/2008 22:50

Oh I dunno. I knew she'd been interviewed about it in the past. I dont know if it was something that was brought up by her, or by the journalists. I can imagine that as a younger lady, it may have seemed like a good idea to impress folk. Have to say though - I dont care that much about it tbh.

Just interesting to note that I remarked to DH pretty much what I'd said below about it being a very moving thing to find something in your family background to be proud of, when you had this murky cloud over your head for such a long time.

There have been some cracking episodes though. I missed Pax's one though. I'd love to do this myself, but, I dont think we'd find out anything more than birth and marriage certificates (as opposed to stories about what they got up to). There are supposed to be several skeletons in the closet on my mums side......

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:51

so do we think, then, that this programme is All About The Celeb or all about the ancestors? i've always felt it was about the history, but judging by the response to la belle patsy not everyone feels that way?

HappypillsGalore · 13/08/2008 22:53

ooh id love to do this... theres many a secret my nana took to the grave id like to get to the bottom of... she was an intriguing woman.

BigBadMousey · 13/08/2008 22:54

Couldn't give a stuff about the celeb but the reseach methods and their findings keep me watching.

HappypillsGalore · 13/08/2008 22:54

have only ever watched whatsisfaces one... the comedian, irish, gay... whatsecalled?? bloody hate it when that happens...just about to type it i was...

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:56

graham norton?

pipsqueak · 13/08/2008 22:56

dilly have you already seen next weeks one about BJ or is this series a repeat?i was moved by the Patsy episode tonight - she may well have asked lots of the Qs referred to above but the editors elected to go with the sentimental instead ... dunno but felt genuinely that she was ashamed of her immediate history and terrified that it would be a family trait .. i can imagine feeling a degree of relief that this is not the case

DillyTanty · 13/08/2008 22:57

BBM... were we watching the same show? that was All About Patsy... no more no less.