What a mysterious character. I once saw him live on the Beatles Christmas Show at Hammersmith in 1903 (I think it was 1963 actually). And then he was around on the telly all the time, and he seemed amusing when I was a child. And then gradually, as I grew older he began to give me the creeps.
There was something so constructed about his persona I felt uncomfortable with it. Everything seemed controlled beneath the faux-chaotic surface. Yes, the charity work was marvellous - and relentless. But why? Well, he obviously had no personal life. But why?
Two things I have heard: most journalists have heard rumours that he was a paedophile - there is no evidence of this, it is only a rumour. However, I heard him interviewed once and he said he hated children - apparently he did - although not apparently enough to stop him earning lots of money hosting a children's tv programme and working with them. His hatred of children may have been a transferred self-hatred for the feelings they evoked in him.
The other thing is not so much what I've heard, as what I've deduced. He was insanely proud of his intellect and membership of Mensa - he believed he was a totally rational person (apart from being a devout Catholic - which isn't totally rational in the sense the word is usually understood). If he was, then I guess he must have been aspergic... so that might account for the carefully constructed persona... and my feeling of unease.
Alternatively, this is an entirely subjective response and has no validity. But I wouldn't be surprised if other people didn't have the same response.
There was something so constructed about his persona I felt uncomfortable with it. Everything seemed controlled beneath the faux-chaotic surface. Yes, the charity work was marvellous - and relentless. But why? Well, he obviously had no personal life. But why?
Two things I have heard: most journalists have heard rumours that he was a paedophile - there is no evidence of this, it is only a rumour. However, I heard him interviewed once and he said he hated children - apparently he did - although not apparently enough to stop him earning lots of money hosting a children's tv programme and working with them. His hatred of children may have been a transferred self-hatred for the feelings they evoked in him.
The other thing is not so much what I've heard, as what I've deduced. He was insanely proud of his intellect and membership of Mensa - he believed he was a totally rational person (apart from being a devout Catholic - which isn't totally rational in the sense the word is usually understood). If he was, then I guess he must have been aspergic... so that might account for the carefully constructed persona... and my feeling of unease.
Alternatively, this is an entirely subjective response and has no validity. But I wouldn't be surprised if other people didn't have the same response.
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