h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Isn't this the root of the whole thing? If she doesn't name him, he can't defend his name in the best way possible. If he speaks out at all, the *all* the media will be free to have a go...

...but if he doesn't speak at all, he'll always be associated with it, a\nd his career will be quietly sidelined...

What Would You Do?

I'd do exactly what he is doing- ignore it and wait for it to go away. In a few weeks time, they'll be another person shagging someone they're not suppposed to, and the media will drop this story and run after the next one. Today's newspapers are tomorrow's chip wrappers, after all.

But do you think work will continue to come his way?

May take a little while, but the viewing public has a short memory. People said Michael Barrymore would never work agani after he came out-it took about six months. Granted he's unlikely to recover from his latest cock-up, but it does show it can be done.

I think he _will_ be hampered for the rest of his career by this. Even if he is proven innocent, it seemed pretty clear that a lot of people within showbiz knew, or at least strongly suspected, who it was long before a name is named. There will always be suspicions and that excludes him from mainstream TV.
I was going to name another name in association with TV stars recovering from scandal, but it's a bit close to the mark.

All this nudge-nudge-wink-wink-say-no-more innuendo certainly won't help his career, but ultimately I think it will depend on whether or not it's even proven to be true. I seem to remember Craig Charles was accused and cleared of a similar charge, and it doesn't seem to have harmed his career.

That's the case that came to my mind when reading the thread earlier, but you beat me to it. I suppose there is also the case of the Hamiltons, but that sounded so unhinged from the outset, I'm not sure many people took it seriously.

Without knowing any of the details of the current case, I'm seriously sceptical (even more so after than Hamilton case) of anyone who turns to a publicist like Max Clifford before talking to the police, or even at all. Personally, I wouldn't beleive him if he told me my own name, even if he was right.

Believe it or not, I'd forgotten about the Hamiltons' case. I think that proves a point somewhere along the line.

It's a good point. If the presenter is found innocent, it will be Clifford whose (shaky) reputation will suffer a knockout blow. There's only so much we can take.

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Craig Charles? Career *not* damaged?

I'd hardly call presenting Robot Wars a step up from Red Dwarf, but there you go.

OOps sorry, jsut discovered it was the News of the World yesterday, *not* today's Sun.

Same difference though

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Again, I'm forced to ask the question;

Who here really thinks Barrymore can pull his career out of the fire this time?

I think, when we look back on his career in twenty years time, this will be a low point which forced a change in direction. He could quite possibly develop a "nasty celebrity" type persona like some rock stars, footballers and others. There are plenty of people out there who the public would consider to be very offensive but who are still hugely famous and successful.

I think there's a world of difference between say, Vinnie Jones or Roy Keane and Barrymore.

I think the public would as soon stone Barrymore to death as see him on tv, at the moment. I think his cowardice in refusing to give evidence was the final straw as far as the public was concerned.

I could be wrong, but I've yet to see a campaign in the Sun saying ITV was wrong not to renew his contract. Barrymore's 'crimes' are far more gross in the public eye than the people you would like to compare him with, methinks.

I think there's a world of difference between say, Vinnie Jones or Roy Keane and Barrymore.

I think the public would as soon stone Barrymore to death as see him on tv, at the moment. I think his cowardice in refusing to give evidence was the final straw as far as the public was concerned.

I could be wrong, but I've yet to see a campaign in the Sun saying ITV was wrong not to renew his contract. Barrymore's 'crimes' are far more gross in the public eye than the people you would like to compare him with, methinks.

For me it wasn't so much Barrymore's cowardice as arrogance in refusing to give evidence. It felt like he was putting two fingers up to the judicial system but at the same time rushing off to cry on the shoulder of Fiona Phillips on GMTV

What is more worrying about this case is that the pathologist has been shown to have failed to spot crucial things. File On 4 on radio 4 had a programme all about this. While Dr Michael Heath concluded Stuart Lubbock had drowned at Barrymore's home, three other pathologists told the inquest into Mr Lubbock's death that he may have died from having an arm clamped round his throat during a violent sexual assault. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/fileon4_20021001.shtml

Perhaps you're right. And I agree, the alleged sins of Mr Barrymore are indeed despicable. I just think that the public is very fickle. We forget very quickly and also we're willing to tolerate a lot from celebrities that we would never put up with from, say, our friends, families or work colleagues. How much we would tolerate is an interesting point of debate a la Natural Born Killers. I think, in our turn of the millenium age of chaos, we're willing to put up with more and more in the name of celebrity and entertainment. The producer of the Jerry Springer Show once rather notoriously said that if he could show a murder on tv, he would. Perhaps in a sense, Barrymore has beaten him to it.

Speaking of which, what's OJ up to these days?

So poor Angus has got the boot eh?