Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted December 5, 2013 Hmmmmmmm, may have to revisit my views... David Cameron "British Prime Minister David Cameron said "a great light had gone out" following Mandela's death, and said that flags would be flown at half-mast at his office at Number 10 Downing Street. "A great light has gone out in the world," he said in a statement. "Nelson Mandela was a towering figure in our time; a legend in life and now in death - a true global hero." He added: "Meeting him was one of the great honours of my life. My heart goes out to his family - and to all in South Africa and around the world whose lives were changed through his courage."" Source: http://www.abc.net.a...mandela/5139536 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scraggy Taters 290 Posted December 5, 2013 At least his memory will live on.... on every packet of 'Uncle Bens rice'. Rest in peas. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nelson Posted December 5, 2013 HGES DEAD!!!KHJAJKASD WQUICK!± FREEEE NELSON MANDEEELA nelson is dead. 1st comment! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thechemistryquestion 5 Posted December 5, 2013 Finally got another one for the year! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Zorders 1,271 Posted December 5, 2013 HGES DEAD!!!KHJAJKASD WQUICK!± FREEEE NELSON MANDEEELA nelson is dead. 1st comment! Try fifty first... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom 2,534 Posted December 6, 2013 Nelson Mandela. - to paraphrase Lord Buckley - there is a great power within that when used in beauty and immaculate purity can cure, heal and cause miracles to happen - when you use it it spreads like a magic garden... Nelson Mandela, it was a pleasure to walk in your garden. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_engineer 1,415 Posted December 6, 2013 looks like tonights Question Time has been cancelled.the first of many tv casualties probably... # OH NO! How awful! Christ. If only we could get Mandela to die just before 10PM British time every Thursday night for the rest of all time, he truly would be worthy of the word saint. That is the first time i remember them taking off normal programming since michael jackson died . I wonder what other deaths would command this ? Castro ? ex pm ? A list celeb dying before their time? When does a death become big enough to take off normal the programming ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted December 6, 2013 looks like tonights Question Time has been cancelled.the first of many tv casualties probably... # OH NO! How awful! Christ. If only we could get Mandela to die just before 10PM British time every Thursday night for the rest of all time, he truly would be worthy of the word saint. That is the first time i remember them taking off normal programming since michael jackson died . I wonder what other deaths would command this ? Castro ? ex pm ? A list celeb dying before their time? When does a death become big enough to take off normal the programming ? I have been thinking along roughly the same lines today, actually. I was considering starting a thread about "deaths that stunned the world" but I might just stick my thoughts here. We have had "Most Important Deaths of Each Year" threads before that have degenerated into debates about the nature of what is important (for instance, was Ronald Reagan's death "important" since he had been out of office for years?) Mandela wouldn't actually count amongst the deaths that have stunned people since we have all been expecting it though. Here is my list: ************** Mega-Deaths that Have Shocked the (Western) World. Deaths that have come very unexpectedly to relatively young people of vast fame over the last 50 years would be: JFK Elvis (though he had obvious health and drug issues) John Lennon Grace Kelly Christa McAuliffe (she had become very well-known through the American hype machine prior to the flight) Ayrton Senna Diana Steve Irwin Michael Jackson (though he had obvious health and drug issues) Borderline cases: Cary Grant (he was old but it was shocking enough to kickstart DeathList) Pope John Paul I (old man but it was sudden... and suspicions still linger) Heath Ledger (he was on the cusp of superstardom but I would argue he didn't quite make it. Would his Dark Knight performance be that revered if he hadn't died? His fame and death feed into each other.) Harold Holt (It shocked Australia but did it have that much impact overseas?) Graeme "Shirley" Strachan (ditto) Hendrix, Joplin, Cobain and other members of the 27 Club. I don't think people were that shocked that they went. Their deaths were big but didn't have the same cultural impact as that of Elvis or Lennon. Jayne Mansfield (Never an A-List actress.) Judy Garland (obvious health and drug issues made her death just a question of "when" I think, though it was still quite sudden and she was young.) Christopher Reeve (very borderline - obviously had health issues but his death was still a huge shock to most people.) Are there any that I am missing? I define "vast fame" as "people who never met them felt that they knew them anyway." Also, the old axiom of people remembering where they were when the celeb in question died also applies. ************** To go back to your question, I think any UK Royal, A-List celeb or a current world leader would do it. A B-List celeb like Brittney Murphy wouldn't do it. Would someone who was once very popular but has now faded like (to pick a name at random) Michelle Pfeiffer, be big enough? Hard to say. Surely we will find out in the next few years if Castro's death will do it. I doubt the death of a former Aussie leader like Whitlam would cause that kind of interruption in the UK but if Abbot steps under a bus tomorrow, I presume you will interrupt your broadcasts to show us revelling down here. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Guest Posted December 6, 2013 Well in about a weeks time the biggest funeral since at least Churchills will take place, giving us the opportunity of a lifetime to check out the condition of various world leaders and celebs.For example will George HW Bush be well enough to attend .Or Muhammad Ali? Anyone who doesn't show up at Mandelas funeral have to be pretty sick ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Perfect Passing 277 Posted December 6, 2013 So, if he has four weeks in him, he's nailed on points all round for 2014. Go Nelson. Do you see what you did there Maryport?...........You single handedly encouraged him to be a 2013 hit. There was no way he was going to be low hanging fruit for the DL in 2014, after your comment. Any chance of goedin No: 50 Ian Brady? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted December 6, 2013 Here's a game: Which columnist/journo from our beloved free press is going to present the contrary view? Amidst all the fawning and complementary tributes, who out of them is prepared to drink journalistic hemlock (in the interests of balance, of course) and come out and say that they didn't like him or thought he was overrated or that he was a terrorist etc etc. The temptation for click-bait must be so so great... Something like this... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,588 Posted December 6, 2013 looks like tonights Question Time has been cancelled.the first of many tv casualties probably... # OH NO! How awful! Christ. If only we could get Mandela to die just before 10PM British time every Thursday night for the rest of all time, he truly would be worthy of the word saint. That is the first time i remember them taking off normal programming since michael jackson died . I wonder what other deaths would command this ? Castro ? ex pm ? A list celeb dying before their time? When does a death become big enough to take off normal the programming ? I do not think that normal programming would be affected for anyone but a world statesman or a member of the royal family. The decision to cancel question time was probably a matter of timing as he went during the evening. There is a difference between scheduling in a tribute programme in place of something that could be shown later and having a rolling news programme continue in place of a current affairs discussion programme. I remeber there being changes to the schedule when Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft died. Most celebrity deaths don't even make the lead item on the news bulletins. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Flag 84 Posted December 6, 2013 Here's a game: Which columnist/journo from our beloved free press is going to present the contrary view? Amidst all the fawning and complementary tributes, who out of them is prepared to drink journalistic hemlock (in the interests of balance, of course) and come out and say that they didn't like him or thought he was overrated or that he was a terrorist etc etc. The temptation for click-bait must be so so great... I'm sure there are Russell Group uni student newspaper columnists up and down the country penning their latest column "Why I don't care about Mandela dying and neither should you" I do not think that normal programming would be affected for anyone but a world statesman or a member of the royal family. Pretty sure there would be interruptions if McCartney went. Possibly even Dylan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vinegar Tits 606 Posted December 6, 2013 The Spice Girls lose another fan. Not wanting to sound insensitive, but due to where I live (about 100 yards from the sea) and it being widely expected that my area would take an absolute battering I was slightly more concerned about the very distinct prospect of being six feet under water than a 95-year-old man being six feet under ground yesterday. But, yeah, RIP. A man of truly great dignity. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,588 Posted December 6, 2013 I do not think that normal programming would be affected for anyone but a world statesman or a member of the royal family. Pretty sure there would be interruptions if McCartney went. Possibly even Dylan McCartney yes, Elton John yes, David Bowie or Mick Jagger yes, but whilst Dylan would merit lead news article I don't think there would be extended bulletins and a hastily resheduled doc immediately after the 10pm news. (In the UK that is). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth in Asia 1,087 Posted December 6, 2013 Second! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Zorders 1,271 Posted December 6, 2013 Just occurred to me....... who will be "Mandela's Mother Teresa"? (If he has one.) You might recall Mother Teresa died about a week after Diana. Almost as if she was "dying in sympathy" or something. Wonder if some other frail old "saint" will go in the next few days. I'm thinking... possibly Ali? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,149 Posted December 6, 2013 Just occurred to me....... who will be "Mandela's Mother Teresa"? (If he has one.) You might recall Mother Teresa died about a week after Diana. Almost as if she was "dying in sympathy" or something. Wonder if some other frail old "saint" will go in the next few days. I'm thinking... possibly Ali? Jeffrey Bernard went then too, he was the most interesting of the three, well, most entertaining anyway .... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted December 6, 2013 Groucho Marx's timing was a bit off for once in 1977, when he died 3 days after Elvis... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,219 Posted December 6, 2013 He is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let it fucking go or will will have fucking Mandela overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can take no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Zorders 1,271 Posted December 6, 2013 He is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let it fucking go or will will have fucking Mandela overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can take no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What happens if you have a "Mandela Overload"? Do you start dancing uncontrollably on the set of Breakfast with Frost? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,219 Posted December 6, 2013 He is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let it fucking go or will will have fucking Mandela overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can take no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What happens if you have a "Mandela Overload"? Do you start dancing uncontrollably on the set of Breakfast with Frost? No, I will end up putting my fist through the TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Zorders 1,271 Posted December 6, 2013 He is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let it fucking go or will will have fucking Mandela overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can take no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What happens if you have a "Mandela Overload"? Do you start dancing uncontrollably on the set of Breakfast with Frost? No, I will end up putting my fist through the TV. Well, TV fucking sucks anyway so maybe that would be a good step in the right direction. And you might end up with a nice good looking nurse stitching up your hand for you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted December 6, 2013 He is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let it fucking go or will will have fucking Mandela overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can take no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, seeing as you were waving the Thatcher flag earlier this year when she carked it, my advice is to suck it in and take it, mate. At least someone else is paying for the state funeral... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
