After Jade’s cancer, what next? ‘I’m a tumour, get me out of here’?

Anthony Myers

I think this is one of the most distasteful articles I have ever read.

Far from being a fan of Big Brother or Jade Goody, this is a case of a young woman potentially suffering from a terminal disease. She may not be a national treasure, but she does deserve some sensitivity.

As for her being a racist, it just isn't the case. It was a storm in a tea cup whipped up by the media. It was more to do with Jade's lack of education and class differences, than it was to do with racism.

Shame on you for making light on such a serious situation.

Zomby

Anthony Myers - try and look past the characteristically abrasive language and focus on what the article is actually saying. You appear to have missed the point. Far from "making light" of Ms Goody's condition, Rod is taking issue with the way it is being exploited for a truly undignified media spectacle. And I couldn't agree more.

rod liddle

Read it again, then, Anthony. My whole point is that cancer is a "serious situation" and my sympathy is entirely with Jade Goody.

duh

James

This is an absolutely brilliant satire on one of the most cynical bits of TV ever.

The plain fact is that this woman is not someone who wanders about the earth like Poor Tom from King Lear. She is aided and abetted by a very sharp PR team and has been for some years now.

What of the doctor’s duty of confidentiality?

Would I be right in thinking laws on medical confidentiality and TV regulation are much more lax in India than they are here? We know doctors and psychologists speak all the time to British BB inmates, yet this is never shown on TV.

Presumably the doctor told Miss Goody’s PR team before he told her? Or are her PR handlers seriously suggesting they only found out when the TV viewers did?

The doctor says: “I’ve got something to tell my patient so important it won’t wait,” and you’re telling me the TV company risked not telling Goody’s PR team of this development? Or that the PR team said, “Oh, who cares, just tell her whatever you’ve got to tell her and broadcast it?”

Either the doctor is at fault for speaking of something so confidential on TV and not consulting the TV company or her agent beforehand and asking to speak to her privately, as happens with medical consultations when BB is in a British jurisdiction.

Or the TV firm is at fault for having a doctor approach it (clearly it must have been something serious if it wouldn’t wait) and not either contacting Ms Goody’s agent or by asking him beforehand that since what he had to tell her was so urgent and therefore so serious, he should do so off camera.

Or Ms Goody’s agent was approached by this doctor who had something so serious to tell her it wouldn’t wait and they said, “Don’t bother telling us, tell Jade and the whole viewing public first and to hell with confidentiality, it’s not something we’ve ever cared about with Jade’s career.”

Which is it? Because the only alternative is…

And I’m sure that never happened.

Yes. It’s simply inconceivable that someone like Jade Goody and her PR team would even want to exploit the lax broadcasting rules in a place like India to exploit the sad situation of someone being diagnosed with cancer and hope it might help to retrieve her public image.

Reality TV and the people involved with it would never stoop so low.

And naughty Rodney for writing this piece.

Ed Bell

I can only see 2 scenarios. If the live diagnosis was "real" the doctor should be struck off for abusing his profession. The other scenario is that the whole shebang was contrived to elicit sympathy for Goody, and give her "career" a boost. I know which scenario I favour and it doesn't need the GMC's intervention.

Verity

Rod Liddle has been developing as quite an engaging writer, but this was his funniest piece ever. I laughed out loud a couple of times and had tears of laughter on my cheeks. I've sent it off to several people and advised them to wait for cocktail hour because it'll read even funnier.

I sincerely don't understand what people are complaining about. This thick, ugly, coarse woman was on a thick, ugly, coarse TV show of her own free will. For money that she certainly couldn't earn through ability or talent anywhere else.

As Ed Balls might say, "So weak".

The article was as funny as anything Robert Benchley or S J Perelman ever wrote. Although the tone was a little more Dorothy Parker.

And to the self-righteous James: no, TV regulation in India is not laxer than in Britain. It's much more rigourous.

How could anything anywhere be more louche than British TV?

Verity

"It’s simply inconceivable that someone like Jade Goody and her PR team would even want to exploit the lax broadcasting rules in a place like India."

A "place like India" now hs more applications for new technology than any other country save the US and Germany. A "place like India" has one of the best militaries in the world. A "place like India" has very strict social codes of behaviour. They were going to arrest Liz Hurley for kissing her husband at their wedding in India.

I have walked around Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta at night without a hint of fear.

"Lax broadcasting rules"?? Where on earth are you getting your information? This is a serious question? Where do these delusional conclusions come from?

(And if you don't think the TV company in India and the TV company in Britain do not have a waiver of any rights to privacy signed by Jane Goody, I think you would be mistaken. Just a guess, mind you.

Hugh Wain

Anthony Myers - golly, how po-faced!
A little less of the semen, Rod, please.
Verity is clearly well into "cocktail hour" on her second posting. I wouldn't be remotely surprised that she's correct on every point, but it does rather read like "oi mush, oo you screwin'?" (If that isn't too much of a "Jadeism" for the rarefied readership of this august rag. A "Jadeism" that is typically bawled well into the "Lager-top [happy] hour".)

James

Sorry, Verity, where did I say India doesn’t have technology? Or doesn’t have good army?

Any doctor who divulged information of that sort on live TV in the UK without privately consulting his patient beforehand would be up on a disciplinary hearing within two seconds and the TV station would have Ofcom all over it like a rash, so there’s clearly some sort of cultural difference at play.

Or perhaps, since you’re so keen to parade your worldly knowledge with us, you’ll remind me of a parallel situation in British TV history?

Verity

James, there speaks a petty-minded provincial Brit. I've lived in India. I don't count this as "worldly knowledge" that I want to parade. Everyone lives somewhere. We have people participating in this blog who don't live in Britain.

My point is you are, outrageously, elevating the British above the Indians, and this demonstrates an insularity I didn't think existed any more. Indian customs are, in fact, rather hidebound and conservative, to say the least. But bringing your petty-minded, ill-informed points about India isn't germane, really, is it, given that - I believe I'm correct in saying - it was a British doctor who made the announcement? From the UK. (I may be wrong, but that's how I read the story.)

Do you think the TV companies in Britain and India might have had Jade Goody sign a document waiving her right to privacy, given the type of show she was participating in? Do you think she would have hesitated?

Have you considered that the doctor may not have known that his words were being broadcast, but rather thought she had been taken into a private room to receive the news?

Did you put your brain in gear before dashing off your silly post criticising me?

Hugh Wain - gosh, there are a lot of unpleasant men on this thread! - who accuses me of having had a few nips before I posted at 7:48 p.m. your time - incorrect. Way too early.

James

Ah, there goes Verity. She realises she’s written a load of sanctimonious rubbish and finding herself unable to provide an ounce of evidence in my first post of me talking about Indian technology or the Indian army decides to defend her fictional accusations by alleging that I’ve tried to disparage Indian culture.

Where is this disparaging quote Verity?

Where’s the money quote?

It’s just like your phoney accusation that I’ve disparaged Indian technology or military capabilities.

It’s non-existent, pet.

I have merely pointed out a cultural difference. All I’ve asked you to provide a parallel situation in Britain and - surprise, surprise - you can’t find one so you try to make out that amounts to me attacking India.

I have no idea what nationality the doctor was, Verity. I was just surprised that a doctor of any race, creed or colour would be so ethically lax as to talk about such stuff on live TV. The doctor may well have been unaware it was to be broadcast, which is why I pointed out that if the doctor wasn’t being ethically lax, the TV company was.

“Do you think the TV companies in Britain and India might have had Jade Goody sign a document waiving her right to privacy, given the type of show she was participating in? Do you think she would have hesitated?”

Yes, Verity, yes. I have no doubt she wouldn’t have hesitated. That was why my post covered all three camps: hers, the doctor’s and the TV company’s. At some stage someone has decided that medical confidentiality didn’t matter a hoot. That’s why I think the whole thing is exploitative.

“Have you considered that the doctor may not have known that his words were being broadcast, but rather thought she had been taken into a private room to receive the news?”

Yes, pet, yes. That was why I asked why the TV company didn’t stop it.

Does that get your knickers out of a twist?

Verity

To respond to your Americanism, James, (can't you people think up any catchphrases of your own?)your post was littered with "money quotes" such as "a country like India" typed with a sneer. And several uppity sneers along the lines (I'm not going to trawl back through your stream of indignation) of, "in BRITAIN, the BMA ..." as though the British medical establishment - a passenger on the taxpayer gravy train - was somehow a shining beacon to the medical community worldwide.

You didn't address the article. You didn't discuss Jane Goody (for whom I share your distaste) but you simply sneered at a country you've never even visited. Or apparently even read about.

This is a highly conservative society. They've had 3,000+ years of the Hindu belief system in which there is a rule for everything. And they adhere to those rules.

So let's have a little less arrogant self-elevation if you please.

I didn't suggest that you had disparaged Indian technology or the Indian military. No, pet, I was pointing out to you that India is an advanced society and you are clearly not qualified to discuss its domestic legal arrangements. You may be interested to know, though, pet, that the backbone of Indian law is English Common Law.

"Verity. I was just surprised that a doctor of any race, creed or colour would be so ethically lax as to talk about such stuff on live TV."

As it happens, I agree with you, but that is not what you wrote.

You'd got your shorts in a wadge and now you are wriggling. Go out and have a nice curry. Don't make it too spicy though. You're combustible enough already. Pet.

Hysteria

the James - Verity spat was interesting to read but I must have lost the plot somewhere - what on earth has the Indian Army got to do with it? (also based on the British model by the way)

Ellen

Verity has clearly never heard the expression: “When you’re in a hole, stop digging.”

Having desperately tried to imply that James wrote posts criticising the Indian army and Indian technology and finding herself unable to back this up with any evidence whatsoever, she thinks that if she shrieks even louder we won’t notice the bogus nature of these rantings. Instead, we just get another bogusly implied allegation that someone has criticised late-night law and order in India.

What are you on, woman?

Where have you read this stuff? I can’t see it suggested anywhere. It all seems to be inside that overheated head of yours.

You talk about self-elevation, but the only person who’s self-elevating is you.

You’ve made up a stream of allegations without a shred of evidence to make yourself look good.

After all the banshee-like wailing, all you come up with is that James wrote “a country like India”. Er, yes, and your point is? Where’s the malice in that? There isn’t any, which is why you had to add afterwards “typed with a sneer”.

There you go again, making things up. Oh, well. True to form.

Or were you looking at James via a webcam?

It’s a simple cultural difference. Or is there a latent racist in you that doesn’t want to acknowledge cultural differences?

There quite plainly are cultural differences with all of Big Brother series across the world. In some European countries, they are allowed to broadcast much more graphic groping scenes than they have here. Surprisingly enough, different countries often do things differently.

You’re totally unable to refute James’ point about the fact that no doctor on British soil would be able to flout the laws around medical confidentiality to simply announce a diagnosis of cancer on live TV. That’s the law.

Having been totally humiliated with that fairly obvious point, you decide you’ll try to cover up the fact that you have no response to James pointing out the law of the land by deciding instead to go off on one of your screeching diversions and wail that he has spoken: “as though the British medical establishment was somehow a shining beacon to the medical community worldwide.”

Where was this said or implied? You railing at your keypad isn’t going to make this stuff magically appear, Verity.

All James did was point out the law of the land.

You have no answer to that and so you start howling to cover things up.

What’s more, where has there been a live diagnosis of cancer on British TV?

Why did you mention the Indian Army, when no-one said anything about that?

Why did you mention Indian technology, when no-one said anything about that?

Why did you mention walking the streets in Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta at night without a hint of fear, when no-one said anything about that?

Or are we just going to get another volcanic outburst from you to try to cover up the fact that you keep putting your foot in your mouth?

Verity

Ellen - May I suggest a course in remedial reading? "Having desperately tried to imply that James wrote posts criticising the Indian army ...". Could you point out the sentence you think applies to your assertion, please, and we will go over it together and see if I can help you understand a complex sentence.

My point was that James was speaking of India as though it were on a level of civilisation with the sub-Sahel, when it is, in fact, an ancient civilistion that gave the world zero, what are known as "Arabic" numbers, produces more physicists than any other country and whose citizens are much better behaved in public than those in many English towns and cities. I didn't like James's ignorant, dismissive attitude, and I don't like yours, either.

Re remedial reading, you write:"You’re totally unable to refute James’ point about the fact that no doctor on British soil would be able to flout the laws around medical confidentiality to simply announce a diagnosis of cancer on live TV. That’s the law."

Why would I want to refute it?

Ellen, do you have a signed statement that the doctor knew he was speaking on TV, whether on "British soil" or not? Was he under the impression, perhaps, that this Goody had been called into a private room for an electronic consultation? Could you cite your sources, please?

May I extend my sympathy, as someone who has never even seen the programme once, to you for your tragic familiarity with this programme in all the European countries?

As I noted, Indian physicists invented the concept of zero, which was very helpful of them because it gives us a handy one-word description of you.

Ellen

So your memory’s going as well as your temper? Here, Verity:

‘A "place like India" now hs more applications for new technology than any other country save the US and Germany. A "place like India" has one of the best militaries in the world.’

Who said India wasn’t technologically advanced?

Who said India doesn’t have one of the best militaries in the world?

“My point was that James was speaking of India as though it were on a level of civilisation with the sub-Sahel”

Where? From what I can see he’s talking about cynical reality TV culture. It’s you who’ve introduced the sub-Sahel.

Where did James mention the sub-Sahel?

“It is, in fact, an ancient civilisation that gave the world zero.”

And? Your point is? Who said it didn’t?

“What are known as "Arabic" numbers.”

You don’t say. Who said it didn’t?

“Produces more physicists than any other country.”

Who said it didn’t?

“And whose citizens are much better behaved in public than those in many English towns and cities.”

Who said they weren’t?

“I didn't like James's ignorant, dismissive attitude, and I don't like yours, either.”

“Ignorant, dismissive attitude” - to what? You keep having to introduce all these things that have allegedly been slagged off. The only person who’s ignorant and dismissive is you to such an extent that when you can’t handle the criticism you start snarling out self-righteous twaddle.

“Ellen, do you have a signed statement that the doctor knew he was speaking on TV whether on "British soil" or not?”

Again, Verity, you’re spitefully cooking things up. I’ve never claimed to have any insight into the circumstances of this individual doctor. All I’ve reiterated was the point about the law. There’s a distinction between the rules and specific case, which either you’re so ignorant you can’t grasp or so arrogant that every time someone rubs your nose in the truth you try to change the subject.

All that I can see is that either Jade Goody’s agent, the TV firm or the doctor - acting either on their own or with the consent of one or more of the other parties - decided that Ms Goody’s medical confidentiality didn’t matter.

One of the possible scenarios spelt out was that if it was the doctor who decided to ditch medical confidentiality, then, under BMA rules, they would be in very serious trouble.

You didn’t like having that point made to you and so came up with this non-sequitur: “as though the British medical establishment… was somehow a shining beacon to the medical community worldwide”.

You growl on: “Was he under the impression, perhaps, that this Goody had been called into a private room for an electronic consultation?”

Perhaps he was, Verity. Which is why people are asking. He may have been an entirely innocent party in all this. If so, my sympathies are with him.

Never mind suggesting remedial reading classes to anyone else, they clearly haven’t done you much good for you. I hope you get your money back.

BOJO FAN

Verity, if all this misreading that you seem so susceptible to is coming from you having trouble reading the font size on the screen, you can boost this up so that you can make it bigger and easier to read. With a mac, you hold down the apple key and then press the + key a few times.

I'd hate to think it was your eyesight I was laughing at and not your breathtaking arrogance.

Verity

To plodding Ellen: "All that I can see is that either Jade Goody’s agent, the TV firm or the doctor - acting either on their own or with the consent of one or more of the other parties - decided that Ms Goody’s medical confidentiality didn’t matter."

Cui bono?

Out of here.

Paul Drew

You are a snob, Mr. Liddle - shame on the way you sneer at people (KFC party bucket comment etc.)

Whatever point you are trying to make is obscured by your prejudices.