Reality TV Star Turns Death Into Show
British reality TV star Jade Goody, who appeared on the show ‘Big Brother’ in 2002, is turning her death into reality television. Goody suffers from terminal cervical cancer and is making a show about her impending demise. Recently, she wed an ex-con named Jack Tweed, in a televised ceremony, which included bridesmaids who had shaved their heads (to mimic Goody’s hair loss from chemotherapy). Tweed was allowed by officials to stay out past his house arrest curfew, imposed after his 18-month jail sentence for attacking a teenager with a golf club.
Television can do very good things, and it can do very bad things. This is a very bad thing, and Goody is doing no service to herself, her two sons (ages 4 and 5) or the public. Her decision to televise her demise turns what should be private moments between Goody, her children and her “husband” and her Maker (if she believes in God) into entertainment.
It dehumanizes her, deprives her children of the certain knowledge that life and death and family and love are greater than fame, and injures every person who struggles to make sense of our mortality, rather than distorting it with the lens of a camera and rendering it absurd.
If you want to know why some young people have no reluctance to tape beatings and air them on YouTube, take a look at Jade Goody (and the reprehensible producers of her series).
If you want to know why we have an epidemic of character pathology—including extreme narcissism—gripping this nation, take a look at Jade Goody.
If you want to know why real empathy is in short supply, too often replaced by a thin, synthetic veneer of concern for others, no deeper than applause, take a look at Jade Goody.
Turning death into a make-believe circus of photo ops, paydays (Goody reportedly received $2.2 million for the media rights to her wedding) and fake pathos doesn’t raise cancer awareness, as Goody claims. It buries it. Cancer is about moments behind closed doors, about private thoughts late in the night, about quiet courage to face suffering, about tears shed over concerns for oneself and one’s children that are unspeakable, except to those we love, for real.
Goody has apparently defended her reality series because it will provide money to raise her two children. She could have left them something else: The certain knowledge that they mattered more than fame, that they should never sell their souls to the highest bidder, that being alive on the face of this great planet means coming to terms with death, not denying it or trivializing it by turning it into a taped, partly faked spectacle or last ditch try for fame.
Nope, there’s nothing good about this at all.
Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatry correspondent for FOX News Channel and a New York Times bestselling author. His newest book, “Living the Truth: Transform Your Life through the Power of Insight and Honesty” has launched a new self-help movement. Check out Dr. Ablow’s website at livingthetruth.com or e-mail him at info@keithablow.com.
Tags: Big Brother, cervical cancer, death, dying, England, Jack Tweed, Jade Goody, reality TV, TV, United Kingdom, wedding
Share
I was pleased to read the article about Jade Goody selling out in death. I am 100% behind all of the comments made and actually believe that she will still be around in about 1years time.
I myself am a cancer sufferer – secondary breast cancer now in my bones. I was not given any time scale for this cancer to take my life and find it very strange that Jade has managed to be given this information. The consultant I spoke with at my diagnosis advised that most would never give anyone a timescale for when their cancer will take their lives as cancer is very unpredicatble.
I would love to be able to lavish my son and his young family with lots of money and would dearly love to take them on holiday, but unlike Jade I have morals and obviously dont have the right contacts to get my hands on any sum of money whether it be £100 or £1,000,000!
Many thanks for your frank and honest article – I just wish there were more journalists out there who were willing to speak their mind about Jade Goody and the circus surrounding her supposed soon to be death!
I turn the television or radio off whenever there is a report on her as it angers me so much. It is not that long ago when the media hated her for her racist and bullying antics in the big brother house – oh what short memories the media have.
Jennifer Pillans
UK cancer charities say that Jade has inspired many more young women to undergo tests.
Jade has not said that she wants her sons to have money so that they can have fast cars or even a nice house. She wants them to have an education. If this inspires other uneducated and ignorant people, both in the UK and in the USA, then Jady Goody will be the only good thing that has come out the nasty exploitative Big Brother show.
You seem to be lacking in empathy & understanding despite being a “Dr”. Fortunately yours is only one opinion. Jade’s personal tragedy is mirrored by countless others behind the “closed doors” you mentioned – often untalked about & hidden while hearts, families & friends are wrenched apart from those they love -much left unsaid or undone. It is a fate we shall all face one way or another – some more tragic & untimely than others’. And what is a good death? Maybe it is one where one can come to terms with one’s life & inevitable death and celebrate in a way with family & friends that only we know how . That may be in hiding ourselves away & being private or it may be to write a book, throw a wild party or try & cram all the things we want to do into what time we have left. All that is a personal choice & who are we to deny Jade that expression? This can give us an understanding of what it must be to die & more importantly to live & love – so hidden in our culture. Courage may be bold or quiet but required nonetheless. Overwhelming response to Jade says it all – we do have empathy, love & the ability to put ourselves in another’s shoes & to forgive & understand no matter how different others’ lives & backgrounds may be from our own. This young woman has done much so far in her short life to educate, inspire & motivate others. The media have fed on her & still do but she has outshone you all with her honesty, zest & love for life & her children. God bless her!
dr.keith, well said. i think you summed up alot of peoples feelings in a very articulate way.
these moments are private in live, her children need her, not all of the crew,’people’ all over.
so many are looking for the almighty dollar for their salvation, instead of making their peace with God and family at a time like this.
thanks for allowing me to voice my comment,
judi
I am from the U.K. and I find this incredibly aggravating. Firstly, the reason Goody has been given such a short prognosis is because the cancer is so agressive they can see how quickly it has spread since she was diagonsed in August and therefore can calculate how quickly it will spread to the point of death. As it no longer responds to treatment and continues to spread it is terminal. I find it somewhat rude for this commentary to be be written from outside the U.K. clearly without an understanding of Jade’s past or exactly what she has been saying to the media. The money she earned through the publicity has been put in a trust fund for her sons. It must be realised that they are only 4 and 5 years old which means it has to support them and their education for at least another fourteen years, or longer. I cannot describe the shock and sadness that this story has brought people in England, its is so tragic to see such a young woman lose her life, and the number of cervical cancer screenings has shot up since she was diagnosed with the disease. Jade has only ever discussed her disease, the procedures she is undergoing and her family to the media. She is not trying to simply get in the limelight. Although this is how we all knew her in 2002 when she clutched onto fame in Big Brother, it is clear now that this brave woman who knows she now has less than four weeks to live just wants to tell and show women in England the dangers of this disease and I applaud her for it.