Hollie Steel : would you let her clean chimneys?
One of the dreariest day-to-day tasks faced by family doctors is filling in forms. I stopped filling in shotgun forms soon after I started in practice. I never came across the bankers and stockbrokers with their pair of Purdeys. Most of the patients I met who wanted shotguns had pit pull terriers and Sky TV aerials. I stopped doing it. If I was based in a rural area with working farmers as patients I might take a different view. I have never filled in a form certifying a young man as fit to take part in boxing. Maybe it’s that Quaker conditioning, but I cannot accept that anyone is “fit” to be battered about the head, albeit consensually.
Frequently these days I am asked to fill in forms saying that children are “fit” to take part in television programmes. Saturday drama school. Pushy parents with one eye fixed on the next Baked Bean advert. I do not like it but, to date, I have always signed. I have not yet been asked to certify a child as fit to take part in Britain’s got Talent. If I ever am, after the events of the last few weeks, I would pause awhile.
I did not watch the semi-final last night. Three of the children did. Mrs Crippen did, I am ashamed to say. Her excuse was that we are housebound as she is on call. I watched, as I usually do if I am in, “Have I got News for you” (not so good last night) and then “Reggie Perrin”. Nothing can better Leonard Rossiter, but Martin Clunes is a wonderfully comfortable actor and a great favourtite.
“That little girl from Accrington broke down” said Mrs Crippen “but they gave her another chance. Very pushy mother.” OK, I have a personal interest in Accrington along with Hollie Steel, Mystic Meg, David Lloyd, Jeanette Winterson, Harrison Birtwistle and lovers of Tiffany Glass. So I watched a bit more of Hollie Steel on YouTube. God, she’s thin. I hope she is eating. Her voice was a bit wobbly, and was making me cringe a little, so I turned the sound down. I stopped watching completely after the break-down bit. According to the media, she has "nerves of steel" (That’s a pun. Ha!) Why did Hollie Steel get a second chance? No one else would have done. Answers on a postcard to Simon Cowell’s accountant.
As I have written before, I am old enough to remember Lena Zavaroni (see her performing here) and we all know what happened to that poor girl. I hope Hollie Steel does not win tonight, for her own good. Trouble is, even if Hollie Steel does not win, she has achieved sufficient B List celebrity to enable her parents to hawk her round the novelty act circuit. Make no mistake, Hollie Steel is an innocent vehicle for the ambition of others. Take a look at her website. Yes, of course she has one, but I doubt she has had any input into it.
We should not do this to our children. It is just as bad as putting children up chimneys. Perhaps as doctors we should take a stand. Perhaps we should refuse to sign forms declaring that children are “fit” to appear on television talent shows. There would be howls of anguish from the pushy parents and the libertarians would be offended but something needs to be done. Is there anyone who does not believe that Hollie Steel will be seriously psychologically damaged by this experience? I have not seen any of the other finalists or semi-finalists in Britain's got Talent apart from Susan Boyle, who is the bookmakers favourite to win. I suspect that, even if Susan Boyle does win, despite the money she will make, her overall life balance sheet will be negative. But at least she is an adult, albeit a vulnerable one. Hollie Steel is a child. Who is protecting her?
The middle course for doctors might be to enforce a lowest age limit. Should the occasion arise, I am inclined to refuse to certify any child under the age of 16 as fit to appear in TV "talent" (sic) shows. It might be curtains for the Milky Bar Kid, but I can live with that.
What would you do?
Labels: Britain's got talent, exploiting children, Hollie Steel
21 Comments:
Dagnammit, doc, you might just be right on this one. And I remember when we used to look with disgust at those American kiddie beauty pageants for exploiting the little ones.
Totally agree...particularly when constrasting Hollie to some of the other youngsters (e.g. Aidan).
However, I would argue adults should be 'fit' too.
Dr Crippen parental or institutional pressure of one sort or another is an everyday fact of life for most children.
Of course, we can speculate about the sinister motives of some parents but can we really single out the entertainment industry as an exceptional case?
If we consider growing problems amongst teenagers, especially anorexia, depression, and suicide I'll bet a fair few individuals will have suffered relentless pressure from pushy parents?
Perhaps parents feel they have to turn the screw in the hope their neurotic off-spring will attain slightly better exam results?
This type of exploitation is endemic, I'm afraid although it is often rationalised by deluding ourselves that our sproggs will thank us later on for providing them with slightly greater choice in a competitive job market.
The overwhelming majority of society's problems are related to the fact that we destroy our children then masquerade this destruction as love - at least that's what Ronnie Laing said, and as you know A&E C/N has always retained a soft spot for the erratic Scottish pish-head.
You haven't seen Stavros Flatley?
Is there anyone who does not believe that Hollie Steel will be seriously psychologically damaged by this experience?Judging by her little tantrum when she thought she'd blown it, she's already psychologically damaged. But she's 10, FFS, plenty of time to grow up.
we destroy our children then masquerade this destruction as love - at least that's what Ronnie Laing saidPresumably, that was his excuse for neglecting his own kids.
Scot doc.
Yes, Laing was accused of abandoning his first family, I think he fathered 8 children in all.
So you may well be right, Scot doc - there was something of a theory/practice divide.
His son, Adrian, wrote about his (in)famous Dad.
Adrian's observations provide some interesting insights into the Laing household - it didn't stop the love deprived son from going on to do very well in the legal world, a success of sorts I suppose.
Personally I have always felt that the demands placed on doctors must make normal family life very difficult, even for those with the best of intentions?
Laing, like many men, put his career ahead of his paternal duties - but despite these frailities, or perhaps even because of them, Laing was an exceptionally gifted commentator, IMHO.
Yeah, I just don't buy Laing. Might be more convinced but for the unshakable feeling that it was really all about him. Maybe I should try harder to separate the art from the artist, but it's difficult when the gifted commentator seems to have been a self-centred, manipulative bully. Could be wrong, of course.
Scot doc.
Gawd! RD Laing. Quite forgotten about him. But I read everything he wrote when I was doing law, before I got to medical school. I was then quite persuaded by "The Divided Self" though I did not like the film "Family Life". I even bought a book of RD Laing's Poems (Knots, I think it was called)
He died quite young I think. No one seems to mention him now.
John
I just watched the Hollie Steel 'break-down' clip on the BBC news website and am quite disgusted by it.
Car crash television of the lowest integrity.
I completely agree, if I was in the same situation I would refuse to certify anyone under the age of 16. I think that children will have enough psychological stress in life without being subjected to the stresses of a show where decisions on who stays are not based on talent, but on the whims of the audience and the media.
I watched the re-run this morning, John, as I had a sneaking suspicion that things weren't quite right last night.
And I think I'd hit the nail on the head. Don't worry about little Holly, she's a real trooper. She and her mother both gave Oscar winning performances, and until there looked as though their little charade was going to be in vain, there wasn't a wet eye in the house.
It's TV therefore it's all lies.
Avoid watching these sort of reality progs at all costs. It rates about as highly as Big Brother, I'm afraid.
In this day and age I find it hard to believe that anyone would be niave enough to think that the shows aren't rigged in the first place.
As for pushy parents- I did ballet as a child and was good enough to get a place (along with a friend) at the Royal Ballet School at the age of 11. Being blessed with a sensible mum, as soon as the tutor pointed out that at just over 5 foot, I would need to make sure that I tipped the scales at no more than 6 stone by the time I was 20, I was quickly returned to my normal school and carried on dancing as a hobby. My friend stayed at the Royal Ballet, became a professional dancer and now goes from anorexia to bullimia on a regular basis. She became menopausal at 35 (most likely due to her erratic lifestyle and constant lack of body weight)and now has osteoporosis as well. She now teaches others to dance and encourages the same unhealthy behaviour in her charges.
Well how would we have watched all the Harry Potters if no child under 16 could perform? Made them into cartoons? UGH! We would have missed out on the brilliant and yet to be surpassed Prisoner of Azkeban. Or perhaps the children performing in these films were from nice middle class backgrounds were no decent parent would dream of exploiting their kids.
I was a child performer and I loved every minute of it. But then I nearly always won (poetry and drama recitals) and I didn't make money out of it.
It's a tough one but parents push their children into good schools and even into unsuitable careers such as medicene. Some parents push their children into marriage. Young olympiads have been pushed since childhood.
Just because you don't like the format (too working class?), doesn't mean you propose a carte blanche ban on children performing (on the stage, at school, in sports ecetera, ecetera).
Just because you don't like the format (too working class?), doesn't mean you propose a carte blanche ban on children performing (on the stage, at school, in sports ecetera, ecetera).
++++++
Well, you are a bit of a snotty twerp, and an inverted snob to boot.
Had you read the post, you would have noted that I was talking specifically about age limits for "talent" shows, not for all performers.
JOhn
As far as I know the music colleges always did, and as far as I know still do, ban their students from commercial performances. These shows illustrate exacly why that policy exists.
I think we all know most parents are not really interested in their childen, except for what they can do for them - ie. get good exam results and careers so the 'loving' parents can brag to their friends about how successful they've been. Mine were just as bad - expecting the earth but providing no real support during my childhood and teenage year.
"But my money fed and clothed you", as my father would say.
This is why I will never have children.
mlawrenson, if you have children you dont have to do the same as your parents ;) just a thought.
re the topic in general, where do you draw the line, doc? i realise you walk a fine one here, and i agree with the sentiments about age limits for kids - let them enjoy growing up, right? - but as a physician, how do you make decisions about adults?
for example, if the boxing form (which you won't sign) just wants you to say that the individual is "healthy" (and defines this with parameters for blood pressure, previous physical injuries, ops, etc), what's stopping you signing? are you even ALLOWED not to sign it? (not being facetious, genuinely curious how these things work) ... and can't the bloke just go to the next doc along who WILL sign it for him?
case in point - i jump out of planes. you might disagree with my motives or think im a bit nutty for doing it, but when i started and i needed medical clearance my doctor didnt hesitate, just said he couldnt understand it, but hoped i enjoyed it. im an adult, i can make the decision to get involved in these things as i see fit, and if im of sound mind and body when i enter these activities, why can't you just sign me off?
finally, regarding the BGT phenomenon, i have to agree with people like the hippocratic oaf, and it's one of the few times im happy that in China i CANT see youtube, watch british television, or have this chatter around me daily :P
"I think we all know ..": if I wanted to read sentences starting with that sort of shite I'd buy the Guardian.
Is it very wrong that I was in hysterics over her hystrionics?
Please watching
The Bravest Girl in the World
The Best Fantastic Voice: Hollie Steel
Combine 3 video and lyrics in display: I could have danced all night, Edelweiss and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Thank You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJsVluW_q8k
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