Privacy of Sydenham Celebs
I know that all of this is lighthearted and I've enjoyed reading some of the contributions but could we please not post messages under this thread identifying "celebs" currently living in Sydenham mentioning where they live, shop etc. Surely people have a right to privacy (and even protection from the seedier elements of society). Just because you've appeared in a minor TV soap opera doesn't make it OK to post details of your private life on a public forum such as this. Let's leave that to The Sun and The News of the World.
Hey, chill out!! As you rightly point out, it's harmless. Let's be honest now - nobody really cares about celebs.......and I would like to think that nobody would 'stalk' celebs in Boots or anything like that. It is interesting to know who lives in Sydenham and a rough idea of where. That's all there is to it.
Sarah, as someone who works in the public eye, I can tell you you have no need to apologise.
What your dissenting poster doesn't realise is that anyone who chooses to court the public gaze, in whatever way, does so with their eyes open and in full knowledge of what to expect, anyone who doesn't is a fool and deserves what they get.
I agree that it's not always right to besiege a public figure with demands for autographs when they're out buying their mascara (celebs deal with this in different ways, some are happy for the attention, others not), but what they (mostly) all recognise is that if they're popular, it's because the audience make them so, and they are grateful for that.
I've recently moved back here, but continue to work in the area where I am known; when I lived in 'my patch', being recognised in the corner shop or walking down the street is a way of life, but there's a way of doing it...........
Should you encounter a celeb you admire and want to talk to them, take a look at what they are doing...........are they walking in a purposefull way, maybe on the phone, perhaps they're sitting in the corner of a quiet restuarent or in deep conversation in a pub somewhere........ask yourself if this is really the right time to interrupt them.
On the other hand, if you recognise someone standing in the bus queue with nothing much to do other than wait for the bus, than that's fine, try talking to them, if they seem a bit 'at arm's length', leave them to it.
What almost all celebs have in common is that they are just normal people, but they also know how to manipulate the punters, that's why they are celebs, so don't be afraid, just be sensible.......if they don't like it enough, they'll know how to deal with it.
What your dissenting poster doesn't realise is that anyone who chooses to court the public gaze, in whatever way, does so with their eyes open and in full knowledge of what to expect, anyone who doesn't is a fool and deserves what they get.
I agree that it's not always right to besiege a public figure with demands for autographs when they're out buying their mascara (celebs deal with this in different ways, some are happy for the attention, others not), but what they (mostly) all recognise is that if they're popular, it's because the audience make them so, and they are grateful for that.
I've recently moved back here, but continue to work in the area where I am known; when I lived in 'my patch', being recognised in the corner shop or walking down the street is a way of life, but there's a way of doing it...........
Should you encounter a celeb you admire and want to talk to them, take a look at what they are doing...........are they walking in a purposefull way, maybe on the phone, perhaps they're sitting in the corner of a quiet restuarent or in deep conversation in a pub somewhere........ask yourself if this is really the right time to interrupt them.
On the other hand, if you recognise someone standing in the bus queue with nothing much to do other than wait for the bus, than that's fine, try talking to them, if they seem a bit 'at arm's length', leave them to it.
What almost all celebs have in common is that they are just normal people, but they also know how to manipulate the punters, that's why they are celebs, so don't be afraid, just be sensible.......if they don't like it enough, they'll know how to deal with it.
Hi Rebelmc,
Thanks for your comments. I was feeling really awful and uncomfortable yesterday and you've made me feel a bit better. I think it is ok to generally chit chat about where 'celebs' hang out - but not to dissect their shopping basket - which I certainly wouldn't! Perhaps my earlier message made it out to be like that - as I said before, it was a 'Wow - never guess what' moment.
Thanks again.
Sarah
Thanks for your comments. I was feeling really awful and uncomfortable yesterday and you've made me feel a bit better. I think it is ok to generally chit chat about where 'celebs' hang out - but not to dissect their shopping basket - which I certainly wouldn't! Perhaps my earlier message made it out to be like that - as I said before, it was a 'Wow - never guess what' moment.
Thanks again.
Sarah
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stone-penge
- Posts: 292
- Joined: 5 Nov 2004 14:40
- Location: Newlands park
LOL Yeah right , maybe the police should erect crash barriers on the high street everytime this bit part actor from Heartbeat goes shopping.nasaroc wrote:It isn't harmless when you give details of where people live or shop regularly. Why should a woman, possibly living on her own, be subject to this sort of exposure just for our "entertainment"?
Or maybe Boots could open exclusively for her, like Madonna does..
Please....
Stone-penge's contribution is, of course, a total distortion of my views.
I don't argue that celebs should be treated differently, and I certainly don't suggest that we should cordon off Boots when they arrive, or any other daft stuff like that. My point is that they should be treated with the same respect and with the same privacy that we would extend to any other members of our community.
Let's take an example. I post a message on this forum saying: "I'm particularly interested in a woman called Jane. She's about 23 with blonde hair, medium build, usually wears a red coat and lives in Tannsfeld Road. I've seen her regularly take the 8.10am train from Sydenham to London Bridge and she comes back on the 6.10pm train. Anyone else seen her or tell me of her whereabouts?" People reading this entry would quite rightly think, this guy doesn't sound as if he's up to much good; why is he publishing personal details like this on an internet site? The woman herself, if she read the entry or heard about it would be worried and disturbed by such attentions.
We'd be concerned if this happened to one of our relatives, close neighbours or friends. So why is it acceptable to do the same thing to someone who lives in this community just because they've appeared on televison occasionally? To argue, as other contributors have done, that she's a celebrity and "this comes with the territory" is simply wrong. These are real people with real feelings - they mustn't and shouldn't be reduced to cardboard representations of the characters that they play on stage. Discuss them all you like but please don't post their personal details on line.
I don't argue that celebs should be treated differently, and I certainly don't suggest that we should cordon off Boots when they arrive, or any other daft stuff like that. My point is that they should be treated with the same respect and with the same privacy that we would extend to any other members of our community.
Let's take an example. I post a message on this forum saying: "I'm particularly interested in a woman called Jane. She's about 23 with blonde hair, medium build, usually wears a red coat and lives in Tannsfeld Road. I've seen her regularly take the 8.10am train from Sydenham to London Bridge and she comes back on the 6.10pm train. Anyone else seen her or tell me of her whereabouts?" People reading this entry would quite rightly think, this guy doesn't sound as if he's up to much good; why is he publishing personal details like this on an internet site? The woman herself, if she read the entry or heard about it would be worried and disturbed by such attentions.
We'd be concerned if this happened to one of our relatives, close neighbours or friends. So why is it acceptable to do the same thing to someone who lives in this community just because they've appeared on televison occasionally? To argue, as other contributors have done, that she's a celebrity and "this comes with the territory" is simply wrong. These are real people with real feelings - they mustn't and shouldn't be reduced to cardboard representations of the characters that they play on stage. Discuss them all you like but please don't post their personal details on line.
May I intervene here since we are, I hope, seeking a consensus on what details we are comfortable about publishing - or not - in STF. Can I start by putting a some pegs in the ground which we can all probably agree on:
1) Its OK to quote past addresses of famous/infamous folk. As they are no longer living there - there is no question of privacy. Examples on the website include Ernest Shackleton on Westwood Hill and Bill Wyman in Miall Road.
2) Its NOT OK to quote findable addresses of people, famous, infamous or just plain ordinary - without their permission. This is an invasion of privacy.
3) Not withstanding 2) it is OK to say that famous person X lives in Sydenham. Nobody, I think, had a problem with being proud that Cecily Saunders lived here. I certainly repeated that many times.
But would it have been OK to say Upper Sydenham or 'near the hospice?'. Neither would be helpful to the stalker or the burglar. Is that a useful measure of how inexact we should be? Now that Cecily Saunders is no longer with us - is everybody comfortable if I was to suggest that a blue plaque should be put up at No 50 ..... ?
Admin
1) Its OK to quote past addresses of famous/infamous folk. As they are no longer living there - there is no question of privacy. Examples on the website include Ernest Shackleton on Westwood Hill and Bill Wyman in Miall Road.
2) Its NOT OK to quote findable addresses of people, famous, infamous or just plain ordinary - without their permission. This is an invasion of privacy.
3) Not withstanding 2) it is OK to say that famous person X lives in Sydenham. Nobody, I think, had a problem with being proud that Cecily Saunders lived here. I certainly repeated that many times.
But would it have been OK to say Upper Sydenham or 'near the hospice?'. Neither would be helpful to the stalker or the burglar. Is that a useful measure of how inexact we should be? Now that Cecily Saunders is no longer with us - is everybody comfortable if I was to suggest that a blue plaque should be put up at No 50 ..... ?
Admin
I do wish I hadn't started this now! Famous lady in questions probably shops in Somerfields, Savacentre and pops into banks. I really don't think I did any harm in mentioning that she has been in Boots and possibly lives in the 'Thorpes' somewhere, but again I apologise if it seems wrong to some people.
Ignorance now......who is Cecily Saunders?????
Ignorance now......who is Cecily Saunders?????
Celebs
Hello Sarahcsarahc wrote: Let's be honest now - nobody really cares about celebs.......and I would like to think that nobody would 'stalk' celebs in Boots or anything like that.
I must admit, a few years ago I was in boots, Kingston. I saw Nick Cotton, from Eastenders in the photographic section.
My eyes were peeled on him.
Not knowing the man I couldn't just go up to him and say hello, so I waited until he went down the escalator......I shouted, Oi Nick - How's your ma!!!
He was not to pleased
Personally I think Celebs like the attention from most people. Unfortunately these days there are so many "strange" people and tabloids love to dirty celebs as they know they'll sell more papers.
Tough call.
That's a neat point. I haven't got a clue who most of the other people mentioned. The only person I know in Eastenders is little Bubbly Barbara Windsor which, I gather, is paying her pension!sarahc wrote:Ignorance now......who is Cecily Saunders?????
Cecily Saunders died last year. She is Sydenham's alltime most eminent person by due of being awarded the Order of Merit - only given to the most twelve distinguished UK citizens at a time.
Cecily founded the modern Hospice movement and virtually created the medical speciality of pallative medicine. Until the Dame medicine basically gave up when the illness was incurable. People were just left to die with virtually no dedicated medical care. There was no science of administering pain control and maximising the quality of life or "having a good death" as she sometimes put it.
She started by founding St Christophers in Lawrie Park Road as a centre of excellence and teaching. The Hospice movement has, in the last 40 years, gone worldwide acknowledging the Dame as its inspiration.
So while other famous Sydenham people may have done things we admire (and Bill Wyman on Little Red Rooster is pretty much heaven) we will all probably owe a considerable debt to the Dame at the final point of contact with our loved ones just before we get there ...
Admin
personally, i'm with stone-penge on this one.
i too think it would be marvellous if, say, the hilltop cafe locked its doors on a saturday morning, because someone who once had a walk on part in The Bill, wanted a full English; or maybe Makepeace the chemists could have a doorman to prevent anyone else entering the premises, whilst someone who once sang as a backing singer for The Fun Boy Three, bought some cream for their piles.
the whole celebrity 'thing' is a pointless one, and I cannot believe it has taken up so much room on the forum. the whole industry is perpetuated by the tabloid press, along with the likes of hello and ok magazine.
why is this ? are our lives so sad and empty, that we need to waste our time being sucked into some stupid, soulless, newspaper selling exercise, about people who dont really matter. i mean, take jordan for instance - what the hell is that all about ?
next time you see some long range photo shoot of some z list celeb on the beach in rhyl, please realise that it has all been staged, and turn the page immediately.
could we also please differentiate between some bit part actors, and Dame Cecily Saunders, who would probably spin in her grave at the thought of being classed as a celebrity.
i too think it would be marvellous if, say, the hilltop cafe locked its doors on a saturday morning, because someone who once had a walk on part in The Bill, wanted a full English; or maybe Makepeace the chemists could have a doorman to prevent anyone else entering the premises, whilst someone who once sang as a backing singer for The Fun Boy Three, bought some cream for their piles.
the whole celebrity 'thing' is a pointless one, and I cannot believe it has taken up so much room on the forum. the whole industry is perpetuated by the tabloid press, along with the likes of hello and ok magazine.
why is this ? are our lives so sad and empty, that we need to waste our time being sucked into some stupid, soulless, newspaper selling exercise, about people who dont really matter. i mean, take jordan for instance - what the hell is that all about ?
next time you see some long range photo shoot of some z list celeb on the beach in rhyl, please realise that it has all been staged, and turn the page immediately.
could we also please differentiate between some bit part actors, and Dame Cecily Saunders, who would probably spin in her grave at the thought of being classed as a celebrity.