Today was a sad day for Britain, and for OK! Magazine: Jade Goody has just been taken to her final resting place, and the world is weeping. You probably think that I am goimg to be all sarcastic and disparaging about this heroine of our times? I must admit the thought crossed my mind. It would be easy, and tempting, to make fun of somebody so obviously stupid, vulgar and narrow-minded. But that would be forgetting who put her in the eye of the media in the first place.
Who can blame Jade Goody for having taken advantage of everything that came her way? Coming from a difficult background, completely devoid of any talent or marketable ability, she must have been thrilled to realise that the very qualities that made her an object of loathing and ridicule on TV, and probably off it, could also make her famous and wealthy. Of course, she is not the only flawed celebrity around. But while others have become famous in spite of their flaws, Goody's exposure came because of hers.
It is not difficult to guess why the producers of Big Brother selected her: somebody with such a big mouth, such poor judgement and such limited intellectual ability would at the very least provide comic relief, and hopefully (for the producers) be involved in some conflict or some cringe-inducing antics. In other words, give the audience something to talk about around the water-cooler. Was she ever happy to oblige!
What is more difficult to understand is how she managed to sustain her appeal enough to earn year in, year out a multi-million pound income, and be voted the 25th most influential person in the world... Yes, she was still willing to make a fool of herself on just about every reality show on the face of the earth. Yes, the same tabloids that had initially vilified her and campaigned for her early exit from the Big Brother house, couldn't get enough of her afterwards. Yes, the Prime Minister himself led the tributes on her death, and she was nearly made a saint for giving more exposure to cervical cancer (as if that was the reason why she had called on TV to film her last moments!).
The thing is, Jade Goody was ideally suited to an age where people aspire more than ever to fame, and at the same time are fed up with beautiful, politically correct, unattainable role models. With her around, the most untalented wannabes can imagine that fame and wealth are within their grasp. Better still, they can sense some kind of connection, and even feel a bit smug, when they see the celebrity struggle with the same handicaps as them, and come out rather worse than they would.
So, rest in peace, Jade Goody, and have no fear about your legacy. In all likelyhood, TV scouts are scouring the pubs and hair salons of Essex as I write.
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