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Celebrity Sell Out

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March 17th, 2009 - Jacquie Bowser

okmagazine-jadegoodytributeIn an attempt to get in first before its rivals, OK! magazine has released the “Jade Goody Official Tribute Issue 1981-2009”…

Before you start crying into your tea, Jade hasn’t passed away. Admittedly she is on her death bed battling a terminal illness, but the former ‘Big Brother’ contestant is still holding on to life with all her might.

Eager to cash-in on the girl’s death, OK! has touted the tribute issue as a “world exclusive”, featuring Jade’s “final words” and “unseen pictures”.

It’s no wonder OK! is so keen to jump the gun and beat its rivals. It achieved a bumper circulation of nearly 2m copies with its Jade and Jack Tweed wedding issue last month.

The celebrity title certainly isn’t alone in making the most of Jade’s pending death. There’s been a barrage of Goody press coverage and the public are lapping it up. There was even the news yesterday that her grieving fans will be able to watch her funeral, which a host of celebrities are expected to attend, on giant TV screens.

Living TV registered its best audience figures to date after 789,000 viewers watched the first part of its special on Jade’s wedding last week.

Max Clifford, Jade’s PR man, has obviously been working at full-steam.

Everyone, including Jade, is selling out on her death, before she’s even passed away. Okay, we know Jade wants to amass enough money for her two children, but seriously how low can you go until the warped lense of celebrity truly distorts everything? We’re just waiting for the Jade memorial merchandise. It can’t be far behind.

One website quoting a source close to Jade, said: “Jade has it all organised to make sure she leaves this world in style.”

We’re not so sure.

Comments

  • I heard today that Shilpa Shetty was desperate to see Jade before she dies. Oh pleaze this reality death bandwagon has gone to far. Put the brakes on, pull the curtains and a little dignity before it really is too late.

    Josh on March 18, 2009
  • My, what an illustrious career the woman has had! I’m sure Living TV will soon follow with a tribute show of some description.

    This whole debacle has been a ridiculous media-feast that has truly shown what a facile nation we live in (depressing isn’t it?!?).

    I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy, but the level of media play has been really quite vulgar! Oh well, I’m guessing Max Clifford must sleep well at night so it’s not all bad!

    I feel for her family but, as an individual that is being force fed this info I can’t wait for it to end! Even without buying these publications her face has still been spread eveywhere, including my usual news programmes!

    Lee on March 18, 2009
  • It’s a circus in which the most talentless, obnoxious, racist, bullying clown has become the star of the show because they’re dying - but the audience is told that to laugh would be bad taste. All presided over by am oily, silver-haired ringmaster. It’s a fundamentally revolting show but it also fascinates me. I find myself veering wildly between anger, sympathy and guilt and then anger that I feel guilty, because my cynicism is surely well founded. Or is it?
    Is this the death of death as we know it? It’s certainly the death of dignity.

    R Spandit on March 18, 2009
  • I really feel for Jade, who is dying and is doing the only thing she knows how to do - talking about important stuff like death in a stupid way, making touching pronouncements about God and explaining how she’s going to come back as a ghost to haunt her children. And then you have the lovely Maxie selling her sad tale (or tail) to the highest bidder. Cos death is now product.

    Claire Voyant on March 18, 2009
  • “I feel for her family but, as an individual that is being force fed this info I can’t wait for it to end!”

    One has to question what exactly made you read this article. I presume Max Clifford has not taken control of your PC too?

    Frank on March 18, 2009
  • Go Jade!

    Edwina Currie on March 18, 2009
  • So… when did death become a commodity?

    Nathan Beck on March 18, 2009
  • Yes Frank, I am controlled my Lord Clifford, lol.

    I’ll excuse your moronic commentary on this occasion as I’m sure you will have several days of grieving coming up!

    When the media I choose to consume (i.e. NOT the redtops and OK magazine) start leading with this type of story it does become difficult not to consume it. Seriously, this whole “switch off if you do not like it” argument is somewhat lame when one lives in a media centric world.

    Anyhoo, can I have fries with that please Frank? Arse! xxx

    Lee on March 18, 2009
  • it just goes to show you can’t be too careful!

    Chris on March 18, 2009
  • I wholeheartedly agree with josh’s comment- ‘A reality death bandwagon’. The idea of her funeral being televised makes me actually rather ashamed of the industry I work in.

    Hat on March 18, 2009
  • There’s still time to get it autographed

    James on March 18, 2009
  • [...] has published its ‘Jade Goody Official Tribute Issue 1981-2009’ this week, following up on the success of their Jade Goody Official Wedding Issues. These three [...]

  • Did you people find the televised funeral of Lady Diana ashamed of your industry you work in? She was an admired woman, maybe for different reasons but her life too was very public and she was very much a commodity, in life as in death.
    Jade Goody has a following of fans from her first appearance in Big Brother… some may not have chosen to watch it at the time, but she attracted an audience over the years of people who admire her honesty and spirit of fight.
    I feel sad that there are folks out there who say it is forced on them to watch and read the news of the terrible plight of this young woman who asked for nothing but to only live her life as she wanted and to prepare a decent future for her two small boys.
    You CAN turn over the TV, you DONT have to buy the newspaper if you dont want to know about it. It is inevitable that it will be all over the news anyway…. just like 9/11, lady Di, war,recession, death and poverty and all the other awful things that make this world the difficult place that it is…. after 9/11 I didnt particularly want to see clips of people having to throw themselves out of the WTC… but I never for one moment thought to myself ‘I’m sick of this being forced onto me to watch’
    If I didnt like what I was seeing or hearing, I simply turned off or turned away. It didnt make it any less publicised or talked about.
    I respect everyone has an opinion, but just stating mine on reading some of yours!
    God bless you Jade.

    Roz on March 19, 2009
  • The above comment from Roz is wrong on so many levels that if it was intended as irony it would be a work of genius. Sadly it is so badly written that it is probably legit. However I feel I should point out that she is still alive and has not, as pointed out in line 3, shuffled off her mortal coil. She is not an ex-Goody.

    The Ledge on March 19, 2009
  • The Ledge!!!!
    I dont seem to see where I said Jade was dead!!??
    line 3….’she was very much a commodity, in life as in death’.
    You may want to take a closer look (if you can actually read!!) I was talking about Lady Di in line 3.
    Read again and then you may, just may have a right to an opinion…

    Roz on March 19, 2009
  • I’m with Roz. Pithy words of beauty. The Ledge can take a jump of a cliff or ledge or something.

    Jasmine Rice on March 19, 2009
  • Roz 1 The Ledge 0

    He (fairly certain) obviously can’t read - well said Roz.

    ex-marketing person on March 19, 2009
  • Jade Goody is definitely alive. This is longest most drawn out kicking-of-the-bucket since Sean Bean died in Lord of the Rings.

    Gandalf on March 19, 2009
  • She’s not ill, it’a a publicity stunt. Wait for next weeks issue of OK! Jade in miracle recovery - first photos and words.

    Max Clifford on March 19, 2009
  • So Max are you saying she had PR cancer?

    Gordon MacMillan on March 19, 2009
  • Its a lose/lose scenario for those who work in marketing/media - if we ignore (the jade goody/reality show) bandwagon, the nation scream that we have lost touch ‘with the common people’, but if we do the opposite then we are regarded as fueling the media hype.

    Joke:

    Max Clifford and Paris Hilton are drag racing each other and both go over the side of a cliff to their impending death.

    Who Wins?

    Society!

    Dave Chapman on March 19, 2009
  • silly ledge
    from roz’s daughter age 10

    Roz on March 19, 2009
  • it is such a shame on jade and her family and every on eis makin jokes about her which is such a shame .
    a know people hate or didnt like her but ut is such a shame to make jokes up about her.
    eg ( jade’s first day in heaven and shes already up for eviction )
    now that is so immature !!! :(
    i have been put through this aswell and i didnt like it !!

    R.I.P. JADE GOODY
    GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTON
    HEAVEN IS A BETTER PLACE FOR HER AND SHE WILL BE OUT OF HER PAIN

    From Lauren

    Lauren Reynolds on March 30, 2009

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