Smeaton

[CaleyD]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgo...est/7149007.stm

Am I the only one who thinks this whole "Smeaton the Hero" thing has been taken too far and has become nothing more than publicity stunt after publicity stunt???

There's men and women who save lives every day that never get so much as a line in the local press, and here's a guy who runs in to take a cheap shot at a guy who was on fire being treated like he single handedly saved the nation.

[Yngwie]

The lad done good. Many other people take risks and save lives etc, but it's their job to do so.

It's not his fault that the press and various other organisations are trying to latch on and associate themselves with his "hero" status.

[Charles Bannerman]

I think there's a bit of a "Zulu" factor operating here. What I mean is that, after the action at Rorke's Drift in 1879 (as immortalised by Michael Caine and Stanley Baker in the film) honours... including a fistful of VCs... were showered out by the dozen. But much of it was PR and spin. Lt. Chard, who had been in command, was in fact a very average, if not rather ineffective officer but the successful defence of the mission station needed to assume as big a public profile as possible to obscure the complete foul up there had been at Ishandlwana a few days previously where a whole British column has been massacred by the Zulus. To a large extent Guy Gibson and the Dambusters enjoyed the same dubious process after what in reality was a not particularly effective raid in 1943.

Similarly, "Smeato" has become symbolic of the "successful" fight against terrorism and of Joe Public's glorious and heroic role in it. No doubt the man did something very brave, but I do also believe that his contribution has been over dramatised. The fact that, if he is not this already, he can very easily be transformed into the "caricature" Weegie only helps the process. He's straight out of River City and is invaluable to a government which is struggling badly in the polls.

Smeato is also 24 carat Sun material. Sunreaders just love guys like this and he has been idolised by a newspaper which has an incredibly accurate handle on the way its "readership" thinks... or perhaps more accurately fails to do so. Smeato now has his own column in the Sun and today's cartoon shows the queen handing over his gong and asking if "one might now get a mention in your column."

But make no mistake about it.. and I hope Smeato is aware of this.... the boy just has to commit one indiscretion in his private life and the "shamed former airport hero" will again feature on the front pages of the redtops but in a completely different light.

Yep, there is definitely something Faustian about Smeato's relationship with the media.

[CaleyD]

The lad done good. Many other people take risks and save lives etc, but it's their job to do so.

It's not his fault that the press and various other organisations are trying to latch on and associate themselves with his "hero" status.

Of course it's the media, and that's what I'm getting at.....but he doesn't strike me as having the wits about him to realise it could all turn against him just as quickly (CB beat me to that one).

[Scotty]

immortalised by Michael Caine and Stanley Baker in the film

Or, as the comedians used to say in their best Michael Caine voice ..... "Don't You ..... throw those bloody spears ..... at .... me"

(even though, like "Play it again Sam" in Casablanca, the line was never said in the film)

But i digress .... I agree that "Smeato" has been built up by certain parts of the media and that they are just waiting for him to do something wrong so that they can make it all come tumbling down .... He seems like a fairly open chap, probably too trusting of his media handlers and that means they will know enough about him and his private life both before and since his heroism to fill the paper for months ... and lets face it, scandal sells. Maybe they should marry him off to Jade Goody  :015: :015:

As for the medal ... He did something brave, maybe you or I would have done the same, maybe not. It may have been overblown as time went by, but it was brave. The medal is for bravery so ergo, it is deserved.

[broomie boy]

the guy needs a kick in the staines to bring him back down to earth...........he did bag a tidy bird out of it though

[Charles Bannerman]

Maybe they should marry him off to Jade Goody  :015: :015:

He would deserve a whole lot more than a Queen's Medal for gallantry if he did that!

[Heilandee]

Said the same thing when i heard it on the radio,"just wait till he maks a chunt of himself"

Good luck to the guy but ya ken our fine press folk,(no you Charles) just building the guy up for the inevitable fall.