Rolf Harris is dead

As an Australian I was always rather embarrassed by Rolf Harris' tacky and contrived Aussie vernacular performances long before the real horror story of sexual abuse emerged. He was always a second rate performer in every way but I do feel for his family and the terrible legacy and burden that they will carry for the rest of their lives.

I would happily give all pedophiles a lethal injection, I would never listen to his or Gary glitters songs ever again

While as a child I admired Rolf Harris as a children's entertainer, even then there was something about him I didn't like, but couldn't put a finger on it! Didn't like Jimmy Saville either.

Oasthouse I'm so sorry to hear of your terrible experience.
People who do such things, or protect those who do, are completely beyond my understanding.

I felt totally disgusted by the news Rolf Harris was a paedophile and I’m not sorry that he’s dead or, particularly, that he suffered. But I did like him as an entertainer, can’t rewrite history, and I’m glad my DM & DMiL aren’t here to see this as they both loved and admired him. No league table of abusers, a paedophile is a paedophile is a paedophile.

Oasthouse it's a life sentence for victims.

Oasthouse-
I'm so sorry to read about your past -enduring sexual abuse .

It's sickening that you
were powerless in exposing him .
And now the ever present trauma over it all these years later .

Sending you hugs and prayers .

Oasthouse So sorry to read this.

Oasthhouse I feel your pain.

As a child I used to love watching Rolf Harris and Willoughby. I would not believe what was being said about him for a long time. Very sad for a man who brought so much pleasure in his art works.

Any sexual assault on a child is abhorrent regardless of someones entertainment value. In 1963 at the age of 6 months old I was placed into foster care. The male foster parent sexually molested nearly every woman and child including myself that he come in contact with. Eventually in the late 1970's I ran away. I tried many times to expose him but his family was complicit in protecting him. These people are incredibly devious and manipulative.
The long term mental trauma is enormous and touches SO many aspects of your life almost daily. Now even at 60 I have times of depression stemming from a lost frightened childhood.

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The Gill statue outside the BBC - replace it with another.
Change the logos. All prominent.

Not sure about village cultures up and down the country.

The predatory nature of men - some men - was IMO largely tolerated and accepted to an extent back in the late 50s / 60s / 70s.

I worked indirectly for a man who had a known penchant for being over-familiar with young women in the company where I worked. He was, in fact, married to a woman many years his junior - and was admired by other men in the company for that fact.

When I complained to my own 'boss' about this man, I was told, patronisingly, that he was just "being friendly". I knew that simply was not the case. He exploited his position to prey on young women.

Knowing that my boss had a young daughter whom he idolised - partly because she was a much-longed-for child after many years of marriage - I asked my boss (I was quite bold in those days) if he would feel comfortable with his daughter being fondled by this particular man. He just went red in he face, and walked off. Whether he was angry at my impertinence or ashamed, I've no idea.

Thank goodness we don't tolerate this kind of behaviour now.

Clawdy

I was surprised his wife and daughter seemed to have stayed close to him.

and now comes the will

I was surprised his wife and daughter seemed to have stayed close to him.

I don't think anyone in the recent past has destroyed their own career and reputation as thoroughly as Rolf did. The archetypal family entertainer with his paintings and songs, and then the wonderful Animal Hospital. All gone at a stroke. Presumably he thought he was untouchable.

I’m not conflicted . He was a vile paedophile who used his power and fame to abuse others . Exactly as Saville and glitter did . They are all as bad as each other .

I did enjoy watching him paint when I was young but now I think good riddance.

There is no hierarchy for paedophiles and I find this insulting to the victims. If you were the victim of Harris or Savile you are no less violated or damaged.
People may not be able to choose their sexual inclinations but they can certainly choose how they act on them .
I met both Saville and Harris . One raised the hairs on the back of my neck and the other seemed completely normal .
Maybe it's why he got away with his crimes for so long.

For me the line is drawn at any profit from anything they created

And also not singing or playing it to children which just gives me the horrified creeps

Wyllow3

Once I found out there was never going got be any point where I could separate his work and what he did. The very nature of his work brought continual proximity to children.

(There will be grey areas when one reviews the past, but Wagner is definitely not a one for me, he was rabidly anti semitic not just "of his time").

If you discard artists on grounds of antisemitism you can say goodbye to Puccini for one. As well as Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Debussy. Wagner's sins went way further than that. He was a thoroughly nasty piece of work.

If there isn't a hierarchy of sexual abuse, where would you put Eric Gill? I know, he died 14 years before I was born so he didn't affect my childhood in any way. But his victims were his own daughters (to say nothing of the dog). His statue on the facade of Broadcasting House should probably go, but what about his huge altarpiece in Westminster Cathedral? (Probably it should go too). Or more problematically, the many village war memorials he designed? What about his ubiquitous typeface, Gill Sans? It was all over British Railways until the 1970s. The BBC quietly dropped it from its materials a few years ago but should we boycott John Lewis/Waitrose until they change their corporate image?

Is there a line? And if there is, where should we draw it?

Other music choices are available

Do people think Wagner’s life affects his music? I don’t. He was indisputably a great composer, however awful a man.

1 child's life ruined is one too many.