There has been a lot of outrage recently about nepotism in high places, mainly in show business, but just having observed two minor cases of what could be described as nepotism close to home and seen recent refernces to a 'theatrical dynasty' I wonder whether we need to think a bit harder about what we mean and what we do.
One of the recent family examples in volved my DGD. 16 and looking for a Saturday job, withut much success. Then a local cafe owner, who is a friend of the mother of DGD's best friend was chatting to BF's mother and mentioned she was looking for a Saturday employee. BF's mother immediately mentioned DGD, handed over a phone number and DGD did her first Saturday's work last week. One day probation and job confirmed at the end of the day.
In the second case our local plumber/electrician came to do some work for us, accompanied by his apprentice. The apprentice is the son of his next door neighbour, also a tradesman, but in another specialty. The plumber has known the lad since he was 10 and he was the first person he thought of as the lad reached 16 and expressed an interest in being a plumber.
What should the cafe and plumber done? Advertised (expensive) interviewed extensively, or did they do the sensible thing, as the owners of small businesses whose main expertise is their catering/plumbing skills, and take people to hand who they knew or who came with a reliable recommendation?
Which brings me to show business. remember how we used to talk about great theatrical families/? The Redgraves, the Foxes, the Terrys. These families still continue, although some have different surnames and are not obviously, Redgraves, for example, Vanessa Redgraves daughters, Natasha Richardson and Joely Richardson.
What has changed to make acting dynasties into nepo babies?
