So Jim Davidson has won Celebrity Big brother 2014!

Jimbo has done it then!

Another Reality TV reinvention has occurred and what a transformation of image....from a notoriously racist, sexist and vitriolic old school comic whose most famous trick was to do comedy caricatures mimicking and mocking West Indian people, via some seemingly seedy projects and then some seedier allegations, to elder statesman, father figure and all round good egg.

Jim in the days of 'Chalkie White', his famous

 ill-advised West Indian comedy character

Jim conquering Big Brother

 

Winning doesn't necessarily mean that you are liked, but it does seem that Jim has managed to become popular and liked by the viewing public. He has impressed with his sincerity, whether faked or not, and viewers have seen and admired in him honesty, vulnerability and care for his fellow housemates. The arguments, grumpiness, bitterness and moroseness appear to have been forgiven as cute foibles.

 

Most of those voting won't remember Jim from the first time around, unless some kind of fan base has been mobilising. Some young folk have taken to him. They've been on social media singing his praises and even defending his disturbing and tasteless comments, like the aside to Casey: "If you were my daughter I would still bath you". One defense of this put forward was that it was a joke and an old joke at that. So is Chalkie White and Jim at least had the sense not to resurrect him. Blatant sexism and casual reference to paedophilia and incest being fun for comic effect are apparently less taboo even today.

 

I am not sure what to make of it all. He did make himself quite likeable towards the end, particularly when they were on the home stretch, cheered up and stopped arguing. I can see that it meant a lot to him, which is one thing we want in a winner. I can't entirely begrudge him his win, despite his questionable political views, sense of humour, morals, behaviour and past. Part of me does think good luck to him and well done him as an individual, and he probably has mellowed a bit and moved with the times a bit despite clear signs that any such changes have been limited in scope.

 

I'm not sure what it says about the climate in which we live though that Jim Davidson has won a popularity contest, and I'm not sure what it says is good. Those who protest that the domineering, sexist and generally right wing attitude is harmless and funny may not have lived through times when these attitudes pervaded and subjugated and suffocated generations of people. I have, so excuse me if I don't laugh along. It is also pretty apparent that many a 'truth ' is spoken in jest and that Jim, like many others, uses the medium of comedy to get certain serious messages, real opinions and heart felt views of his  across. Humour can also be used to brow-beat and to bully.

 

Having said that when Jim isn't doing any of that he is a funny bloke and I get why people would like him and would have like watching him. I have enjoyed watching him and the whole series has been really intriguing and entertaining, so despite the fact that my favourite, Ollie, only came third, well done Celebrity big brother 2014. Great series.

 

Thank God Lee Ryan is out of the Big Brother House

Lee is out - Hooray!

His response to Jasmine when she confronted him in the house earlier and his response to Emma Willis when she interviewed him on his way out were both pretty incoherent. He can't explain what he has been doing or what he was thinking, not in a way that makes it OK, because it is not OK. It only makes the most basic kind of sense, too.

He did what he felt like doing at the time and he said whatever he thought would pacify the person in front of him at the time...and whatever would enable him to keep doing what he felt like doing. He lied rather than telling the truth if it was easier. Lee Ryan had no concern about anyone but himself throughout his stay in the Big Brother house. His main concern other than his own immediate gratification or easy life was 'how he was coming across' and 'how things looked'.

Even when one of his mini conquests was reduced to tears Lee's only concern was annoyance at Casey for making him look bad. When Emma Willis started to discuss with him how he had behaved and been perceived, he suggested that the headline would be 'Lee Ryan, Love Rat'. When he seemed to have got confirmation from Willis that this indeed was how he had been perceived, he raised a hand in the air and said 'Yes!'

I do not think that this triumphant gesture was entirely ironic. I do think he is pleased that he has been noticed and discussed in the media and by the public. The self-proclaimed title 'Love rat' is to him a badge of honour. It shows that he, as a washed up, flabby, 30 year-old 'boy band' member, still has it and is still a marketable 'celeb'. He has only demonstrated that whilst he has sustained some of the losses of advancing age, he has achieved not of the gains (like maturity for instance).

If celebrity stunts your development to such an extent that you care for no one but your self and nothing but your image and conduct your love life like a 15 year old boy, then it's probably just as well if his star is in its descent. Maybe without as much limelight he might grow up? No probably not.

Really too bored with the whole debacle to discuss it any further as, clearly, is the nation.

So it only remains to say, good riddance!

Bye bye to the latest CBB 2014 evictees - post mortem

 

So, I thought Linda Nolan could make the top three, but she seems to have moaned her way out of the final. Even as she was being interviewed after her eviction some of the crowd were shouting 'OFF OFF OFF OFF'. Really she didn't do anything so terrible but her bickering and antagonism with Jim featured quite prominently in the shows and ended up getting to the audience. Jim has quite some followers, for some reason I can't quite fathom, so they will have taken exception to Linda's attitude to him. I think other people will just be fed up with the arguing and bitterness on display whoever's fault it is. Jim obviously hasn't been blameless in all this and may well have been playing mind games, purposely winding Linda up and then pretending to be sweetness and light, as Linda has suggested, but he didn't appear as latched on as Linda and he has had lighter more cheerful moments to balance out the darkness.

According to Liz tonight on CBB BOTS, and judging by the small number of nominations Linda got compared to Jim, it seems the housemates have seen more light and shade in Linda than we viewers have. Linda seemed quite prickly with Emma Willis on the subject of her dislike of Jim Davidson dominating her time in the house and referred to how things are edited. However the editing was done, there was lots of material that involved Linda showing and labouring her annoyance at Jim. On CBB BOTS, Linda harked back to back in the day, referring to Jim being 'vile' to her and her '16 year old sister' backstage. This caused a little frantic back-pedalling 'for legal reasons' from Rylan who obviously had someone chirping in his ear. Oops. Looks like the feud shows no signs of abating. I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see them both selling their side of the story to the Sunday papers any day now.

I don't really blame Linda for disliking Jim and can well believe she has her reasons, obvious and otherwise. It's just not much fun to watch. We have all been there. We have all been consumed with hate and annoyance and unable to let it go or stay away from the source. It's not a nice place to be and we don't want see anyone else there either. The audience generally do seem to enjoy a barney and some intrigue but there was something exhaustingly relentless and repetitive about the Jim - Linda saga. I am a strange one because I don't like arguments that much at all. I loved the 'boring' series of Big brother where everyone got along. That's just me. I don't dislike Linda and would rather spend time with her than Jim in real life I'm sure, but I must confess to being relieved that Linda has been separated from Jim and that the atmosphere has thus lifted.

So who will be out next? Well, I hope Lee, for his lack of moral calibre, empathy, consideration for his fellow beings and his self-obsessed preoccupation with how he is coming across (and how other people and things are 'making him' come across to the public). I wouldn't mind seeing Casey go either, not because I dislike her but just because I don't find her that interesting and it's coming to an end. Like Eamon Holmes, I too am interested to see whether grump or nice prevails this year: the grumpy, cynical ones being Jim and Louisa and the nice, innocent ones being Sam and Ollie. Lee and Dappy would be on the fence there I think. Neither are angels, but both project a certain innocent charm too. I am still hoping Ollie wins. I vote innocent.

What do I predict? Well if I could find anywhere that would take a bet, I would go for 1st - Ollie, 2nd - Sam, 3rd - Dappy. I don't think I can separate prediction from wishful thinking though. Perhaps Dappy is the most likely winner, as he straddles the innocent and grump territory with his large appendage in tow and despite this not having broken any hearts!

Celebrity Big Brother 2014 - The form

So, CBB 2014. Pretty good so far eh? It's been on for long enough now to weigh up the form.

• Casey Batchelor

 

Casey is a nice girl. I don't think she'll win. Shame she got caught up with Lee. I don't think it was  engineered but it probably has helped her chances a bit and it probably will get her 9or even the pair of them together) a bit of extra work when she leaves. I wish they wouldn't keep making up. Yawn. She still retains her dignity and likeability anyway though. Probably mid field.

• Dappy

Well, he's a bit silly, sometimes funny, sometimes annoying, sometimes sweet and caring, sometimes aggressive and bigoted....but maybe just silly. Another mid fielder I'd say.

• Evander Holyfield

Like Evander. I shouldn't because of his antiquated, narrow minded, plain wrong views, but I do. He seems to be as he says a product of the environment he grew up in and he's quiet, dignified, self possessed and out. This is not an old prediction. He is already out. He wasn't particularly interesting viewing I suppose, but it is nice to see someone behaving relatively normally sometimes too.

• Jasmine Waltz

Oh she's OK I suppose but too edgy and has been painful viewing in Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on The Side. I didn't blame her for the thing with Lee and Casey really though what was she thinking entertaining lee anyway. The screaming and posturing and getting body parts out is all a bit boring and must be more so for the inmates. Glad she out. She and her friends were dominating too much.

• 
• Jim Davidson OBE

Can be nice but not very nice and surely won't win despite the votes he's been getting. Not sure why he's had quite so many votes. Could be the forces link. Not sure the young voters will know who he is and not sure he's done that much to convert them. Another one with wrong views but this time with few redeeming features. Yes, he is funny at times and I suppose it would be duller without him. Maybe he'll be in the top half but I don't think he'll win unless he does something spectacular. The public have been known to vote for a player but I don't think he's enough of a player to nab it...yet. He's certainly not nice enough to win everyone's heart. All the reformed ex substance-abuser found religion stuff sounds like hollow words to me. No convinced. Won't win (I hope!)

• Lee Ryan

Lee - No

• Linda Nolan

Linda has kept things interesting and her words about coming out the other end after losing her husband did ring true. Good on her for coming out of her shell and for facing the unpleasant onslaught from Davidson. Yes, she does appear to pick at him unnecessarily but it's easy to understand why she doesn't like him even without knowing all the history. Coped amazingly well with someone getting at her by using her DEAD HUSBAND as a weapon. A strong character who gives the show more depth and intelligence. She isn't the most boring housemate. Am I the only one who wants to see real people doing real things and having real relationships rather than young or old idiots trying to be 'entertaining'. It's a reality show! She won't win but could come in the top three.

• Lionel Blair

Alas Lionel has departed. Loved watching him with his unrelenting energy, his in tact and unashamed loviness and his occasional marvellously acid tongue. Shame he's gone.

• Liz Jones

Well I suppose Liz has broadened the spectrum and been interesting to look at. It's funny how she's kept her fellow housemates guessing and befuddled too. I would say she wouldn't be fun to live with but I don't think she is any trouble really. She's the main one suffering. It's just not good to see if you have any empathy. I'm as amazed as everyone else that she's still in there. She can't win. She may sneak in to the top half but I'd expect her to be out next really.

• Luisa Zissman

Not a very likeable person in general but does have her saving graces and has been quite interesting to watch even if it has been a bit too staged. She does talk some twaddle but did give Dappy a run for his money and come out looking like the sensible one in their big row. Bad form to gloat and laugh when he was put in a dunce hat though. What was BB thinking !!?? She might come 5th. No higher.

• Ollie Locke

Ollie - will win in my opinion. Ollie should win in my opinion. I tried to bet on him and nobody was taking bets! He is different and interesting enough with his effeminate ways, his unusual looks, his general eccentricity and his poshness, but he is also nice enough. I unique, decent and sweet individual with apparently uncommon patience and endurance compared to his fellow housemates. He seems popular amongst them as a stabilising and supportive force. Ollie all the way. I hope he gets together with Sam

• 

Sam Faiers

Runner up. Another nice decent one. maybe not so interesting but has a salt of the earth unpretentious charm that is still a breath of fresh air against all the egos and self obsessives. Hope she gets it on with Ollie. What a fab couple they would make and the children....

Great series and love 'em or hate 'em it's been entertaining!