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Feefs · 07-01-2002, 06:55 PM

How would you feel if one of your ex's was on BB? Especially if you saw them getting flirty with a fellow contestant.

I started thinking about this on another thread when we were talking about Big G having a nation glad he was dumped, but having a former partner talking about their past, their sex life or getting together with someone new would all be pretty wierd.

Assuming I didn't have any real contact with him anymore, I'd probably encourage my friends to keep quiet. It would depend on how serious the relationship was, but you'd risk having the tabloids seeking you out for some gossip. I definitely wouldn't be selling my story, but we all know how easy it is for them to get quotes from 'friends' if people aren't on their guard.

It's probaby really shallow, but if people at work didn't know who they were I'd not say anything for a bit. I'd perhaps say I knew them through friends or something vague, so as not to lie completely, but it could get really stressful if they turned out to be a person the country thought was the biggest loser in the land. It must have been really hard for Liz's friends having her slagged on the radio most days and people in the street assuming you too think she's awful. It might be hard, but can you imagine being an ex-boyfriend - especially seeing what she replaced you with!

Kaz · 16-01-2002, 10:08 AM

What a difficult question to answer, Feefs!

To be totally evasive, I think my reaction would depend on a number of different scenarios:

1. Whether my ex and I had parted on good or bad terms.

2. Whether I had dumped him, or vice versa.

3. Whether the general public loved or hated them.

If we had parted on bad terms, he had dumped me and the general public hated him, then I imagine I would gleefully join in the 'hate' campaign! On the other hand, if we had parted on good terms and I had dumped him, then I might be a lot more inclined to defend him. The permutations are endless!!

In so far as press intrusion is concerned, given my well documented hatred of the tabloids, there wouldn't be a snowball in hell's chance of me giving them any information whatsoever.

I think the position regarding an 'ex' flirting with another housemate would be far less sensitive than if you were actually still going out with the housemate when they went into the house (as in Helen's case).

Sorry I couldn't give a more decisive answer, but it is a great question!!

Romantic Old Bird · 16-01-2002, 02:17 PM

It's a bit of a nightmare scenario. It's been so long since I was young free and single that it's hard to go there mentally.

I did occasionally think about how I would have felt if Paul had been my son, but quoshed those thoughts quickly. To many Oedipus connotations, he's too cute!

However had he been my son, Amma Josh, Elizabeth and possibly Brian would have not escaped the finale party without wishing they could crawl into a small hole.

Not wishing to be too immodest, (as if!) I can say that I am capable of reducing grown men to a quivering wreck when I unleash my (verbal) onslaughts upon them. I never shout or lose control and fear not dear friends, I have only ever done this in defence of my sons, but it has been very effective!

Back to the question. No, I wouldn't have sold a story. I thought the two previous boyfriends of Helen were awful, and obviously were of an entirely different moral character and calibre to Paul.

Mind you I did think that Big G was remarkably circumspect in given the awful situation he found himself in. I am sure the tabloids pursued him relentlessly, and I think that he was probably forced into giving Helen the 'Big E' after the meal because of this. It's just as well he did though given subsequent events.

To be fair to Paul, he did keep thinking about poor old Big G. Even after he threw in the towel and submitted to Helen's advances,

he kept saying to Helen 'When we get out of here, you are going to tell me something about your relationship with Big G which is going to make me feel better aren't you?'

The closest parallel to your question is an interview I saw somewhere with Melanie, Paul's ex, which was really nice.

She said he would have tried not to hurt anyone, and that it was not his style to sleep with Helen in the house. I think I read that in a local Reading rag online, and it probably wasn't done for money.

It would be interesting to know what Elizabeth's friends thought indeed.

Oh, how I laughed when in the final week Dean asked who her best friend at school was (for the getting to know you task) and she said she didn't have one.
Quelle surprise!

Feefs · 16-01-2002, 04:26 PM

Considering how hard the papers will have tried to find some poor Ex that had been subjected to the love rat's charms, I felt justified in assuming he must have been a pretty decent chap. It also indicated that he can't really have gone for the brainless, bimbo, legs up to your armpits types that Amma and Liz assumed. They'd have sold their stories in a flash. The thing that Melanie said was quite reasonable in in keeping with something you'd expect one of your friends to do.

Given my knowledge of what the papers will do, I'd probably become really paranoid and scared to speak to anyone. I suspect you may be right ROB about Big G being hounded by the papers. It seems he said some nasty things, but no doubt under great encouragement. They'll have got him worked up about things and told him he was being made to look a fool and that he should put Helen in her place etc. How would he know that the tabloids would then see this as a great opportunity to endorse tv shagging? He was still a crap boyfriend, so I'm not that sorry.

If it was a serious Ex, one that my family all knew it might get a bit stressful. My parents wouldn't watch BB, so I might be able to prevent them finding out for a bit. The thought of my mother watching him involved in one of their late night discussions about what 'things' they liked is not worth thinking about.

If I felt one of my friends was being misrepresented, either by editing, or by the nasty press I might find it difficult not to open my mouth. This might not actually help them, simply because
1. what you say will be taken out of context
2. even if taken fully within context I'd probably alienate a few more people on their behalf.

I'd maybe instead join a forum like this one and do some major campaigning.

LEE · 17-01-2002, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Feefs
I'd maybe instead join a forum like this one and do some major campaigning.

So you'd have become a 'Cyber Warrior' like Sticks!!!!

Romantic Old Bird · 18-01-2002, 09:33 AM

What IS a Cyber warrior anyway?

An electronic Scarlet Pimpernel or Lone Ranger? Pacman, or Sonic the hedgehog?

Some one who surfs the net looking for evil doings, who defends the weak?

Perhaps Sticks could enlighten me.

Mark · 18-01-2002, 04:23 PM

I was wondering that as well!!!

Sticks maybe you can tell us!!!

Mark

cc100 · 22-06-2002, 03:06 PM

"He was still a crap boyfriend, so I'm not that sorry."

How do u know this? please explain

what was it about him that would make p feel better?

Romantic Old Bird · 22-06-2002, 03:23 PM

cc, I don't know where feefs is, she hasn't posted for about 6 weeks and we are all really worried. I am sure she was referring to Helen's comments in the 'heat' article in August 2001. Helen said 'all my other boyfriends have been shitty' and when asked to elaborate gave the example of them selling their stories to the newspapers.

I don't know what Helen eventually told Paul that was going to make him feel better about the whole Big G thing.

I could speculate that he was involved with more than one woman, especially as he admitted to having broken it off with her several times during their year of dating.

He said this was because Helen was jealous of him going out with other women 'friends'. I'm with Helen on that one. I've seen a few of our friends doing that, and every one of them has ended up in tears.

That's what I think, anyway!

But Feefs, if you're there old friend, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE respond! We miss you!