[LEE]

The second part of my mammoth interview with Josh is now available for your read.

CLICK HERE

Part Two, is about twice as long as Part One so be prepared!!

Enjoy.

[susieq]

Good interview LEE. I know this will probably sound silly cos it was an interview with him, but he comes across as very 'me, me, me'. It's also nice to know he does things for charity but he seemed to play that same card over and over again. OK Josh, we get the message - you're really a nice guy.

That makes me sound really horrible and I'm sure you will have a much clearer opinion of him and he probably comes over very differently in person.

Anyway, good interview and good questions. By the way - good photo LEE, nice to see what our friends on here look like.


PS - wonder why he's never spoken to Paul?

[Romantic Old Bird]

Well done Lee! I hope you're lying down in a darkened room now!

You obviously took to the bloke during the interview! The whole experience comes over as relaxed and interesting. I think your questions were original, and I'm sure he found this a pleasant change.

Susieq, I suspect that it is hard not to sound a bit self-centred when you are being asked about yourself! However, I think he did sound rather self absorbed, and very focussed on what it meant for him, which is fair enough, I suppose.

I think Josh was aware that quite a good few of us on here like Paul, and was maybe using a little discretion. I'm fairly sure he doesn't like him, and hasn't forgiven him for the 'slimey etc ' remarks.
Actually, I don't think it's as strong as dislike, I think he and probably Elizabeth and a few of the others don't rate Paul highly enough to care either way.

Whatever, he managed to skate round it pretty well! I think it was very good of him to give so much time and consideration to his interview with Lee, and I'm sure if I met him I would probably get on very well with him too. The opinions I express on here are somewhat liberated, and of course they are based on the albeit considerable footage of a few weeks behaviour and interaction in the house.

I think he made a very good point when he said that people ask him about very specific incidents of which he has no recollection. Why would he? I can't remember whther or not I told my friends something, and often repeat myself.

These interviews are excellent because they introduce a very effective reality check! We need to find out what all these people are like in the outside world. I think we probably know what Helen is like already.

I would like a chance to see if I could take to the person everyone else in the house saw in Elizabeth. I know I would like Dean. I, of course would love to chat to Paul. I think if he were relaxed and comfortable in someone's presence, he would be so different. The lad we saw going in to the house was open, friendly and a bit silly, not completely himself I'm sure, no-one was at that stage. He was described by Penny, Brian and Narinder as 'sweet'. Josh said he was the friendliest and most open and welcoming bloke when he came into the house late. Through successive nominations Paul became the person I imagine most of the housemates remember. Defensive, awkward, isolated, and inarticulate. I'd really like to meet the back to normal, 'chilled', happy and optimistic Paul Clarke!

So, I think the interviews you are doing are excellent Lee. I'm very envious of course.

Talking about reality checks, (which I was anyway) last nights' Frasier certainly gave me a jolt! He obsessively taped all his broadcasts, and one was ruined by Daphne. Unable to cope with the spectre of his incomplete collection, he put out a plea for any of his listeners who had recorded it to come forward.

The chap who had recorded them was portrayed as a complete weirdo, who had even written transcripts of the recordings! This was considered deeply disturbing behaviour.

Oh-My-God! I need help, I've actually transcribed bits of BB2 to post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Lee, I just have to do that Paul interview for you to help my recovery...

[LEE]

The chap who had recorded them was portrayed as a complete weirdo, who had even written transcripts of the recordings! This was considered deeply disturbing behaviour.

OMG, We're all doomed here then!!

I must admit I had a little smile to myself when Josh said about how the public remembered things much better than he did and how everyone seemed to remember their favourite moment or phrase. Some of our conversations on here definately came to mind.

[Feefs]

That was really interesting reading LEE - you really did have a long chat. Well done for keeping his attention and avoiding the usual questions. I'd question that he's moved beyond BB and is now just Josh Rafter, but he certainly isn't relying on that tag.

I'm still not sure I'd ever be friends with someone like Josh, but he comes across as very personable. It's quite harsh to compare your opinions on BB contestants to people in your normal circle. They probably manage to hide their less pleasant moments, or get exposed to such scrutiny and only do drunken annoying things when I'm drunk and annoying too.

I have to say I can't quite bring myself to go along with the 'never nominated so must be nice' theory on Elizabeth. I feel uncomfortable with some of the criticisms of her, and I couldn't care less if she really is that boring, but it was very easy to spot her influencing people and being superior. I don't even think it was nasty, or part of some great scheme, but very annoying to watch none the less.

After all, Nasty Nick was the most popular contestant amongst the housemates last year before he got rumbled. It is perhaps a little unfair for Liz, because it was the difference in popularity between the public and contestants that made the public like her even less. If she'd been evicted earlier, people wouldn't have thought so much of it.

One thing I would like to know, and I can't believe you didn't ask this LEE - in his vision of him in 15 years time - how were his pecs?

[Di2001]

This made just as interesting reading as part 1. Thanks everso much for your hard work, LEE.



(PS - great photos!!)

[LEE]

Susie

I’ve just re-read the interview and I think I am probably partly to blame for Josh being a little bit repetitive in what he said.

I may not have asked the same question twice, but I did let the conversation meander a bit and several of my questions led towards very similar answers. I’m sure if I was a more experienced interviewer I would have been able to inspire him to a few more original answers and not be quite so repetitive.

I did mean to ask him why he hadn’t seen Paul, but the conversation drifted in other directions and as I never wrote it down I forgot. Maybe Feefs is right and that Josh still remembers some of the things that Paul said and doesn’t really want to see him. I can understand this, but they will never bury their differences if they don’t meet up, I mean look at Amma and Paul, they didn’t get on at all in the house and seem to get on quite well now.

With the chairty thing as well, I think that as Josh had just spent a very hectic 2 days doing charity work it was probably at the forefront of his mind.

One thing I would like to know, and I can't believe you didn't ask this LEE - in his vision of him in 15 years time - how were his pecs?

How did I not think of that one. Next time I see him I’ll definitely ask!

[Feefs]

Originally posted by LEE
Maybe Feefs is right and that Josh still remembers some of the things that Paul said and doesn’t really want to see him. I can understand this, but they will never bury their differences if they don’t meet up, I mean look at Amma and Paul, they didn’t get on at all in the house and seem to get on quite well now.

It wasn't me that came up with that theory, but I'm tempted to agree with it, and your opinion on how to move beyond it. However Paul and Josh did do the Virgin Radio thing and superficially at least seemed to be getting on well when Josh did the handover. He also rang in the next day to say Paul was doing a great job and wish him well for the rest of the week. It seemed very promising for them getting on, but I did wonder on the Friday when they were all in the studio. Josh made a couple of comments that Paul laughed off, but I thought were intended to make Paul look silly and revealed a continuing resentment - at least subconsiously.

Of course, this could be me reading far too much into it. After all Josh only met up with Helen recently, and had previously mentioned them as a couple as people he hadn't seen. They couldn't make it to Dean's wedding and until recently weren't even living in London with spare weekends spent in Wales. They'd made a conscious decision to avoid going to many of the events where they might have met Josh, and presumably needed to spend their spare time together and in private. Josh and co will glean lots of support from each other and will enjoy talking about their shared BB internment experiences, but P&H had each other, and talking about it en mass would bring back akward memories of Big G etc.

If you add to that they've been buying a house that needs lots of work, Paul's gone back to work at least part-time and not in London, then I think not seeing the others regularly isn't very significant. As Josh said, he's got enough problems keeping up with his older friends and it's reasonble they should come first.

However, I would like to think that when this house/maisonette thingy is habitable and they're settled that they'll have them all round to visit.

I also have to say I can't blame Josh for seeming to talk about his good works so much. It's current and more interesting to him than going back over the events of last Summer, and presumably more interesting than his business. He's also fully acknowledged how much he personally gains from the charity work and that the real hard work is done by the uknown people on the ground.

[Honey]

Wow! what a long read. Congratulations LEE excellent work.
Sorry if I offend any Josh fans, I can assure you this is not my intention.
However, try as he might to convince me/us that he really is a fun and lively guy unlike he was in the house, I'm afraid my opinion of Josh still hasn't changed for alot of reasons, one of which is that I actually found him to be very agressive in alot of ways. I'm sure what we all saw on our tv screens was the 'real' Josh. But it was Josh not coping very successfully in a tough situation, so unfortunately for him this was not quite how he would have liked us to have seen him, and I'm not talking about just the carefully edited programmes on Channel 4. I think he is trying to kid himself and us, and seems desperate to justify himself. If he hadn't wallowed in self pity and the glory of being hard done by continuously, he might have got on much better. I can understand that what I have said may sound harsh but I'm afraid it's just how I feel.
My apologies to you LEE, I certainly do not want my opinion to take anything away from the fact that your interview was a really good read and that you did an excellent job, thank you!

[susieq]

I?ve just re-read the interview and I think I am probably partly to blame for Josh being a little bit repetitive in what he said.

I?m sure if I was a more experienced interviewer I would have been able to inspire him to a few more original answers and not be quite so repetitive.

Don't run ourself down LEE you did a fab job. My remarks weren't meant as any kind of criticism of either you or your interviewing skills rather a general feeling that came through from his answers.

Your questions were varied it seemed to be his method of answering them that kept leading the conversation back to his "good works".

Anyway, as I said previously, you were in a much better position that us to guage how he is in 'real life' and perhaps because it's because it's down in cold, hard print, without the benefit of the all important visual 'clues' we give off when we speak, he seemed to be rather self absorbed.

I might not have taken to him on BB2, and not really revised my opinion of him since but your interview was still a good read and it's always interesting to hear from the BB2 housemates - although I may make an exception if it was jumper wearing Betty!!

[Graeme]

good interview LEE, I liked the pictures aswell must have been a great experiance for you to meet Josh. It would be for me anyway. ( I'd probably pass out when I set eyes on him!!!)

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[kaphc]

Wow LEE, that is one heck of a good interview. I really liked the fact that you kept in depth and let Josh get on and speak for himself.

I was soooo excited when I started off reading part 2 and my question was there!

It also seems like the housemates have kept in touch much more this year than they did on BB1, which I think is cool. I think the idea of them being available to talk to this year's lot is a great one too (I'd love to be a fly on the wall for those chats!)

LEE, do you know if there is a copy of his reality TV article anywhere on the net? I think it would make interesting reading!

[Maggie]

Thank you Lee for your hard work, a good read

Thanks LEE!! Very good interview and sooooo lucky to meet the guy, sounds so nice in this interview!