Heather Mills McCartney

[gothfairy]

I am sick of hearing about her too, but I couldn't resist seeing what the RM ladies thought about her. OK, so she has got everyone talking about her, but then, that was the object of the exercise wasn't it? Or was it? Or you a sceptic who thinks she has just done this, against the advice of all those around her, just as a PR stunt, for attention, think that she should have been more circumspect, more ladylike even, and kept her mouth shut? Is she another of these 'celebs' who court publicity when it suits them, then moan when it doesn't? Or does she have a valid point? Did she have the right to liken herself to Madeline McCanns mother either?

[Pippa]

Not a lot of sympathy for her, she was offered enough money in the first place, but I do think that jokes about her amputation are in extremely bad taste and could reflect badly of other young amputees. Also the tabloid press are gutter snipes, but the interview was a bad move and she should just get on with her charity work quietly and keep a low profile for the child's sake. There's my 5 penneth for what its worth.

[dinger]

I think she has made a real mess of whatever it was she hoped to gain from her outbursts .If she was trying to make a point rather think it has gone the wrong way for her .

[Serenity]

Why oh why if she is so sick of the press would she go on an all day interview spree, it was bound to stir things up. She is either a scheming moneygrabber or someone on the brink of losing it - I'm not sure which.

[keepersdaughter]

I really am so tired of all of the celebrities shoved in our faces every day. No a day goes by when we don't get feed seemingly every detail of Brittany Spears, Lindsay's, Paris', Nicole's or whoever happens to be thrown into the public eye, at the moment. Some of the celebrities obviously court the publicity themselves, it's like they are addicted to being in the limelight. Any attention good or bad. Narcicissm maybe?. Heather Mills was shown on TV over here this morning, and I did feel sorry for her. Only she and Paul McCartney know the truth and the fact is it's no-one else's business what went on in their marriage. And to be honest I don't care about the intimate details of celebrities lives and I'm tired of the media thinking it their responsibilty to keep everyone apprised of every step they make. A whole industry has evolved from this, but it's really become out of balance I feel. Many celebrities seem to manage to keep a low profile, it just seems to be the same certain few who can be relied on to thrust themselves onto the front pages by their behaviour. I suppose I would rather keep celebrities on a pedestal, focusing only on their art, or craft or whatever you call it. It is, however, interesting too to see their more everyday side as it were, just not all the dirty laundry all the time. Likening herself to Kate McCann is apples and oranges really.

[JerseyLily]

She's just another "waste of space" celeb and in it for the money she can make from writing her story of forlorn ex-wife who was a first-class gold digger. As for Macca, I don't sympathise there either as he walked right into what happened as a result of an old man marrying a bimbo young enough to be his daughter. Serve him right, I say.

The K M saga of missing child seems to be more about the parents than the child, so maybe that's why Heather Mills can see resemblence to her own case in terms of media attention. Each woman is playing to the press, if for differing reasons.

[eleanor2]

our local radio presenter this morning was very emphatical that she had no right what soever to liken herself to the mcannes.you could tell by his voice he didn't like what she had done or was doing to paul.i feel sorry for paul after losing the wife he had always loved and honoured.a wife who loved and honoured him. he fell for heathers charms.he would have been hurt and lonely for love.obviously his dream turned into a nightmare.

[Oola]

Well of course you all know I like Paul McCartney, but I think the papers have taken it too far with Heather and she's cracking.

I think the media today misconstrued what was said by her yesterday - she didn't liken herself personally to the Kate McCann, she likened her situation and the paparazzi's treatment of individuals in the spotlight. It's very easy for comments to be taken and twisted by others and the media as a means of attack, rather than objective journalism (if such a thing exists).

I do have sympathy for her, I think because she can't live up to the public or media's expectations as a really approachable and outwardly seeming warm person, she has become an easy target. I believe in her own mind she was trying to give her side of the story, even if to others it's clearly not the most productive or constructive way of doing things. Even on small chat forums or with neighbourhood gossip it's easy for one comment to be taken and used against you once someone's decided that they have a certain agenda, so on a nationwide scale where people really do believe what is published, I imagine it can drive you a bit nuts. Having to continually hold your tongue and try not to feed the papers by hitting back (knowing full well that words can be edited and twisted) must be very hard. I don't think any of us can really empathise, we've not gone through what either Paul or Heather have gone through, we don't know the whole story and we've not been in the situation (I hope) of receiving things like hate mail, death threats and continual bad press. Although not blameless, I genuinely believe it's not all of her own making.

The question is really, why do people seem to want more and more? I just think Heather isn't particularly media-savvy and I can imagine why when continual accusations are made, she felt like she wanted to give her side of the story and try and make people see how the British media can destroy people, without publishing factual and objective stories. The thing is, I think she was trying to fix something that can't necessarily be fixed that easily. The more she tries, the more she's accused of doing things for a certain motive, to the point where she can't do anything without someone saying "oh it's only because of this or that". Must be very hard.

As I said, I don't know what went on behind closed doors, but why should I? They're entitled to a private life, they're not public property after all. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but they're not necessarily fair opinions given that not all the facts have been made known. Or perhaps I should say people should not be so quick to judge based on the fact that we don't know all the facts, and what we are fed by the media isn't necessarily unbiased or fair in itself.

[jazzactivist]

I don't have a lot of sympathy for either HMM or PM. If he did hit her then it was wrong and she should have dealt with it as all other women are encouraged to do - by phoning the police at the time and having him charged. I think that jokes about her amputation are in bad taste and are probably against the law, but I also think that the Napoleon complex of likening herself to 2 women who have suffered a serious loss is also in bad taste. My view is that she married him quite late in both of their lives, and not for long, so her settlement should only be for what she contributed to their marriage and, of course, to cover their child's needs.

I agree with Oola that the government should do something to curb the British press with regard to intrusion into people's lives, and about the resultant celebrity rubbish that is pased off as news.

[lily]

Maybe if peole weren't so obsessed with vacuous celebrities the whole thing would fade away. Widening the discussion (or going off at a tangent) I really can't see the attraction with Kate Moss. I see prettier girls all around every time I go out and no doubt with more personality too. As to HMM, just how much money can one woman + child need?

[dinger]

The thing with newspaper publicity is todays news is tomorrows fish and chip paper.

[Katelb]

I agree with you there dinger,but the press will never leave it at that will they.They seem obsessed with 'dishing whatever dirt' they can find ...or fabricate if necessary.... simply to sell whatever rag they represent/work for.They are all guilty of handling the truth carelessly whatever news item they are reporting,and in in my humble opinion are responsible for a great many situations bing blown up out of all proportion;there is probably only a small percentage of credibility in any story and for that reason,if I read a paper,I take journalism with a large pinch of salt. I am afraid that sounds a little cynical but it seems to be the case these days and applies in abundance to the on -going saga of 'The Mcartney's divorce' with which I don't have much sympathy except perhaps for the child.