Famous, Rich and in the Slums
 

Anyone else watch it?

Left with so many emotions and a smack in the face of reality and a huge portion of perspective.

I wasn't going to watch it but so glad I did now. 2nd part next week.

I agree. I am very cynical about these sorts of things to be honest, but thought it was an excellent programme.

Angela Ripoff was the most impressive for me. Will definitely watch it next week.

Do you think they were ever in any real sort of danger though?

Asif

I did but wasnt expecting it to be so powerfull shock of reality. Makes me feel extremely lucky to be in the position me and my family are in.

The one thing I said to the Mrs was there was no way on this Earth Samantha Womack was being left alone there. A white blonde woman in that environment. Also for any of them the risk of kidnap/ransom means it would have been impossible to have left them on their own.

I thought Reggie and Lenny really came across well. Reggie when he thought about his upbringing and then compared it to what that 7 year old had - a cesspit and a pig really upset him.

And they guy selling the samosas who thought it was more important that he paid Lenny for his work than take the money back and pay for his kid to get medical help knowing one of his kids had already died from similar symptoms. And he knew his life had no hope but he kept smiling for his kids so they didn't see him miserable.

Really was an eye opener, not to even mention the woman who gave birth to a dead baby on the hospital floor and then had to walk home afterwards and had no family or money yet just had to carry on.

Next weeks is going to be compelling viewing.

That is one big mofo of a slum isnt it :eek:

Im sure iv been seeing it on the box for some years tho , so im surprised our aid/ the government cant do something for the drainage situation ,guess they wont cos they
they want it to remain a slum - or bulldoze it like Mugabe did the one outside Harare :(

Makes Soweto look nice !

Yes it was a good and genuinely moving programme. The easy option is to say "I've seen it all before" and watch something else.

What always frustrates me is the fact that the government, Kenya in this case, almost totally ignores the situation. OK they can't afford to build a million houses but they do have the resources to put in some basic water and sewerage systems and perhaps a few electricity cables while they are at it.

dl

I watched it whilst the old man was up the pub and he came home and immediately stated that I looked a wreck cos I'd been crying so much! Thanks love ;)

Seriously, what a way to live. I give massive kudos to those celebrities, especially Reggie who did actually empty those toilets! I mean, how disgusting! And I love Lenny for giving back that money. He could afford to pay for that family for the rest of their lives, so some could say it was a hollow gesture, but the strength of the father not wanting to accept the money, really melted my heart....

I think this is a different tactic for these programmes, we usually see poor people in rural communities without water and basic hygiene, but to see people living like this on top of each other and with open cesspits outside their door, is another level of shock. I'd liek to show this to some of the ungrateful young people I have to work with when they say they won't get out of bed for less than £200 a week... How's about £1.5 a day??? :mad:

I only caught the second half of the programme but will watch it on iPlayer later.

I actually opened this thread with a wince, expecting some lazy arsed cynical ****e to be tearing chunks out of Lenny and co.
I needn't have worried it seems. :)

Loads of credit to them all for putting themselves out there and raising awareness and hopefully something more.
Their reactions and tears seemed entirely genuine and I was swallowing bricks towards the end when Lenny was trying so hard to hold himself together.
Brilliantly moving stuff.

Anything with Lenny Bl00dy Henry in it gets turned off, immediately.

Happened to flick it onto `Day Break` yesterday, where they mentioned they were going to interview Lenny Bl00dy Henry. The camera shot went to Lenny Bl00dy Henry, who pulled a silly face and pointed to his big Red nose.

Camera shot went back to the Irish T*rt who looked at the Camera, and said "He's on form". WTF :cuckoo:

Pull a dumb face and point to a Red nose, and that is being "On Form"? :rolleyes:

Speak of the devil.

Yeah, I have to agree with you that I thought the holier than thou Snetters would be about saying how set up it was etc. etc. but was pleasantly surprised that everyone was being complimentary. What a shame.... :rolleyes:

I didn't see any red noses on the documentary? dl

Thats what was good about the program, it ripped into that sort of attitude. If a white, good looking blonde walked down your street would you expect her to get kidnapped or raped. Of course not, but in a black ghetto we expect that might happen. The program showed that even in extreme poverty you can still be a decent human being, with morals and manners. They are not bad people, they are just in a bad situation.

The big question is: When so little money, makes such a big difference why do we do so little to help. (not making a judgement, just asking)

Partly because of he numbers involved. There are slums like that on a huge scale throughout the world.

And those of us who are lucky enough to have a decent home simply like to block out the reality (and I include myself).

Really the only way is for countries themselves to do more.

dl

You are joking right? Did you watch the entire program? They clearly stated no one hardly goes out after 8pm as it is not safe due to muggings and rape and gang related violence and drugs.

Yes of course there are decent human beings living there and we saw them on the program but don't be so naive to say they are all like that and it is a safe place for outsiders to be. It most certainly wasn't.

I truly hate seeing people living in these conditions throughout the world, and yes it makes me feel guilty every time I see it knowing how priviledged we are in the West. Programmes like this show what human beings will endure to survive and just how densly populated some areas have become.

This world is a harsh place goverened mainly by where you have the misfortune to be born into it, but what happens if we put an end to the poverty in an already over populated world?

Christ tonight's made last weeks look easy. Absolutely shocking and so glad 'Mr Lenny' did what he did. What a life those kids had.

People wouldnt need to produce 6 offspring in the hope that 1 or 2 would survive ?, so perhaps your talking bull****e .

Glad lenny got them out of that place , whats the chances he paid doulbe bubble :D

It makes you think about life for sure and what a wasteful society we are.

+1.

I am glad Lenny Henry stepped in and moved that orphaned family out of the toilet they where living in and the other three helped those they where staying with. I flicked over to Relocation, Relocation for a minute or so to see a youngish couple house hunting with 450k, normally i would have enjoyed viewing the properties but tbh it made it feel wrong, given what i had seen on Rich, Famous and in the slums.

I did the same and thought the same!

So sad again, I would have done exactly the same if I was Lenny and could afford it. Shame there isn't enough money in the world to sort this out.... Or is there?

Easily i would imagine.

Have a look at the slum on google earth. Right next door is a golf course.

http://www.satellite-sightseer.com/id/11552

quite incredible

Like him or loathe him he was the founder of the comic relief charity which has so far raised £400million to fund education, immunization, rebuilding, and community work in the United Kingdom and around the world so I would say a BIG :thumb: to Lenny.

Chip