BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 5 Episode #4: Esther Rantzen

[Nick29]

I must also echo what was said about the mention of the Warsaw Ghetto rising...in the context of this episode and Esther's family history, it was completely irrelevant.  It strikes me that whenever they research someone with Jewish ancestry, there's an unspoken rule that they must shoehorn a mention about the Nazis in there somewhere.

What absolute rubbish !   

What moved Ms Rantzen to tears was that she had lived a life of relative luxury, whilst some of her ancestors were not so lucky.  What were the producers of the show supposed to do to to explain the total lack of buildings in the area of Poland where her ancestors came from ?   Make something up ?  Or just ignore it ?  She appeared to be weeping tears of both joy and guilt, IMHO.

[Hackstaple]

Quite the most full of the entire series so far. False reactions, a ridiculous reference to Warsaw Uprising - I agree it was too far out of context.

I am an Israel sympathizer but we have had  this topic when it was justified. Not everything can be about the Nazis.

The research was flimsy and sometimes very basic. 

[cuthie]

I found it interesting enough, but how I wish Esther hadn't giggled her way through it so much.  I was rather taken aback that she hadn't known about her Polish connections.   Cuthie

[Nick29]

Quite the most full of the entire series so far. False reactions, a ridiculous reference to Warsaw Uprising - I agree it was too far out of context.

I am an Israel sympathizer but we have had  this topic when it was justified. Not everything can be about the Nazis.

The research was flimsy and sometimes very basic. 

In just about every programme that WDYTYA have made,  they have attempted to take people to the area where their ancestors originated, and to the house when it is still standing.  They did it with Ms Rantzen in Queens Square, London.  They also did it this time in Poland, and found a huge area which had been obviously obliterated by something, and that something was explained.  It has absolutely nothing to do with being an "Israel sympathiser".  I am not Jewish, and I have no sympathy for the modern state of Israel, but when facts are there and relevant (and this was relevant), then they should be reported.

[Necromancer]

I see this thread is going the way of the Boris J. one ..... personal remarks about  the subject's looks or clothing really dont add to the discussion .   

Must admit that I was rather distracted by Esther's appearance. She looked as if she's had some cosmetic procedure in certain area of her face but not in others. I'm all for looking good but as well as the programme seeming quite odd to me, Esther's appearance did too!

Loved the pink handbag though! (Sorry fellas, it's a girlie thing!)

The other thing that annoyed was her strolling past each gap in the street when she was on her way to meet someone - those shoes and handbag!! She does tend to like pink doesn't she?

For goodness sake - and who are we to judge her reactions ?

 

[davidft]

Was very amused when she welcomed (rather stiffly, I thought) the "old lady" into her home then it was revealed that this was her sister! 

......And the best bit is that her sister is actually three years younger than her !!!!!  

[JustinL]

I did not find Esther particuarly engaging, not that I was ever a fan of 'That's Life' anyway.

Nonetheless, I did find parts of the programme quite interesting for purely personal reasons. My Jewish ggf (and his christian wife) were in South Africa and Jo'burg at the same time as Barnato. When they returned to London in 1896, they lived in Sutherland Avenue.

However, I have to agree with the majority of postings that the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto was not directly relevant. There was no suggestion that other branches of the Rantzen family were still in Warsaw 80 or 90 years after her ancestors had emigrated. And after that passage of time, the old house would have been ready for destruction anyway. Esther's claim to feel survivor's guilt belittled the very real emotions felt by those that did live through and genuinely survive those times.

Justin

[Roobarb]

I see this thread is going the way of the Boris J. one ..... personal remarks about  the subject's looks or clothing really dont add to the discussion .   

Must admit that I was rather distracted by Esther's appearance. She looked as if she's had some cosmetic procedure in certain area of her face but not in others. I'm all for looking good but as well as the programme seeming quite odd to me, Esther's appearance did too!

Loved the pink handbag though! (Sorry fellas, it's a girlie thing!)

The other thing that annoyed was her strolling past each gap in the street when she was on her way to meet someone - those shoes and handbag!! She does tend to like pink doesn't she?

For goodness sake - and who are we to judge her reactions ?

Those things were all part of the programme and as I said, distracted me from the content. This post was moved from The Common Room to The Lighter Side and that's what these comments were - light. Having a discussion doesn't mean it all has to be as dry as dust.

[Susan_131]

I am such a sad person that I looked up the Barney Barnarto person - quite a bit about him including an interesting article by Scilla Rantzen (sister) where the relationship between Barnarto and her grandmother Sarah Isaac is established.
She does however support the lack of knowledge of any inheritance from him and obviously the programme explored the connection much more because of the vast sums of money acquired by this chap.
It has tainted the programme slightly for me because I think there was prior knowledge.

I was involved a little helping with some research for this programme.  It was made last summer (2007) and nothing was easily available then connecting the Rantzens to the Barnatos. Scilla must have used the information her sister found out when making the programme to write her article, it certainly wasn't the other way around.