Mary Whitehouse

[Richard1978]

What are people's memories of Mary Whitehouse, founder of NLVA?

I first remember her being spoofed in Oink! by the character Mary Lighthouse.

My Dad can remember she had some valid points about TV in the 1960's, but quickly became self parodying & picking fault too often to really be taken seriously.

Doctor Who was one show she was particularly critical of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Whitehouse

[Sly]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

By the time I was old enough to be aware of who she was, she was nothing but a parody. In some of her arguments I can see where she is coming from, although you have to look upon 99% of she said with total bemusement. It's easy to see why people made fun of her.

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

I remember her well! Tight curly hair, marge proops type glasses, scratchy woollen twin set and pearls type. But, I can see where she was coming from too, she had strong morals and that's not such a bad thing is it? In retrospect we need someone like her?


However, they named an Adult Magazine called "WHITEHOUSE" in the early/mid seventies !!! (My Husband informed me !! he will be questioned about this later!) I reckon it might have been a jibe at her strong moral beliefs?

[Sly]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

You had the 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience' too. It was a comedy show, although I remember very little about it.

[Marine Boy]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

Looking back, I think she did occasionally make a good point, but generally she was far too critical of stuff that really wasn't that bad. But perhaps we need her today. Episodes of 'The Bill' that ten years ago were deemed too violent to go out before nine o'clock, now go out in daytime!

[darren]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

if you remember she was very against the video nasties of the eighties.
claiming that the influenced people to go out and do what they saw in the films.

[Finnthedude]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

Whilst she may have had the odd good point she was one of those people I really despise - those people who think they know what's good for us, cos they know best. She became a parody of herself because that's what she deserved to become.
In a recent Antiques Roadshow her grown up children appeared with some of her original writings and whatnot. They basically said she wasn't much of a mother to them as she was always too busy with her campaigning. Maybe she should have got her own priorities right before telling others what to think.

Cheers,
Finnthedude.

[darren]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

[QUOTE=Finnthedude;161762]Whilst she may have had the odd good point she was one of those people I really despise - those people who think they know what's good for us, cos they know best. She became a parody of herself because that's what she deserved to become.
In a recent Antiques Roadshow her grown up children appeared with some of her original writings and whatnot. They basically said she wasn't much of a mother to them as she was always too busy with her campaigning. Maybe she should have got her own priorities right before telling others what to think.

Cheers,
yes she sure had the attitude that she always knew better.
never knew that about her kids and hat they say of her.
but she always came across as not the bicest of people Finn.

And she sure campaigned hard when it came to the video nasties and what she thought of them.

[80sChav]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

From what I know (knew of Mary) Mary was most famous for her disgust about Grange Hill's antics in it's very early day's and not liking Children's behaviour as it portrayed it. This is one of the few thing's, if only memories that I know about Mary - being a massive Grange Hill fan. Imagine if she knew what School's were like today, that be one scary scary thought to not relish thinking about/of.

[DemonEyeX]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

My problem with her was that she was known to rarely watch the same programmes & films that she was so willing to complain about.

[fatpizzaman]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

I never thought much of her, she was a fun police. You cannot legislate morality.

[philipdalton]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

"My problem with her was that she was known to rarely watch the same programmes & films that she was so willing to complain about".

I think in many cases she wouldn't have needed to, it would've been enough for her just to be told what happened in the film or programme. She is noted for having complained about the showing of the film 'Scum' on Channel 4, which had never been shown on TV prior to that. The film caused quite a stir at the time and may have been the first ever shown on TV to contain a homosexual rape scene.

[philipdalton]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

Here's a bit of info on 'Scum':

http://www.britishdrama.org.uk/scum.html

[darren]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

well GH portrayed kids in the right way.
kids of that age would do things like they did in grange hill at that age.



she complained about a dr who story deadly assassin at the end of part 3 where tom had hishead held underwater.

From what I know (knew of Mary) Mary was most famous for her disgust about Grange Hill's antics in it's very early day's and not liking Children's behaviour as it portrayed it. This is one of the few thing's, if only memories that I know about Mary - being a massive Grange Hill fan. Imagine if she knew what School's were like today, that be one scary scary thought to not relish thinking about/of.

[Back to the Eighties]

Re: Mary Whitehouse

I always remember her really hating Doctor Who and the A-Team. Which made me want to watch them even more, to be honest.