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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP

2

Comments

  • Sad news - RIP. One of the good guys.  
  • rananegra
    rananegra Posts: 3,689
    Very sad about this one. Saw him do his music a couple of years ago and he was great, I enjoyed his poetry. I know a lot of people who've worked with him and no one had a bad word to say. @seth plum mentioned he was vegan and he was always up front about it, but unlike a lot of vegans, he was very much leading by example and not judgemental. 
    He was also up front about when he had been badly behaved and talked about how he turned his life around from a lad with a difficult upbringing in a home with domestic violence, jail time, and more. And he was able to talk to people from backgrounds that weren't privileged. A truly sad loss - I am sure he had more to give.


  • Richard J
    Richard J Posts: 8,032
    Was he an Addick?

    His name appeared in the programme today.
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,521
    Believe he was Villa but must have had some Charlton connection? 
  • Don’t know but noticed his name came up on the big screen before the match at the end of the roll call of those who had passed away.
  • Same here, good to see it, but I would like to know more if anyone has extra intel.
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,521

  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    Saw his name come up on the screen and wondered the the same, as I knew he was a Brummie. A little light googling definitely confirms him as a Villa fan. I can’t see any Charlton connection other than he once played a gig in Charlton Park. 
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,521
    Did he live locally? 
  • Did he live locally? 
    Used to live around the corner from me in East Ham many years ago but first I've heard of any connection to us. Always thought he was a Villa fan. 
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  • Could have just been a name that someone sent in and was added. 

    I send my godfathers name in a few years ago and some how, someone made a mistake and put me down as having passed (I haven't got a common surname). They also included my godfather. 

    Loved the reactions I got from people I know who saw it.
  • Richard J
    Richard J Posts: 8,032
    So presumably on the same basis Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend will be added when the time comes.
  • Richard J said:
    So presumably on the same basis Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend will be added when the time comes.
    Who?
  • shirty5
    shirty5 Posts: 19,221
    Richard J said:
    Was he an Addick?

    His name appeared in the programme today.
    Fair play. No idea from the big screen 
  • Perhaps he was a Peterborough fan as he lived nearby?
  • stop_shouting
    stop_shouting Posts: 3,679
    edited January 2024
    Obviously someone on a wind up. I can’t imagine there’s a vetting process as kidbrooke addicks post confirms! I imagine if appletons name had been put forward it would have got through!
  • rananegra
    rananegra Posts: 3,689
    Did he do work with CACT? We all wondered why his name was there as he was well known as Villa
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,559
    Being flippant here but do the Club just accept any name sent to them? Maybe there should be some check against the club database? 
  • Airman Brown
    Airman Brown Posts: 15,734
    Being flippant here but do the Club just accept any name sent to them? Maybe there should be some check against the club database? 
    Not the first time. 
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,845
    I mean, it's not the funniest "prank" you'll ever hear of, nor is it particularly offensive (in my view) but it does beg the question as to what you need to do to get on the list.

    I don't think there should be an obligation to check the names against the clubs database as plenty of lapsed fans wont be on there and ultimately this sort of thing has to rely on trust to a great extent. 

    But if our "friends" down the road get wind of this then next year can we expect to see "P Pot", "I Amin" or "H Cripps" on the list? 
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  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    To be fair to the club, not everyone knows who everyone is. BZ was reasonably well known, but not well known enough to stop Mrs Stig infuriatingly asking, "who's he then?" every time he appeared on Pointless. Also, just because someone who's reasonably famous has an unusual name, doesn't mean that they are the only person with it. It's probably expecting a bit much to want the club to double check every name they're given. 

    That said I've just told them of the tragic car crash yesterday when Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin an Mickey Mouse all died on the way home from The Valley. Let's see if that makes the programme. 
  • I found his poetry underwhelming and his style got a bit waring after awhile. But he clearly believed in what he droaned on about and in a world where noone believes in anything anymore ...that's at least something. I hope he rests in peace. 
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034
    Off_it said:
    I mean, it's not the funniest "prank" you'll ever hear of, nor is it particularly offensive (in my view) but it does beg the question as to what you need to do to get on the list.

    I don't think there should be an obligation to check the names against the clubs database as plenty of lapsed fans wont be on there and ultimately this sort of thing has to rely on trust to a great extent. 

    But if our "friends" down the road get wind of this then next year can we expect to see "P Pot", "I Amin" or "H Cripps" on the list? 
    Only add deceased supporters with 300+ loyalty points or Valley Gold to the list in future years!
  • se9addick said:
    Off_it said:
    I mean, it's not the funniest "prank" you'll ever hear of, nor is it particularly offensive (in my view) but it does beg the question as to what you need to do to get on the list.

    I don't think there should be an obligation to check the names against the clubs database as plenty of lapsed fans wont be on there and ultimately this sort of thing has to rely on trust to a great extent. 

    But if our "friends" down the road get wind of this then next year can we expect to see "P Pot", "I Amin" or "H Cripps" on the list? 
    Only add deceased supporters with 300+ loyalty points or Valley Gold to the list in future years!
    Further potential qualifiers:- 

    - Attended Full Members Cup games v Birmingham and Bradford at Selhurst Park.
    - Stood in the rain at Yeovil.
    - Attended any one of the promotion games at Carlisle.
    - Burnt wooden seats on a bonfire in the middle of The Valley pitch.

    I'm pretty certain that the club database will be able to apply these parameters and filter out the likes of me and Zephaniah who haven't done any or all of the above.

     
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 23,669
    Somebody probably added this name as a prank , believing it wouldn't get added. 
    It did and it made me smile. 
    No harm done so I have no problem with it.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,559
    Somebody probably added this name as a prank , believing it wouldn't get added. 
    It did and it made me smile. 
    No harm done so I have no problem with it.
    I do, my last clap was unnecessary and my hands were cold.
  • Billy_Mix
    Billy_Mix Posts: 2,707
    Why has it got to be a prank?
    Could it be that somebody put his name forward in tribute to his standing and contribution?
    Nobody's questioning the 'legitimacy' of any of the other names.  Why so precious?
    His was a fairly uncommon name and lots of us know who he was.  Pure chance has his name alphabetically last on the list and thereby most noticeable.
    FWIW I was delighted to see it.
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034
    Billy_Mix said:
    Why has it got to be a prank?
    Could it be that somebody put his name forward in tribute to his standing and contribution?
    Nobody's questioning the 'legitimacy' of any of the other names.  Why so precious?
    His was a fairly uncommon name and lots of us know who he was.  Pure chance has his name alphabetically last on the list and thereby most noticeable.
    FWIW I was delighted to see it.
    I mean, I don’t think it’s a big issue, but that’s not really what the annual remembrance is for. 
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,845
    Somebody probably added this name as a prank , believing it wouldn't get added. 
    It did and it made me smile. 
    No harm done so I have no problem with it.
    I do, my last clap was unnecessary and my hands were cold.
    Get yourself down the doctors mate. Soon get that sorted for you.