Who Do You Think You Are?

[jadesfire]

I'm spamming you guys something rotten this week, sorry, but. But.

I've just sobbed my way through a programme about Jerry Springer. Who would have thought?

Who Do You Think You Are? is always a really intriguing programme, taking people back through the family history that they never knew.

Jerry Springer's family escaped to England at the outbreak of WWII. His grandmothers were both imprisoned and died in the Holocaust. I've watched a few of the series now, and this programme is definitely the most moving, watching him come face to face with everything that his grandmothers and his parents went through. And if you can get hold of it, make sure you watch to the very end. It's worth getting hold of, and worth the watch, although I had to turn it off halfway through the first time, and pick it up again today.

Comments

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

I know, we watched it too. As I'm German it was quite hard hitting to be reminded of what happened 60 odd years ago, although we knew what the programme was about. 2 grandmothers is more intimate than 6 million people and you really felt that. What hit me was his great-great grandfather who'd been persecuted in the 1850's as well, there seems to be history there I didn't get before.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think it was the intimacy of the story that struck me as well. It's easy to learn the history, but seeing it be *personal* is a whole other thing.

I was surprised by the 19th century history as well. Every time I learn something new, I find there's about a million things connected to it that I didn't know!

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

To cheer you up and change the tone (a bit) - I'd dressed very seductively that night, but as you can imagine, that whole intimate history put a slight damper on things. It really felt inappropriate.

Ah well:)

[unfeathered]

The ladies at work were talking about that last week. They didn't say it was Jerry Springer, though!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think that was what struck me! I'm not a fan of the man, but it's a really, really moving piece of television.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Sounds interesting. I must try to find it!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'm not sure when/if you guys would get it, so it's worth tapping sources to try to find it...

[azure-chaos.livejournal.com]

Made me cry too. Was very thought provoking and anger-inducing when i think of the likes of the BNP etc.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* The history of prejudice going back so far was really startling. It's an incredibly documentary.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

That kind of story really gets me as well. Didn't used to so much, but I think as I get older I'm more tender about... human stuff? I poked around on the website - it looks like Stephen Fry's family has a similar story.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Seeing their reactions is just incredible. The human side of the story is so moving. I think a few of the participants have found similar stories in their family history. It's fascinating how things that happened as long as 200 hundred years ago still affects how people feel today.

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

Oh, WDYTYA is back on. Yay! it's a really interesting show, even when you don't know anything about the person it's about. I've seen the Australian version and most of the previous UK eps of this (I wish I could find copies of the Canadian version) :)

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

I know, we watched it too. As I'm German it was quite hard hitting to be reminded of what happened 60 odd years ago, although we knew what the programme was about. 2 grandmothers is more intimate than 6 million people and you really felt that. What hit me was his great-great grandfather who'd been persecuted in the 1850's as well, there seems to be history there I didn't get before.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think it was the intimacy of the story that struck me as well. It's easy to learn the history, but seeing it be *personal* is a whole other thing.

I was surprised by the 19th century history as well. Every time I learn something new, I find there's about a million things connected to it that I didn't know!

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

To cheer you up and change the tone (a bit) - I'd dressed very seductively that night, but as you can imagine, that whole intimate history put a slight damper on things. It really felt inappropriate.

Ah well:)

[unfeathered]

The ladies at work were talking about that last week. They didn't say it was Jerry Springer, though!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I think that was what struck me! I'm not a fan of the man, but it's a really, really moving piece of television.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Sounds interesting. I must try to find it!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'm not sure when/if you guys would get it, so it's worth tapping sources to try to find it...

[azure-chaos.livejournal.com]

Made me cry too. Was very thought provoking and anger-inducing when i think of the likes of the BNP etc.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* The history of prejudice going back so far was really startling. It's an incredibly documentary.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

That kind of story really gets me as well. Didn't used to so much, but I think as I get older I'm more tender about... human stuff? I poked around on the website - it looks like Stephen Fry's family has a similar story.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Seeing their reactions is just incredible. The human side of the story is so moving. I think a few of the participants have found similar stories in their family history. It's fascinating how things that happened as long as 200 hundred years ago still affects how people feel today.

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

Oh, WDYTYA is back on. Yay! it's a really interesting show, even when you don't know anything about the person it's about. I've seen the Australian version and most of the previous UK eps of this (I wish I could find copies of the Canadian version) :)