Rod Stewart has offered to pay for 10 or 20 NHS scans because he’s saddened by the state of the country’s health provider.
Rod called in to Sky News to make this generous offer. He’s a lifelong Tory but is so disillusioned he wants to give Labour a chance.
Thoughts?
The article states “Viewers were told to get in touch with Sky News to get a scan paid for by Stewart.” This makes it sound like a competition. Phone or text us now to win a life-saving opportunity from Rod! Calls charged at standard rates.
His admission that he’s a Tory is no shock of course, but I’d be a little surprised if he’s been a lifelong one. Fame and wealth do strange things to people.
Thoughts? He’s a grade on cunt, always has been, always will be…….OOAA
Cool, cool. I meant any thoughts on this subject rather than your opinion of the man, which doesn’t really add to the discussion. Calling for a Labour government having been Tory previously, for instance.
Grade on, John Donne…
He was good up to Atlantic Crossing. I quite like A Night on the Town, but mostly for the excellent The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II).
His Essex mansion is the other end of Epping from my stepsister. She quite likes him when she bumps into him, which is easy as she’s tall and he’s wee.
I don’t really understand how money works for the very rich. It seems to me that for Rod to pay for 10 or 20 NHS scans would be, proportion-of-wealth-wise, the equivalent of me giving a tenner to charity (mathematical fact check required). Which I do every month, but I wouldn’t bother announcing it, even though I just have, and I certainly don’t consider it generous, even though I sort of do. He might give a lot more unannounced, I suppose.
I read about Elton John’s and Freddie Mercury’s generosity towards each other, exchanging lavish gifts, and about car collections and stuff like that and I just don’t understand it. What use is more than one car? What use are ten bathrooms? Why not do without and give more away? Have these people not seen Schindler’s List?
I recently came across a video recently of multi-millionaire Susan Boyle showing off her house. I found her humility far more impressive and attractive than Rod’s generosity.
I have Crohn’s disease, Gary, so two toilets are a minimum for me and Mrs F. We actually have *counts on fingers* five including the one in the garage. I do only have one car, though.
Five bathrooms! Where do you put them all? I don’t even have five rooms. (Unless I include the guest annex.)
Five toilets.
One in the garage, where I – ahem – “work”. This, I appreciate, is unusual. I don’t mean I work in the toilet.
One downstairs loo & sink.
Two bedrooms with ensuite containing shower, loo & sink.
One staff* bathroom containing bath, loo and sink.
The housemaid* complains about how long they all take to clean.
(*) family
(**) Mrs F
Sound-proofed?
Only half the garage is sound-proofed – not the half with the toilet in it.
Nor is my office, which often has colleagues asking me why they can hear street noise on Teams calls.
@fentonsteve
People shit in the street outside your house? I’d move
In Italy and (I think) in America, people commonly use the word “bathroom” as a synonym for “toilet”. Perhaps it’s considered less vulgar or something. Anyway, I’ve gotten used to it. Last summer, when in the UK, I asked the chap behind the bar of a pub “Where’s the bathroom”. He got all sarky and replied “We don’t have one. Do you mean the toilet?”. I shoulda decked him. But I’m a weakling pacifist coward by nature.
My brother used to work as a waiter (in Scotland) and once served an American lady who asked him where the ‘closet’ was. Slightly confused, he guided her to the room they hung up coats in, and showed it to her, still confused and waiting for a reaction.
Americans eh. It’s alright to call anyone at any time a “ree-tard” but saying the word “toilet” will cause World War Three
On my first day as an undergraduate, an American moved into the room next to mine and complained that her “force-it” wasn’t working. Confused stares all round, I asked her to show me her non-functioning force-it*.
“Oh!” I said, “you mean the tap.”
(*) steady on, Moosey
“I’ll turn it on and get your
hot stuff flowing. Hope you’ve got a towel”
Americans refer to the “restroom”. They seem to find my references to popping out for a ‘rest’ less amusing than I do.
Footage of Fents at Homebase
I bet he would oppose tax rises for millionaires which would pay for a bit more than 10 scans.
If he was telling the truth about wanting a change of government, you might lose that bet…
Now if it was pushbikes, that would be different. As with guitars, the n+1 rule applies.
I can’t stand her music, but Susan Boyle is a Good Egg all round. I like her, and I appreciate her honesty and humility.
And to cite another pop star whose music I don’t like, it was heartwarming after George Michael’s death to start hearing stories of his generosity and charity work, very little (or none?) of which he felt the need to blow a trumpet about when he was alive.
If you are rich, the temptation to crow about how much you give to charitable causes must be overwhelming. I think if I were rich I would find it hard not to mention it, just because I’d want to try and explain to everyone that I’m still a Good Guy despite all the money. (Thankfully, as I’m skinty-poo, I don’t have that problem).
Yes I dont know why he announced it either. He stands to be ridiculed on places like this.
Damned if you do damned if you don’t.
It might be a drop in the ocean but it is better than nothing.
He didn’t announce it, so much as phone-in to a “phone-in” segment, like a regular viewer. Maybe he just wanted to register his opinion and the offer came from that. Maybe he was spontaneously angry and wanted to do something, in the middle of the call. In the Guardian link, it quotes something about wanting to encourage others to think about doing the same? Also, if Tories phone Sky News to demand a change of government, that can’t be a bad thing, can it?
I don’t imagine he gives a monkey’s funky about being ridiculed, least of all on places like this – why should he care? And if you’re “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” then surely it’s better to “do”, especially with something like this?
I’m neither a Tory nor a Rod fan – and I understand the bigger political argument regarding government spending vs charitable funding – but why stifle a good thought or a good deed? Seems petty to give him a good kicking for this…
Food for thought. I find I have an instant dislike for rich celebs who “boast” about giving something back. But you’ve made me think about this, because seen as a public gesture to shine a light on an issue, I agree it feels like a good thing.
I didn’t see/hear the original phone-in, Arthur – I’ve just read the quotes on the Guardian link in the OP. I know that text renderings of what someone said don’t always convey the full picture, but it didn’t look to me like he was “crowing” or “boasting”.
If he doesn’t talk about his charitable giving, we assume it hasn’t happened.
If he does talk about his charitable giving, we tell him to stop boasting.
End of the day, it’s 10-20 scans which presumably otherwise wouldn’t have happened, and the increasingly rare spectacle of a human being appearing to admit in public that they’ve changed their political views. Plenty to celebrate there, imo.
This 🔼 – put it better than I did.
“Spontaneously angry?” Or was his worldwide yard-arm spotter in use? It seems it is for most media appearances he makes these day. Bet he needs a loadsa toilets too, given how hard he, allegedly, works his kidneys.
Whatever…I didn’t see the original broadcast, I assume that you did.
That was my point – there will be people giving him a kick either because he is rich, a Tory or they just dont like his music. None of which is relevant to the point he is making.
I applaud his donation and if plenty more did the same it might make a difference.
I was agreeing with you, Steve…but you were succinct, and I was rambling on…
Wow! New CT and MRI scanners are really expensive! Offering to buy ten to twenty of them is beyond generous.
Oh.
MRI Don’t Want To Talk About It.
I bet he’ll negotiate down to 10 ultrasounds.
That’s the tea hitting the computer moment for me today. Bravo Fenton Steve!
If Ya Think I’m Angry
We are scanning, we are scanning, 10 or 20, paid by me
Wake up Rishi I think I’ve got something to say to you
Oh I say, well played, sir.
I don’t have a problem with this, and thought it was interesting that someone apparently so insulated from the world the rest of us inhabit got so angry about the state we are in. There was also the story a while ago about him filling in potholes and being angry about that. When the state of the nation starts to impinge on the rich and famous then perhaps they may realise that paying their tax in an ‘efficient’ way has its drawbacks after all.
As for the offering to pay for scans, I’m guessing that was an off the cuff remark that came out of his realisation that an assumption that the NHS sort of worked, and that money just got you a nicer hospital and treatment this week rather than next month, wasn’t entirely the whole picture these days. He also has had recent personal experience – he has had thyroid cancer, as well as prostate cancer which was picked up early, presumably via a scan.
Not much of a fan of Rod, apart from a handful of early songs and a few Faces tracks, however, if anyone famous says anything that might make one of their more open minded fans/followers stop for a moment and consider why they still continue to vote Tory then it’s a good thing, however small a difference it might make. Anything that stops this shower of bastards getting in again is worth a punt…
What is the problem here? It is good publicity for himself and for helping to further remind everyone the state of the NHS.
There is only one musician that I know any details about his life style and spending. He is worth 200 million or so and he gives sod all to charity. I know which of the two I prefer as ‘human beings’
You’ve made me curious to know who. According to this list, four musicians are worth 200 million: Lou Adler, Sean Lennon, Lars Ulrich and Tony Bennett. I know where my suspicions lie. The bastard. Surprised to see Jay-Z at the top of the list, seeing as he’s a relative newcomer.
https://www.therichest.com/top-lists/top-100-richest-musicians/
Sorry I meant that as a general figure! These results estimates do vary depending on where to look and/or to believe.
Even more curious now…
Lou fkin Adler? The poor man’s Max Geldray? What??
‘The brandyyyy!’
“Keeps the rain off your tie, mate…”
I really don’t think he needs the publicity or that was even the motive.
Wealthy bitcher fells the Tories.
Shame he didn’t say ‘Wake up, Maggie, I think I’ve got something to say to you.’ back in the day.
Oh. Hang on.
Rod says Vote Labour. I mean blimey at CCHQ that must feel like the ravens leaving the Tower.
Who next, Phil Collins? Michael Caine? Jimmy Savile? (….er…)
The Sky News App had it as their top story yesterday afternoon & I watched a replay of the whole conversation. To me, it didn’t seem like a big celeb making a gesture to garner publicity, more someone completely fed up with the situation & spontaneously offering to pay, out of frustration.
He said that he often watches the show, but this phone in was what made him ring in.
Most of the comments I’ve seen have been very cynical about his motives, which is why those in the public eye will make their donations anonymously, but this was Rod Stewart letting off steam & on the spot saying “I’ll pay.”
First Rod offers to give away around £5,000 and now I see that Matt Hancock has donated £10,000 (of the £320,000 he was paid for appearing in I’m A Celebrity) to the St Nicholas hospice in Suffolk and the British Dyslexia Association. Today is a day of lovely gestures by kind hearts. So much to celebrate!
I wonder if Matt wants a change of government too.
Yeah, he wants Boris back. He’ll give him a job.
To the extent that Rod is in any way indicative of old school Tories this is both encouraging and to be applauded.
In the meantime, a date for your diary – Friday Night Nads – https://tinyurl.com/yckjshvr (it’s a Huff Post link, nothing wicked or Rick Astley related)
And Jacob Rees-Mogg is joning GB News.
Do these people not have constituents to represent?
I can see Nads’ show running out of steam after she’s had BoJo on the couch for a few weeks in a row…
In fairness to JRM, he’ll be mainlining the blue rinse vote every time his ugly mug appears on screen
“Friday Night Nads”? Mooooose!!!
Ewwww
I saw a link to Friday Night Nads, I thought it was another Daily Mash spoof. Alas no.
Talking Nads would have been a more flexible name, as well as being accurate.
Rod fulfils his promise.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/feb/24/rod-stewart-visits-essex-hospital-and-pays-for-day-of-patients-mri-scans
As with Captain Tom walking up and down his garden during lockdown, this is a good news story if you want to cement in the public mind the idea that the health service is a charity.
Technically, it is. The NHS is a registered charity