Push off, Parky

One of the things I promised myself not to do after Jamie was born was to become - in polite English speak - a curmudgeon or - in more direct Ulster speak - a begrudging, grumpy old bastard.

But, having read "Sir" Michael Parkinson's comments about Jade Goody in this morning's press, one has to conclude that this is exactly what he has become.

Describing her as "ignorant and puerile," and, "all that is wretched about Britain today," he went on to say that her death was, "not the passing of a martyr or a saint or, God help us, Princess Di."

You would have thought a so-called knight of the realm would at least have had the decency to let her body go cold in her grave before seeking to besmirch her character and her memory. Heaven knows how her family must feel.

I saw a bit of Jade's funeral on Sky News on Saturday morning before we left for Blackpool and, yes, it was ridiculously over the top. But it was also none of my business.

She supposedly decided the format of the day before her death, her family presumably were comfortable with her choices and none of us were asked to pay for it. So where was the problem? And what more business of Michael Parkinson's was it compared to any of the rest of us?

What really sticks in my craw is that this is the same Michael Parkinson who made a life and a mountain of cash out of basking in the reflected glory and talents of others on his chat show. How was his career choice any less parasitic than anything Jade Goody did? And what's more, the majority of his earnings came from BBC Television and Radio - paid for by you and me through the licence fee - unlike Jade who to my knowledge appeared only on commercials channels, paid for by advertising, and in magazines and books which people chose to buy.

Since stepping down from his chat show, Michael Parkinson has been most often seen trying to sell his own book and taking yet more silver shillings through fronting up life insurance ads.

But getting back to the point, you might have expected someone of Parkinson's age and supposed "stature" to seek to be a positive influence on and advocate of the younger generation, rather than seeking to appeal to the prejudices of other begrudging, grumpy old bastards as a means of boosting his profile, his earnings and his not insubstantial ego. He will be hailed a hero by many but I believe he and they are wrong.

Thanks for allowing me to get that off my chest - I feel much better now.